Year: 1879

to get full swing here; they never are
allowed it, except Sundays, and then they
behave nicely and seem to enjoy the piano
and pretty things and so does John. Yes,
I'll do it right away And up jumped
Mrs. Bennett, finding her most powerful
impetus in the thought of pleasing s'fa-
ther and the boys"


Working and talking busily together
the friends soon made the necessary
changes below, to the great delight of
Polly and the entire bewilderment of
baby, who fell asleep on the best sofa, as
1t bound to make the most of his comforts
while they lasted.


A nasty lunch, and then they rear
ranged the chambers, making splendid
nursery of the larger one, and nice
sleeping room of the smaller for the two
children.


'Now you see you can undress them by
this pleasant CRATE, ana then put them
away in cool, quiet place to sleep un-
disturbed 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 great advan-
tage," said Mrs Gay, who was in high
spirits at carrying everything before her
in this fine style.


"lt 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. l feel like company myself in
here, and John won't know what to do
with SO much space, I have kept him
cramped 80 long. It does seem a shame
to shut up this big room and not enjoy
it: Mary, I have been goose and i'm
glad you came and told me so.'
| Content with this confession, Mrs Cav
| kissed her convert, and leaving Biddy to
finish off, she took her departure with
many last injunctions about ''air, oatmeal,
brown bread, quiet living and sunshine"
| When MIR. Bennett and the boys, who
had been enjoying holiday, came home
to lea, amaZement fell upon them at the
sight of mamma and the babies sitting in
the new sitting room with the announce
ment 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 Jubilee
ensued, for they all felt that a pleasant
change in the domestic atmosphere had
taken place, and all enjoyed it immensely.
Mis-. Bennett played and the
boys and Polly danced, and papa
frolicked with baby, who forgot his teeth
and crowed gleefUlly until bedtime.


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
most distasteful idea to him. He ex-
pressed much satisfaction at bis improv-
ed quarters, however, and that paid Mrs.
Bennett for the sacrifice she had made,
though he, being man, could never


know how great one it was.


It took some time to get fairly settled,


but the sunny side of things grew more
and more delightful as the change of
scene and influence did their quiet work.
The children soon showed the effects of
the daily sunshine, the well aired
chambers, simpler food, and cheerful
play place allotted to them, for these little
creatures show as quickly as flowers their
susceptibility to natural laws. Polly was
never tired of looking out of the window
at the varying phases of street life, and
her observations thereupon caused her
mother many hearty laugh.


Baby throve like dandelion in spring,
though iniantile ills occasionally vexed


his happy soul; for the mistaken training


of months could not be rectifed all at


once,or teething made easy


Mrs. Bennett had her moments of


regret as 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 to the dining room.


But the big pleasant parlor was so invit-
ing with the open air, the comfortable


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 hun,


and spent his evenings in the bosom of


his family: to his wife's great delight


People got into the way OF dropping


in, not for formal call in the prim best
parlor, but social visit With gossip and
games, music, or whatever was going on,
, and soon it was generally agreed that
Benefits house was the pleasantess in the
neighDorhood.


| The doctors standing Joke was, swell,
} ma'am, are you ready for Floridas" and
the answer with every increasing decis-
, ion was. II guess We can get on little
while longer without it,


1t certainly seemed as if the chief inva-
, lid could, and now that the sewing ma
chine had long rests, and the ducal linen
aprons needed only a bit OF braid to fin
r ish them of, Mrs. Bennett found many a
, half hour to practice, read, walk with the
children, and help the boys with lessons
) and play. In the evening it soon became
a habit to clear up the parior, get the
f babies costly to bed, makes herself neat


and pretty, and be ready to show papa 8
} cheerful face when he came home. For
f being no longer worn out with unneces-
J sary stitching, lapguid for want of exer-
} else, and nervous for the need of some.
, thing to break the monotony of a busy


house mothers life, she had spirits to en-
, | iOv tho con%or of q hopy,r, l;fflo circle who