The Jasper news., 1908-01-23


languid sigh.
"Tired?" Egbert exclaimed. May
we paint? Fannie and II"
"Yes, II you'll clean the brushes,
and put them away when you get
through. Here are some lovely COL
ors on the palette, all ready mixed.
Don't talk too loud, you and Dimples;
mamma is not so we'll today"
She passed through curtained
doorway into the next room, and sat
down by her mothers couch.
Did I hear you say you were tired,
dear?" asked Mrs. Shelton.
''Yes, tired of this monotonous, In
active life. / have been thinking all
day what waste it was to spend SO
much money on my music and paint
ing. What good do they do me, since
papa has buried us in this wilder
ness?"
"The more alone we are the more
need Of resources within ourselves"
replied the mother.
Martha shrugged her shoulders.
"Yes know" she said, "but 1t doesn't
suit me. l have always thought there
was work for me in the world; but
will never find 1t here"
"A few years make great changes In
place like this" said her mother.
"Oh, mamma, your patience almost
vexes me. You talk OF few years aB
| If they were a few days. Must / sit
in idleness and wait for the building OF
| ~ dc nj oh
with all my energy and ambition?"
"You are not sitting In idleness. To
comfort a sick mother, and make
bright home for your father and BROTH
er Is better work than you think,
and your field of usefulness will widen
day by day. 1t may not be the field
you would have chosen; but do not
forget that What thou best canst un.
derstand is just the thing lies nearest
to thy hand"
"Oh, mammal" The curtain part
ed and Egbert bounded in; "oh, man.
ma, Fannie has colored basket Of
eggs to take to the children up at the
poor house tomorrow; may l go with
her? Please, mamma; I never have
been to the poor house,"
1T isn't a proper place for you,
Bertie," said his sister. Send the
children some of those painted eggs,
but keep away from there; you might
catch some disease"
"No, Marsie, heard Dr. Brown tell
papa, only yesterday, that there was
no sickness there except few cases
of-of-'Pullmanery,' think he called
It; l don't know what that is, but it
can't be bad because papa said /
willing"
The curtain parted again, and lit.
tie girl with large, shy eyes, and
cheeks that dimpled when she spoke,
came timidly in. Its nice and clean
up there" she said, ''and they're al
ways so glad to see anybody"
81 think Egbert may CO." said Mrs.
Shelton. Marie took long look at
Fannie, and her will relaxed. Sure.
ly, II such sweet, wholesome little
creature visited the county poor house
1t could not be such disgusting place
as she had imagined.
do you think they would care for
flowers, Fannie?" she asked; II could
send few lilies and a basket of hya.
cinths, and also a wagon full of plum
blossoms"
Encouraged by this sudden spark of
interest, Mrs. Shelton said: Suppose
you go with the children, Martha? !
do not think you would regret it,"
Martha turned on her mother a look
of panied surprise.
"Oh, how can you .sk it," she said,
and left the room In tears.
That shower broke up the clouds
and let the sunshine into her heart
again.
The Easter r.orning saw her seated
in the millers little wagon, between
Egbert and Jamie, driving old Dex-
ter to the poor house. bent man
on crutchea opened the gate for them.
The hall door stood open, but no
one was visible inside. A clatter of tin
pans was heard in room at the other
end of the hall, and, rising above this,
a clear, bird-like voice singing: Come,
Thou Font of Every Blessing" 'Its
Cherry singing. and washing the
Dishes said Fannie, and added, laugh.
ing: "She calls them dishes, hut
they're only tin plates, you know.
Come right in, know the way
| AS they entered the bare, but clean
room where the girl was washing the
pans, she hushed her song and drew o
long, eager breath through her nos.
trils. "Hy'ctnths!" she exclaimed