Year: 1879

a
sleep undisturbed by you older people
only be sure that the little mattresses
and bed clothes get good airing and
summing every day. You can shut the
door and let them lie for hours as you
couldn't in the back room, and that is a
great advantage" said Mrs. Gay who
was in high spirits at carrying every
thing before her in this fine style. .


at is lucky we seldom have guests
to sleep in winter, for that north room
isn't at all my ideal of best chamber,
though we have put some of my pretty
things in there. | feel like company
myself in here, and John won't know
what to do with so much space, have
Kept him cramped so long. 1t does
seem a shame to shut up this big room
and not enjoy it. Mary, have been a
goose, and Pm glad you came and told
me so.n - -i.s .s.


Contented with confession Mrs. Gay
kissed her convert, and leaving Biddy
to finish off, she took her departure
with many last injunctions about sair,
oatmeal, brown bread, quiet living and
sunshine"


When Mr.. Bennett and the boys, who





home to tea, amazement fell upon them
at the sight of mamma and the babies
sitting in the new sitting room with the
announcement that there was not going
to be any best parlOr any more.


When the events of the day had been
explained and discussed, sort of jubi-
lee ensued, for they all felt that pleas
ant change in the domestic atmosphere
had taken place, and all enjoyed it i'm
mensely. Mrs. Bennett played and the
boys and Polly danced, and papa
frOlicked with baby, who forgot his
teeth and crowed gleefully until bed
time.


OF course Mr.. Bennett had his joke
about women's notions, and he doubted
as to the success of the plan, but any
thing that cheered up his wife pleased
him, for his heart sank at the thought
of home without her, and Florida was
IA most distasteful idea to him. He ex-
pressed much satisfaction at his i'm
proved quarters, however, and that paid
Mrs. Bennett for the sacrifice she had
made, though he, being a man, could
never know how great one it was.


1t took some time to get fairly set
tied, but the sunny side of things grew
more and more delightful as the change
of scene and influences did their quiet
work. The children soon showed the
effects of the daily sunshine, and well
aired chambers, simpler food, and
cheerful play-place allotted to them,
for these little creatures show as quick
ly as flowers their susceptibility to
natural laws. Polly was never tired of
looking out of the window at the vary
ing phases of street life, and her Oh
servatiOns thereupOn caused her mother
many a hearty laugh,


Baby throve like a dandelion in
spring, though infantile ills occasional
ly vexed his happy soul for the mis-
taken training of months could not be
rectitied all at once or teething made
easy.


Mrs. Bennett had her moments of re-
gret when she saw the marks of little
fingers on her paint and furniture,
watched the fading of her carpet, and
labOred vainly to impress upon the boys
that whiting, ball and marbles had
better be confined tn the dining room.
But the big pleasant parlOr was so In
viting with the open air, the comfort
able flowers, chairs, babies, work and
play, that no one could resist the charm,
and tired papa found it so attractive
that he deserted the library set apart
for him, and spent his evenings in the
bosom of his family, to his wife's great
delight.


People got into the habit of dropping
in, not for Il formal call in the prim best


80
and games, music or whatever was go
ing on, and soon it was generally agreed
that Benefits house was the pleasant
est in the neighborhood,


The doctors standing joke was
''Well, ma'am, are you ready for Flori-
da ~ and the answer, with every in
creasing decision, was 81 guess we can
get on little while longer without it.


1t certainly seemed as if the chief in
valid could, and now that the sewing
machines had long rests, and the ducal
linen aprons needed only bit of braid
to finish them off, Mrs. Bennett found
many half hour to practice, read, walk
with the children and help the boys
with lessons and play. In the evening
it soon became habit to clear up the



make herself neat and pretty, and be
ready to show papa a cheerful face
when he came home. For, being nc
longer worn out with unnecessary
stitching, languid for want of exercise
and nervous for the want of something
to break the monotony of busy house
mothers life, she had spirits to enjoy
the centre of happy little circle who
looked to her for the sunshine of home


"Some of us must go to Florida tc
get we'll, but a great many people
might save their time and money, anC
make land of flowers for themselve:
out of the simplest materials if they
only knew how" said Mrs. Gay, wheI
the Bennetts thanked them for the ad
vice which did so much good, and every
one agreed with her.


TEXAS LIFE.-The amenities of Tex
as life are Illustrated by an incident re
lated by the Virginia Nev.) Enterprise
Two comrades who had not seen eacl
other for long time met on opposite
sides of stream and exchanged greet
ings. They were evidently delighted
to meet each other, and their only re
gret appeared to be that it was impOs
sible for them to shake hands, the rive
not being fordable on account of it
swiftness and the treacherous nature o
its channel, while the nearest bridg
was five miles above. 81 say, Sam |!
cried Broncho, "it's little rough 70
old friends and neighbors to meet ava,
out here, thousands of miles from hom
and then have to part in this way. Go
yer pistol with yerW 81 hev" crie'
Sam; "allers carry her." 'Good
that's some comfort; eff we can't ge
across this var stream to shake hands
why, thar's nothin' to prevent US fror
takin' q shot at each other lust rid