The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1896-08-22

look about pretty near every day."
"And that great easy chair by the
window, all covered with white Gre
tonne and wild roses twining all over
it-that chair actually held out its
arms and begged me to sit in its lap,
and look out at the Sound and its
white sails"
Both women laughed little at the
quaint conceit, and Miss Prime
owned: Il did accept its invitation
just breath"
"Why, bless you, child! take your
sewing and go right up and sit there
an hour, if it's any pleasure
Not in work hours. l should just
idle and look at the street and the
Sound; but if l was going to make a
visit, same as that lady is coming
here, and | should be given room
like that with a warm welcome, |
think | should be full of gratitude
and delight. and would know what
rest means"
"Aunt Miriam is welcome to any
thing-don't fancy she isn't. Only,
as she is going to stay two or three
weeks, room with palmer things in
it might suit her better-that's what
l thought; but of course want to do
what is best all around. Johns cou-
sin and her daughter are coming
next month, and they're used to
things stylish, and Lawyer Nelson is
coming for a night when that land
suit comes off, and mebby he'll bring
his wife; so you see l was keeping
that room spick-and-span."
II see. l didn't know about them
when I spoke; and l was thinking
there wasn't much view from the back
room"
"No, only some fields and woods;
and, to be sure, Aunt Miriam has
had such things to look at all her
life. To get glimpse of water will
be a treat to her-that is so. That
little rise of ground over there is just
enough to hide the view of the Sound
from this lower floor. I'm always
sorry for that. Well, on the whole, l
guess I'll put my first company into
my best room, Miss Prime, thanks to
you"
"I'm so glad; only l don't want
you to feel as if | was interfering to
to be anyways mean. | don't med
die in general"
NOW don't you worry. Pm not
going to lay it up against you be-
cause you're better at heart than l
am. You enter right into the needs
and feelings of other people, while
all the time I'm thinking how things
are going to concern me-"
20 Mrs. Laurance, DON'T | never
thought of setting up to be as good
as you are, for l couldn't be-" and
the little dressmaker colored rose-red
and looked quite distressed.
"There, there! we won't quarrel
over ourselves; and don't you hurry
to get that waist done today. I'll
get you an early tea, and when John
goes to the depot you can ride along
home and come tomorrow and finish
that and fix another dress bit, and
see Aunt Miriam too"
And then the good housewife went
out to the kitchen, and while she was
beating her cake, she said to herself:
"Sarah Ann Laurance, sometimes you
think you're quite good woman, but
you can't hold candle to that quiet
little creature in there. You're vain
and proud, and striving after the
praise of fashionable people that
don't care two snaps for you, when
you ought to go down on your knees
to serve such saint as Aunt Miriam
and be glad to. l know one thing
I'll do, though: When my other COM
pany is all gone and Mile Prime
has slack spell of work, she shall
come here for a weeks visit and have
that front room and take one real rest
in her life, poor SOUL To think of
her living alone in two tiny rooms,
folks all dead, and not a dollar, l
guess, but her own earning, and yet
so sweet and cheerful, Away giving
to the church and ready to help any
BODY; and I've hardly ever given her a
thought only when l wanted to have
some sewing done. Well, I've
deal to make up to her and some
Others"
The next afternoon Aunt Miriam
and Miss Prime were sitting on the
front porch chatting like old and con-
genial friends. Mrs. Laurance, on
her way out to join them, stopped to
pick up bit of lint from the carpet,