Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1900-11-21
THROUGH OTHER EYES.
The Story of One Who Bore His
Burden Cheerfully.

He had been sent by one of the large
down town stores to lay carpet in the
spare bedroom. He whistled merrily in
the intervals when his mouth was not
full of tacks, and although his face was
lined with care there was a good natured
twinkle in his eyes, and he went about
his work as one who enjoyed it.
The young mistress of the house had
come into the room and was watching
him from the window seat, the only avail
able resting place in the room. Her
frame of mind was of the deepest ceru-
lean hue, and she considered herself an
exceptionally unfortunate woman. Her
husband had that morning informed her
that owing TO unexpected reverses in
business they would not be able to go
to the seashore, as they had planned to
do, and, in fact, they could not leave the
city, but must be contented this year to
test the attractions of Chicago as n sum-
mer resort. There would be nothing to
do, therefore, in the way of recreation
but TO ride over the well known boule-
wards and attend the theater once in
awhile, with perhaps an occasional sail on
the blue bosom of the lake. The dress
maker who had been engaged to plan
and make a number of fetching gowns
and other confections must be informed
that her services would not be needed,
and altogether the mistress Of the house
considered this life to be a very dis
appointing affair, one which, when taken
all in all, was by no means worth the
trouble of living.
She watched the man in moody silence.
Why did he take any interest in his occu-
patton? How could he be happy when
for him the future evidently contained
nothing but work? She wondered how
life appeared as seen through his eyes.
She felt like talking to him; she wanted
to learn something of his history, but
there was the rat-tat-tat of the hammer
to drown all conversation even had he
been able to speak distinctly with the
tacks in his mouth.
When his task was nearly finished and
when he was pouring the last remaining
tacks from the paper into his hand, she
asked tentatively:
Have you large family of childrenW
mo children at all, ma am, and l guess
it's a blessing | haven't the way things
have turned out" he replied cheerfully.
'You have had some trouble in support
ing yourself, then, concude2"
"Myself? Graciousl 1t wouldn't be
any trouble to provide for myself. Any
things good enough for me. But, you
see, all my life long I've had somebody
on my hands to take care Of / was Just
small kid, though l was the oldest of
five, when my father died. Then mother
said:
Joe, you are a little fellow, but you
must do what you can to support the 9TH
er children And so / went to work, and
you might say | never was a child from
that minute. Then mother she married
again, because she thought it would be
better for us children, she said. My step
father was a good hearted man, but not
one that ever could set the river afire,
nnd after awhile he met with an accident
that crippled him for life, and had him
on my hands too. The other children
grew up and married off, but none of 'em
ever seemed to have place in their
homes or any money for father and moth
CT. / was the oldest, you know, and
they'd got into the habit like of depend
ing on me. l guess it was nothing more
than natural that they should
Then Aunt Jane, my stepfather's old
est sister, came from Iowa on u visit.
She was considerably drawed up with
rheumatic, and she said she thought the
trip would do her good. That was ten
years ago, and she is with us yet"
why you have no right to support
her. She is not related to you in the
slightest degree"
That's SO; but, then, she amt related
to my brothers and sisters either so they
couldn't be expected to take her. She
has no money, no other relatives of her
own and no place else to go. Naturally
I've got to look after her. She'd be
heap more agreeable, though, if she was
not so cranky and fond of finding fault.
hn tan -, H. :.
black, and ii it's black she's sorry 'taint
green, and so on. But, then, we all have
our faults" He placed a tack on the
edge of the carpet and hammered it in.
Il should think any home would be un-
pleasant that contained such woman"
remarked the mistress of the house when
the noise of the hammer had subsidized
He smiled. "Well, with her remarks
and with father and mother always hec-
toring more or less our place amt always
what you'd call gay. But I've found that
the best way to be happy is not to think
too much about yesterday nor expect too
much-from tomorrow, but get all the good
you can out of today. And there's a good
deal that's pleasant to be found after all
If we'll only look for it,"
"lt is not surprising that you were not
able to marry" she said, ignoring his
philosophy.
"Oh, but am marriedw And his rug.
ged features were illuminated by bril-
liant smile. Then he drove in another
tack.
with four grown people to support
two of them invalids-you must have
hard life, no matter how you look at it,
and yet you struck me somehow as being
very happy man."
''And SO l am" he returned, still smil-
Ing. "The richest man in Chicago or Nc
f<inley himself amt any happier than
am this day. l could sing at the top of
sny voice. l could even dance if there
was nobody to see me, for l guess one Of
sllY fnet must be q Methodist I nm 90