Year: 1876

Under this title we find an excellent
little sketch in Arthur's Home Magazine,
and reproduce it here. The fashion of
/ having a fine room which may not be
used by the members Of the family, lest
/ the pretty things in it should be injured
or soiled, is one which thoroughly de
serves the sarcasm which CLEANS in every
/ sentence OF Mrs. Bells story. What
home is worth the having that can not
I be used in its every part?


Now. pa, don't 60 in there, with your
old, dirty clothes on. I've just got it
cleaned, and / don't want the carpet
soiled and the room all mussed up tor
nothingW


Pa, as Mrs. Fowler called her hus-
band, stopped on the threshold, and
looked for a moment across upon the for
hidden ground; then, with a sigh, turned
away, passed out and took a seat on
wooden chair in one corner OF the old,
dingy kitchen.


He had spent nearly a quarter Of an
hour brushing and cleaning up before he
dared venture to even 90 into the sit
ting room, and thought he would just
step into the parlOr and try that new
easy chair be brought from town last
week, and hear Jennie play on the piano
he had sacrificed so much to buy for her.
He seldom If ever heard it any nearer
than the kitchen, and there he sat now.
thinking and wondering lie toiled and
worked hard all day on his broad acres,
and FOR WHAT To earn "a corner OF the
poorest room in his own house and "a
wooden chair to sit uponl lie used to
enjoy himself when they had but one
room, and all sat together of an evening
But the wife and daughter had outgrown
and outlived those old primitive ways.
and those old fashioned days, and the
consequence was, the parlor was too nice
for pa" to enter, unless, indeed, when
the stove had to be moved or the white
washing done, or the carpet taken up
and dragged out once every year. And
he sometimes found himself wondering
if there were not a bit of reason in the
question little fouryear-old Freddy asked
him one day.


PA, will they have nice rosy carpets,
and soft chairs, and lace curtains up in
Heaven 2


II hope not, child. Why do you askY'


Because | was thinking, papa, maybe
they wouldn't let you and me in, you
know"


But how many homes there are all
over our land. where the proper head Of





ali the liue things. tAe one VINO tolls To
earn them. rarely Is permitted To enjoy
them. How often do the dear. tired irrt
walk across the velvet roses on the new
carpet, to purchase which they have. per
maps, plodded many a mile, uphill and
down, behind the plough2


How many times year, in such house
holds, does the weary head, over which
the silver threads are beginning TO creep,
lean back, in quiet, restiul peace, against
the cushions OF those easy chairs? and
yet, there they stand for-somebody.


Perhaps the buving OF them made
some of those same silver threads steal
in among the dark locks, TOR the brow
was wrinkled in deep. earnest thought
for weeks, planning how TO afford the
means to buy just those same easy chairs
But wife and daughter said must, and
so they were purchased


Oh, dear women don't shut up your
parlors. Don't, alter you have cleaned
and re-papered, and put up your pretti
est pictures, and brackets, and orna
ments, and have stood back and looked
all around, and thought how such a
painting would look to Mr.. SO and so, or
such piece of furniture would set Mrs
Not-overwise raging with envy. Don't,
| say, give a satisfied nod, and then 90
round TO each window and slam shut
the blinds. and close up every chink
where the least ray of sunlight can peep
in, and go of in the little, heated back
room and sit down, tired, and warm, and
exhausted, and imagine you have done
your duty No, don't do 1t. dear. who
ever you are wherever your home is; but
open the windows-don' be AFRAID OF
little sunshine. OF course, nobody wants
her best carpet all faded out by the glar-
ing, MONDAY sun. To enjoy the sun
shine, it is't necessary to broii in IT, but
let in enough once in awhile to take
away that gloomy, chilly, pa:lory atnlos-
phere that is so often found in this one
best (oitener worst) room in the house
Let in a laughing sunbeam once in
awhile, and see how much prettier the
roses on the carpet will blush, and how
the pale photograph faces will brighten
in their walnut frames, and almost seem
To nod pleasant thank you" Tor the
cheering ray of outdoor beauty. And
when you arrange your rooms, instead OF
trying TO excite emulation in those who
come and sit perhaps ten minutes with
you twice a year-rufiied, and puffrd
and iurbelowed, and crimped, and curled
and kid -gloved-think lovingly Of the
dear ones at home and OF their comfort
aud happiness. Think, Now I'll put
this easy chair here by this pleasantest
window, where the rose bush grows, Tor
father will like to sit here alter he comes
in at evening, and this footstool for little
Jennie at his feet and this pretty pic
ture OF little Nellie, who went to Heaven
a two-year-old baby, shall hang right
here, low down, where grandma can see
it, Tor she was grandmas pet; and the
stand and the bracket that Charlie made
shall be here in this corner for though
they are little rough, yet the dear boy.
hands made them for mamma's birthday
present" And so weave love into every
nook and corner, and you'll never want
to shut it all up--your best room, your
parlor-and only open it to outsiders
You will enjoy it best then with your
own loved ones around you, for they will
appreciate your thoughtfulness, and pay
you in the home endearments that are
better than fashion. better than glitter,
better than anything outside of the four
walls made dear and sacred by sweet
home ties.