The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1897-11-27
had been on Lizzie's darkened spare

In one corner was the old mahog-
any bureau, and in the other a wal
nut bedstead with high, soft feather
bed and homemade counterpart.
Near the stove stood an old, old
washstand painted to initiate ma
hogany, with grayish notified top
supposed to represent marble. There
was hole in it for the bowl Over
by the window was small cherry
table. A worn copy of the Testament
and Psalms lay on it.
1t was chilly afternoon in early
November and cheerful fire cracked
in-was it?-yes, it was really-Mrs.
Bascom's old Evening STAR" Two
chairs were in front of the stove
one, low split-bottomed rocker,
painted green, the other big brown
wooden one. 1t was Gathers chair"
Lizzie had Topped the last curtain
and was surveying it critically.
Dotted muslin would have been
prettier," she said; "but the bleached
cotton was what mother had. And
here they comet"
They let her rest while in the
sitting room before taking her to her
room. When she entered it her eye
fell on the carpet.
"Why, Lizzie" she said, faint this
my carpets Why"-she was looking
around the room now-"Lizziel these
are my things-that were sold.
Where did you get them7" Her
voice was tense and almost stern.
81 bought them back, mother.
They we're all in the neighborhood,
and verybody was glad to let me
have them when they knew what
wanted them for. 1 thought you
would feel more at home if you had
tbem-don't you like them, mother9"
a little anxiously.
| Mrs. Bascom had dropped into a
chair, and covered her eyes with her
hand. She looked up now with tears
streaming down her cheeks.
"Like them?" she said. "Why,
child, I've just longed for these
things. didn't know how my heart
was bound to them, or l never would
have let them go. I've tried to make
myself feel how childish it was, and
[ never told soul how felt; but OBJ,
Lizzie, I've been so homesick for my
thingp
She went from one thing to another
with the delight of child.
GLOW good that bed will feel this
winter" she said. And here's my
little stand table, too, and-Lizzie!
amt that my TESTAMENT"
"Yes'm. 1t was in one of those
drawers when the table was sold, and
we never knew it,"
"Ahd Sally thought she had burned
it upl She bought me nice Oxford
Bible. with a lot of maps and Pauls
missionary journeys in it; but when
people get old they don't seem to
care SO much about studying the
Bible as about reading it. And this
has so many passages marked. Here 8
the text sister AIMS funeral sermon
was preached from-and fathers
and my little Henry'sl Oh, I'm glad
to get this Testament back!
They were sitting around the fire
later.
Mother" said John, 81 hope you
haven't forgotten how to knit. I've
been thinking how good a pair of
your warm socks would feel these
cold mornings"
Mrs. Bascom turned eagerly to her
daughter. rs there any yarn in the
house, Lizzie7"
Maybe I can find some," said
Lizzie, mendaciously. She had
bought some the day before in antic.
ipaticn of this. "I'll look tomorrow"
"Tll have you pair by the last of
the week, son. I've seen the time
when l could turn off my sock in a
day; but l reckon I'm little out of
practice now"
"John, you needn't put mother at
work quite SO soon. l want her to
help me with my blue stripe first"
Haven't you colored that stripe
yeti'
Nom. l don't know how"
"John," said his mother, briskly,
''get me some Prussian blue to NOR
row, and we'll go right at it," Flo
selle had been hard to manage, but
she was on familiar ground now.
Lizzie went about her supper after
while, and the two were left to-
gether.
$50 you like it, do you, mothers"
said John, seeing her glance rest
lovingly on the familiar objects.
II