The Van Buren press., 1897-10-09
MRS. BHSCOM'S THINGS.
eY CAROLINE II. STANLEY.
T WAS the day before Mrs.

Il " ~ ihN hae " IL -'AA . i'N9NoiAA .
sale, and the accumulation of 40
years was waiting for it.
Forty years is a long time - long
enough for the rootlets of human
heart to strike deep and take firm hold.
Mrs. Bascom was thinking this as she
walked around the yard for the last
time. She stopped by a branching
maple and laid a earessing hand upon it.
I'VE planted this tree that first
spring." she said, softly. to herself. ut
wasn't more than a foot Highland
we've grown here together ever since.
All, mel It's hard to transplant old
trees"
But there was no help for it. She
knew that. When Col. Bascom died it
became absolutely necessary to break
up the home. John, the only son, lived
near, but he could not give up his nice
new house to go back to the old place,
Sally, the daughter, lived in ST. Louis,
Her husband was a prosperous mer-
chant, and, of course, moored So there
was nothing left for Mrs. Bascom but
TO "break up" and live with her chill
dren.
The question of where, Sally had set
tied in her own decisive fashion.
'Of course mother will live with me"
she said "The daughter-not the
daughter-in-law-i the proper one to
have the care of the parents when they
are old"
Mrs. Baseom shrank little at this
ot,IS Of E1;a1 1lN Gha
was an active woman of 60. She had
not thought to need "caring for" for
ten years or more.
Her daughter-in-law was sitting next
to her. She took the withered hand in
hers and stroked it gently.
AS Sally says, daughter has the
first claim" she said, tenderly; but
am sure mother knows that we would
be glad to have her" And somehow
Mrs. Baseom felt comforted
Sally settled the details of the break
Ing up in the same summary manner. 1t
was her way of doing things.
well just make clean sweep
mother" she said '.There's nothing
worth saving, and we'll sell them ALL"
Mrs. Bascoln was taking things out of
the bureau drawers.
Don. you think I'd better take the
bureau with me- daughter?" she asked,
little anxiously. 1t was mahogany
chest of drawers without casters.
"0h, my, no, motheri | wouldn't
have that numbering old thing around
for anything. | have a handsome an
tique oak dresser in your room, and a
chiffonier to match. You'll have all the
drawer space you can possibly use
Mrs. Bascom was opening and shut
ting the empty drawers aimlessly.
1--WE had this bureau 40 years." she
said, as if to herself. eve bought it
when we went to housekeeping. / sup
pose it is a little shioned"-there
was touch of wounded feeling in her
voice-'but ii was considered fine
piece of furniture in its day. The top
drawer was fathers, and the second
drawer was the one I kept my baby
clothes in. / can just see Johns little
linen cambric shirts, trimmed with
thread edging, nowl Sally, it seems
like / would hate to sell this bureau!"
I'll take it, mother and keen it for
you,'' said Lizzie, quietly.
"Why, Lizzie" demonstrated her sis
ter-in-law, "you haven't any room for
it,
"Fll make room." said Mrs. John Bns-
com, little curtly.
The old lady was not much help.
Every article in the house was full Of
tender memories to her, and as she
went from one to another sitting a
moment in fathers chair" and touch
ing this thing and that, she was clearly
giving n good-by to them all. Such a
hold inauimate things will get upon the
affections
you wouldn't have any use for this
new rag carpet, would you, daughter ?"
''None in the world, mother"
II didn't know but you might put it
In the back part of the house. took
heap of pains with this carpet, and
nearly the last thing father lid was to
bring ii home from the weayer's. He
took such an interest in it when was
making it, father did You don't think
you'd better put it down in my room,
do you, Sally?"
"Oh, no, mother; it wouldn't be in
keeping with anything in the room.
And then I've just put down a new body
Brussels. l don't feel that there is
anything too good for my mother" af-
foctionately.
Mrs. Bascom smiled back bravely.
but she looked wistfully at the carpet,
after all.
And so it went
The things were all sold; and when
Mrs. Bascomb started for st. Louis with
her earthly belongings packed in a new
trunk, she was a stripped and desolate
an old woman as ever swallowed her
tears and smiled. 1t was as il a crane
vine had been prepared for transplant
ing by carefully shaking the earth from
its roots and clipping its tendrils nearly
away.
They did not hear from her often.
Sally had said she would have all the
time there was now TO write letters; but
letter writing-for pleasure-had been
crowded out of her busy country life
and when leisure came she was too old
TO form a new habit.
Mrs. John Bascom went down to 81.
Louis at the time of the fair, nearly a
year after the breaking up. She STAYED
three weeks.
The night she came back she had a
plain talk with her husband.
John" she said, in answer to his
inquiries, mother is dying Of home