Year: 1872

THE SOUND OF THE sCRUBB1NG BRUSH IN ONE


PART OF THE CHAPTER AND WEDDING


BELLS IN ANOTHER, WITH OTHER THINGS


BETWEEN.


"Each morning sees some work begun"


How still and lonely the house seemed for
DAYS! How much the children, with their
lively prattle and artless glee, were missed,
could not be told. All were missed, even to
the demure little Celeste. Grace felt as if
there was nothing to nothing to give out !;
so great was the difference between six and
seventeen. She almost wished she had beg
ged Alice to remain at home, she was so lost
without some of them.


Mr.. Ellison could not bear to see Grace so
sad, and in pity he brought Ellen over for a
few days and it did cheer her greatly, though
when her uncle was in the house, she declared
she never had a chance to look at or speak to
Ellen.


He hovered around her so constantly, that
Grace could slip off to her room for an hour
without being missed; but she began to do so
without the tears which had marked the first
few days of her mothers absence.


There were no rhapsodies between Mr.. Eli
son and Ellen; but strong, deep love and
confidence in which VOWS and protestations
were not needed. Grace was not in the way
when present, yet was not missed when absent /;
and she declared if Ellen was not so quiet,
she should think she had been married ten
wears, there was so little "lovers' nonsense"
between the two.


A busy time had Grace for some ten days,
when she undertook to have carpets taken up
and the house cleaned from attic to the lowest
step of the piazza. She had never superin-
tended such job before; but she persevered
in it, in spite of lazy servants with cross looks,
till no housekeeper in the State could boast of
a neater, cleaner domicile. Then she brought
out the spring and summer clothing and went
over it carefully, and mended everything that
needed it. She recalled Madame DeVictors 8
pleasant smile and remark, when she one day
found her patching and darning-


"I nevair wastes nothing. An ole clothes
are more easy an soft than new ones. We
had to mend wen we was so vair poor, and it
brings back the Of time, an makes me proud
no more"


Dear old lady! as if any one could have
thought her proud, with her sweet gentleness.


Besides lesson in mending, the useful Ia
dy had showed Grace how to starch and iron
shirts and ruffles with less hard work than she
had used formerly; and had taught her
to make excellent rolls and sweeter light
bread.


If Grace did not believe she was "an heir.
ess in her own right" Jack certainly did; and
listened with admiration to her account of all
she had accomplished.


"Of course 1 didn't do all the hard work.
the drudgery; but Iattended to it and helped
great deal. But the sewing 1 did, every
stitch. I know it will be saving to fathers
purse, for I've made coats, vests, pants and
socks as good as new, which once we threw
aside or gave to the negroes. Miss Ellen said
playfully, one day, I'VE did not know how to
be poor, for we wasted on trifles enough to
keep us in comforts. Madame DeVictor had
the same idea in different words, and believe
they were right"


"I believe so, too," replied Jack. 81 used
to spend hundreds and never see where ii
went, while was in the army; but when
took that situation in Charleston, I promised
uncle Ellison to keep an exact account of my
expenses and not run in debt. 1t seemed We
ry easy to do so. He gave me some money to
begin with, till my first quarters salary was
due; but found habit of spending is not SC
easy to cure. I began by buying just what
happened to fancy, and in month my money
was pretty near gone. In six weeks had tc
leave my fine boarding house. quit smoking
which was good thing-and finally pawn q
gold ring to pay my washing and keep my
word not to run in debt"


20. Jack, why didn't you send to father OF
Uncle Ellison? They would have helped you
at once