The Spanish Fork press. [volume] (Spanish Fork, Utah) 1902-current, 1906-09-27
MOT HERS
KEEPSAKE

NV AARoLp AVERY

Similar pieces of furniture are 10
be found in nearly every home-house-
hold pensioners which have done their
work. and, being replaced by some
thing more modern and up to date are
nut away In a corner to be kept cleah
and looked at. The bureau has long
been on the retired list, but in the days
of active service-days when the manu-
that rocked the cradle, rather than the
hand that thumped the tub, was sup
posed to rule the world-the mother Oh
the family always used this old-fash-
toned contrivance as her desk.
II was at the bureau that she always
sat to write to us when one by one we
left home and went away to schooi'
and there 1t is that | think | see her
tonight, with the light falling on her
face from the little oil lamp that the
servants would grumble at now II IL
were given them to use In the kltcheh'
The top drawer was especially hers'
and remains exactly as she leit IT,
though in the eyes OF a stranger the
contents would appear but double
handful of rubbish. To her, however
every trifle was a precious treasure
and as we turn them over 1t seems as
though, instead of the bureau drawer
her own dear heart lies open before us
with all its loving secrets revealed to
our gaze
Here is a bundle of photographs.
taken in the days of head-rests and
studied positions, when gentlemen
stood with one arm akimbo and the
other resting on table or marble col
umn, while the right leg was accurate
ly crossed in front of the left, and
when the moment which preceded the
taking off of the cap was solemn
enough to render 1t well-nigh impossi-
BILE to put on that pleasant expression
which the artist vainly implored one
to assume.
But these pictures are all of chill
dren; some frowning, some smiling,
others with a look of patient endur-
ance, while on the faces of few APP
pears an expression of interested ex-
pectation, which shows that they were
still the victims of a well-meaning
fraud, and believed in the tabled bird
which, If they watched closely, would
be seen to fly out of the lens.
What an immense amount of time
and trouble she and Mary Jane must
have taken in arranging those bows
and sashes, and in producing those as
tonishing curls and top-knots! The
photographs of that era were subject
to attacks of jaundice and measles; In
course of time they grew yellow and
spotted. and some of these have suf-
fered in the manner described, but
they were treasured up in the bureau
drawer and have remained there tc
this day in the same old cloth-lined en-
velope, frayed and crumpled from fire.
quent handling.
On this silver rattle, with handle
of red coral, verify believe that the
whole family in turn cut the greater
number of their first teeth. Whether
the rattle was in any responsible fol
the articles thus produced | do no
know; If so it can hardly be regarded
as family treasure, for we all were
martyrs to face-ache. She used, with {
great deal of coaxing and persuasion
to inspire us with sufficient courage t
accompany her to the dentists. w,
started with vast amount of swaggel
and then kicked and screamed for {
quarter of an hour before we could b,
induced to sit back in the fatal chat
and open our mouths. On returning
home she always said we had behaved
like heroes, and told such an exagger
ated story of the size of the tooth an,
the courageous manner in which w
had borne the extraction that for m,
own part felt inclined, had such
| thing been possible, to have fallen OIL
my own neck and wept at the recita
| of my sufferings, and the fortitud
with which they had been endured.
She was immensely proud of us, an
thought that in the future we shout
| all distinguish ourselves and do grea
things, though what should have give
rise to this belief it would be Difficult
to say, for we were very ordinary chill
| uich. iiSlt, nOWSNcl, uHueT the DnOtC
graphs are some of the works of al
which We're, at all events in her eye.
so full of promise. A water-colo
daub representing a brown monstrosl
ty with yellow spots, which, from tn
word Polly" appearing beneath it,
recognize as horse; a gaudy scrap c
wool work left half unfinished by littl
hands that soon grew weary of tn
work, and rough, lopslded paper
knife, carved out of a bit of cherry
wood, and with an edge so blunt an
uneven that 1t would be perfect butch
cry to use 1t on the uncut leaves of an
book or magazine.
So we pass from one relic to anothe
until, in the same envelope which cor
tains a small paper book, on each lea
of which is lock of hair, kept in nos
ton with stitch of silk, and car,
fully named and dated, we find a littI
picture. That was the girl who die,
In another corner of the drawer is
little parcel containing knife.
chestnut on string, and a broke
| npnCil-coSp. those wnra tbo k-,., +,