Year: 1859

cToWu INTO nouSekeeper morning uueieo,
and finally sat down in her low rocker to
rest few moments, little Harry stole soft
ly to her side, and imprinting very sweet
kiss or her cheek, whispered, 1 am SO glad
it SHOWS, coz you know, mother, what you
promised don't you?


Il don't remember, Harry; what did |
promise?'


The exultant smile half faded from the
beautiful face, but then beamed again as he
said earnestly, why, don't you remember,
mother. you said the very next time it
showed, you would make me them new pair
of pants that uncle Charley gave me. You
know you said so once before, and then you
didn't coz you wanted new cap, and took
that day to make it; but you said the rery
nert time it showed you would make my
pants; and 60 want them so bad, mother,
coz, don't you see, these are all 50 patched
up, you can't tell hardly what they ever
was made of; and tomorrow, when all the
boys are coasting, l want to 60 too, with
my new sled; and 1 don't want to either
with these old pants, coz, you see, they IL
call me 'Patch-upon- patch h-pitch-patch, and
that always makes me feel like doubling
up my fist, and when 1 feel so / don't feel
bit good. You will make them to-day?
Say yes, that's good mother, won't you?


His little arms encircled her neck. his
sweet lips lay pressed to her face, and she
could almost hear the impatient beating Of
his heart, as he waited her answer.


If promised you, Harry, certain sure,
as you say, why I'll do them, though was
going to do something else to-day. l need
a new dress about as badly as you need
new pants, and was glad when saw the
snow, because 1 thought l should have a
good time to finish that one Aunt Lizzie
sent Inc, and which has lain now, cut and
basted, these three weeks.


The little son did cot answer right off
but the mother felt such gush of great
warm tear-drops on her face, she was about
to speak and say, if he felt so very bad,
she would yield her case to his; for nothing
will touch true-heartcd mother quicker
than the wet eyes and suppressed sObs of
her child when mastering his emotion by
what was to him mighty effort. Harry.
said half sadly, half cheerily. We'll, moth
er, won't be stingy; I'll give up again
but you did promise and he walked off
quickly, lest she should see the great food
of tears that rolled down his checks


Left alone, the mother sat for some time
irresolute. The case stood thus. She was
the wife of worthy man, but of one whose
pecuniary means did not allow her to en-
ploy much help; and having four children,
all too young to be of much assistance, she
found it pretty difficult to perform all har
duties as housekeeper and seamstrees for a
family of six. Stormy days were bles-
sing to her, because then, her husband, be-
ing of rather delicate constitution, always
carried his dinner, and a cold lunch suffi-
cling fer herself and children, she had dou-
bic the usual time to devote to sewing
She remembered now perfectly well that
she had promised Harry she would make
his new pants the next stormy day, and she
certainly meant at the time to fulfil her
promise, both because of the joy it would
give the boy, and because he really stood in
need of them. But last evening, Squire
Mason's wife had called and invited her to
party which was to come off the following
Thursday, and the very little bit of pride
she had left made her desire to appear at
that time in new dIess. 1t was not all
pride, either, she argued to herself, as she
sat there alone in the kitchen, her checks
yet damp with the tears of her disappoin-
ted boy, for it was almost spring, and her
merino, after two winters wear, did look
shabby; in fact, the velvet trimming was
quite threadbare in several places; it was
not fit to wear to Mrs Mason's; no. indeed;
and then her new delaine, sent from Bos-
ton, was such love of a pattern and oi
such becoming color, too, she must make
it up and wear it then! Hadn't she sat up
till midnight the evening before, after Mrs
Mason left the invitation, to make the
skirt? And wouldn't it be silly now. Just
because she had promised Harry his pants
to stop and make them and go to the party
in her old merino when all the rest of the
guests would be clad most likely in silks?
Yes, it would so; and so she resolved tc
make the dress that day, and on Friday,
after the party was over, to make Harry
his pants, storm or no storm. Forthwith
the sewing basket came into requisition, and
the bundle with the waist and sleeves was
unrolled. and presently her fingers were
diligently plying her needle and thread.


But somehow she did not feel as happy a:
she expected. Do what she could to fly
her thoughts upon the party, they would
not stay there, but would wander off aftel
. that little sorrowful face that looked int
hers and said. 1 won't be stingy.' Ant
musing on that little face, somehow, sh,
could not tell how, if she had tried, tu


somehow, an old. long slumbering memor!
was awakened. and she saw little girl ma
her long curls over her wet eyes, and stea
off with smsthered sobs to dark room ant
, hide herself in its shadows, and there vice.
5 silently, yet as though her heart woul'
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