The Family Circle

New Zealand Tablet, 24 August 1911, Page 1661

The Family Circle

GRANDMOTHER’S SAMPLER

Here in the attic dim with dust. Here, where the things once prized now rust. Relics of war and relics of peace Banished from sight by modern caprice, I find in an old chest’s overflow My grandmother’s sampler of long ago.

Time has made a century pass Since she wrought it, a little lass, . To the sound of the solemn convent bell. To the hymning notes of the organ’s swell, While the meek-eyed nun spoke softly slow Of grandmother’s sampler of long ago.

Not quite finished, this little piece ; - . Why did the tiny fingers cease? Why did she quit her ’broidery task? Why ? indeed, we now vainly ask. She’s gone, but her handiwork’s here to show In grandmother’s sampler of long ago.

Ah! but our mortal life is brief ; A little of laughter, a little of grief, A little planning that comes to naught, A few successes with trouble fraught, And with many schemes that no end know, Like grandmother’s sampler of long ago.

Under the elm trees branching wide She sleeps with her kindred side by side, Where the birds sing sweet in the early day Many a lilting fugitive lilting lay, Incomplete as they flutter to and fro, Like grandmother’s Sampler of long ago.

But beyond the land of the setting sun, When care is over and toil is done, The failures shall cease in the blessed light And perpetual triumph shall conquer night, While unfinished tasks shall be left below, Like grandmother’s sampler of long ago.

MANLY HUGH

‘Now, you’ve done it!’

There was a sharp shattering of glass as the heavy ball struck the window. With one accord the three boys who had been playing ball ran into the shelter of the little alley hack of the big house. ‘Won’t she be mad!’ whispered James Cochran, the biggest of the boys. You did it, Williams! You’re the one to blame,’ exclaimed another.

‘My, but the old lady will be mad. She’s cross if we even play outside her house, or sit on her fence, and now—oh, you’ll catch it!’ There she is now !’ cried James, in a tone of suppressed excitement.

The boys peered cautiously from behind the shelter of the alley fence. On the broad steps of the house stood an old lady. The boys could see that her face was white and her eyes flashing with anger as she scanned the empty street in every direction. Her lips moved rapidly as if she were talking to herself and scolding. She gazed hard in the direction of the alley, evidently suspecting that 'it hid the culprits. She took a step as if to go toward it.

Silently, and with one accord, the boys prepared to fly out the other end of the alley, when suddenly, to the astonishment of the other two, Hugh Williams stood still. His face flushed scarlet, but there was’ a determined look in his eyes. ‘ I say, fellows, it’s a mean trick ! Of course I didn’t mean to, but it was my —and I'm going to tell her *

The other two boys drew in their breath and looked at him speechless. Slowly but steadily Hugh walked out of the alley and approached the irate old woman. ‘I did it, ma’am,’ -he stammered. ‘I didn’t mean to- ’

Oh, of course not,’ she said, angrily. They never do. But that doesn’t restore to me my damaged property. I’ve told you boys, again and again, not’ to play , ball on my corner, and now ’ . V She stopped, too deeply exasperated for words. ■ I’m' very sorry,’ insisted Hugh, humbly, but manfully ‘lndeed 1 am.. I’ll give you all < the money I have to pay for itl’ve only a nickel now in my pocket, but I’ve two dollars in my bank at home. You can trust me, indeed you can, ma’am. I’ll bring it to —and if the window costs more than that I’ll try to get the money ’ Your father ought to pay for it,’ exclaimed the old lady, softening a little. ‘ I have no father,’ said the boy soberly. ‘Father’s dead.’

The woman’s face changed. She stood still for a moment, looking intently at the boy standing before her.

‘ Come into the house,’ she said suddenly. ’ Hugh hesitated for just a moment, then the watching boys saw him slowly follow the woman into the house.

, ‘ We’d better cut and run now. It’s our chance,’ suggested James. ‘.No, sir !’ answered Fred emphatically. We don’t know what she’ll do, now she’s got him in the house. She may send for an officer, as she’s threatened to do if we boys trespassed again. I’m going to wait and see. I’m not going to desert him.’ With some reluctance James decided to stay too. Silently and fearfully they waited. They tried to see into the big house, but the curtains at the windows shut out all views of the interior. They listened for the slightest sound, for the opening of the door. Anxiously they watched for the appearance of their companion. But the moments passed and still Hugh did not come. ‘They say she’s queer,’ whispered James. ‘Suppose she’s crazy. Don’t you think we ought to get help, or something ?’ ‘Wait a while,’ decided Fred. As the moments passed their anxiety deepened. They became so nervous at last that they jumped .at every footstep. They heartily. wished themselves out of it, and declared earnestly that they would never again choose that particular corner for their ball games.

