The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1897-03-25


decalcomania fever never can be de-
Scribed.
81 can imagine it. had five sisters,
and we were all smitten," | said. What
started as a beauty to cover unsightly
spots soon became frenzy! My moth
er came to the rescue at last and
scrubbed away every inch"
willie brought her all the designs
to be found, and carried the china she
decorated (?) to be baked! Oh, my
dear! The tea set made in Canton for
Mr.. Craige's grandmother's wedding
present, with gilt monographs and
quaint handles TO the cups, all different,
was decorated, carried of 0y Willie, the
horrible pictures all baked in and thet,
presented to me for birthday gift
L could not tell you half, no, not the
twentieth part of the dreadful destruc-
ton. You can see, dear, that the house
is finished inside with oak, to which,
not a brush had ever been touched,
but years of rubbing, waxing and pol
ishing have made like glass. We pride
ourselves, L assure you, upon our oak
finish"
"And well you may" 1 said. 81 have
admired it more than can tell you"
Then you can imagine my consterna-
ton when l came home, after fort
nights visit to my daughter, Marian,
to find Daisy was painting the doors
of the dining-Ioom in panels. Willie
had put on the first coat all over two
doOrs-whitc paint, my dear. The
panels We're in red, blue, green,yellow
each n different color-and upon each
a different design. Such spiky grass!
such stiff leaves, that looked as if they
were cut out of tin. such wooden birds,
| that looked as if their wings were held
apart with sllewer. such staring roses,
tiaring with red paint"
Such an altogether l quoted, as
the dear old lady paused.
81 groaned in spirit, but consoled my
self by hoping that some new fancy
would spare my grand old oallen doors.
And my hopes were verified. Daisy
tired of panel painting when the din
| irg-room was finished, and last spring
L had the doors planed down. They
are little thinner, but will polish up
to the old tone in time.
But after that day Willie was more
| cautious about her undertakings,
| though more devoted to her. She had
| been with me then nearly three years,
| and she had recovered from her first
grief. She was very young, not 20
when Tom died, and looking like a lit
tie girl. So when she shyly ventured
upon a white dress and some blue rib
! bons, and came down to tea looking
| frightened at her own temerity, said,
lovingly:
"'What a pretty dress, and how pretty
my Daisy looks in it
You don't think it is forgetting
Tom, do you?' she asked, with CULVER
ing lips.
9" I am quite sure you will never for
| get Tom | said, kindly, for she was
trembling all over, but am as sure that
Tom loved you too well to wish your
| young life spent in mourning, even for
him. 1t is natural for you to be joyous,
dear, and nothing gives me so much
pleasure as to hear you sing or see you
smile
"She had been wearing her blue rib
| bons for some months when the scrap
! picture and card-collecting lunacy
started. l bore my portion of the
inartyrdom as valiantIy as | could.
saw priceless old Chinese jar that was
an heirloom plastered over with butter
dies and grotesque heads, and var
nished, and did not faint; l endured
| patiently when a costly Japanese vase,
q present from dear old friend, shared
the same fate; but at last the tradition
al straw was laid upon the camers
| back"
1 looked at the dear old face, lighted
by half-comical twinkle of the eyes
and wondered where such angelic pa
thence could have given way.
zone of my boys" said the old lady
my Paul, was a surgeon in the navy
and from every voyage he brought me
| treasures that became sacred when he
sailed away and never returned
Amongst these doubly precious posses
sions was a sandal-wood table, a mas
terpiece of carving, with top polished
like marble. The heavy center-leg
| branched off into feet of carved leaves
supporting the center, which was
carved into exquisite garlands OF
flowers, twisted round a tree trunk
But the beauty of the wood itself was
the only ornament of the fiat top.
THE table stood in a small room of
the parlor, that was seldom used, unless
we had company, and l never imagined
il in any danger until, coming rather
unexpectedly from walk, saw Will
lies head and Daisy's bent over it.
hurried into the room. Oh, my dear!
the whole beautiful top was covered
with hideous advertising cards nailed
on with brass-headed tacks.
ooh, mother, Daisy cried, dom
come in! 1t is not finished
GLOW dare you touch that?' I cried
and then cried like baby. 'Paul's
tablet l sobbed. You have ruined it.!
1T was the first time 1 had ever
spoken harshly to her, and she was like
a child.
"'Oh, Willie she said, she is angry
and l thought she would be so pleased.
willie was equal to the emergency