It was fully an hour when the door at last opened and Hugh appeared, but, instead of walking out in the custody of an officer or being driven out by a wrathful old woman, he was smiling in quite a friendly way and saying good-bye in his most polite manner to the old lady, who stood in the doorway, —wonder of wonders—she was smiling, too, and looking at Hugh as if she liked him; and in Hugh’s hand there was a large piece of plum cake. The boys could scarcely believe their ears when they heard the old woman say, in kindly tones: ‘ Come again, my boy. And you may tell your mother that she may be proud that she has such an honest, straightforward son. You will always be a comfort to her, I am sure. For the past five years the boys have broken my windows and demolished mv property, and you are the first in all that time who has been man enough to stand up and acknowledge that you did it. Come in and see me whenever you can. There will always be plum cake." She shut the door, and Hugh walked whistling happily to his companions, who slunk somewhat shame” facedly out of the alley. ‘Here, fellows!’ he said, dividing the piece of plum cake and giving a share to each, They demurred at taking it at first, but he insisted. ‘What did she say when you got inside?’ asked Fred curiously.

‘ Oh, I had the finest kind of a time. She’s not cross at all. She told me living alone made her queer, but she’s nice for all .that — fellows, you ought to see all the interesting things she’s got in therea collection of rare stuffed birds, and a lot of old Indian relics. I say, fellows, they’re great! You could spend a whole morning looking at them. Then she gave me plum cake and an orange, and made me promise to come again— I’m going.’ . ‘ I guess it is better to own up, after all, when you’ve done wrong,’ said Fred thoughtfully. ‘That’s what father always tells me.’ Yes,’ nodded Hugh. It wasn’t only that she was so kind to me and I had such a good time, but —somehow— makes you feel so much better inside.'

NOT MUCH TO HIS CREDIT

‘So that’s the oldest inhabitant—one hundred and four years old said a tourist to a villager with whom he had struck up a conversation. ‘No wonder you’re proud of him,’ he continued, in complimentary sympathy. ‘ I dunno about being proud of him,’ responded the native he ain’t done nothin’ in this yer place ’cept grow old, and it’s took him a sight o’time to do that.’

THE ASSISTANT’S PRESCRIPTION

The telephone bell rang in the consulting-room of a doctor who was an enthusiastic cyclist. In his absence his assistant answered it, and - said the doctor was out. ‘ Will you tell him,’ the voice asked, ‘ that Mrs. Newman has a gymkhana coming on, and wants to know if he can do anything for it?’ ~ ‘ I will tell him the moment he comes in,’ the assistant answered. ‘ Meanwhile, put a bread poultice on it, and renew every two hours.’

TO FIGHT HIS BATTLES O’ER AGAIN

His dog was a fierce Airedale, which could whip, and had whipped, every other bow-wow in the neighborhood. Then he clipped his coat. ‘Yes,’ he said to a friend, ‘the clipping was my own idea. I believe it made him look better, but it was very awkward for the dog;’

‘How was that?’ queried the friend. ‘Oh, the other dogs didn’t know him. He had to fight them all over again.’

A USEFUL HINT

; A Berlin wine merchant was accused of selling a wine made of chemicals. He was brought to court, found guilty, and fined. After he had paid his fine, he approached the chemist whose testimony had convicted him. ‘How did you know,’ he said curiously, ‘that my wine was manufactured?’ ‘Because it contained no bitartrate of potash,’ said the chemist. ‘ln natural wines bitartrate of potash is always found.’ ‘Thanks,’ said the vintner, in a tone of relief; ‘it will be found in my wines hereafter.’

FAMILY FUN

The Apple Woman.—A poor apple woman, carrying a basket of apples, was met by three boys, the first of whom bought half of what she had, and then gave her back ten; the second bought a third of what remained, and gave her back 2 ; and the third bought half of what she had now left, and returned her 1; after which she found that she had 12 apples remaining. What number had she at first? From the 12 remaining deduct 1, and 11 is the number she sold the last boy, which was half of what she had ; her number, therefore, at that time was 22. From 22 deduct 2 and the remaining 20 was two-thirds of her prior stock/ which was therefore 30. From 30 deduct 10, and the remainder 20 is half of her original stock * consequently she had at first 40 apples.