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THE I
1.. 1 ' . . . "Ml >
The Family
THEY OF TOMORROW.
By Laurence Alma Tradema.
When the sun has left the hilltop
And the daisy fringe is furled,
When the birds from wood and meadow
In their hidden nests are curled.
Then I think of all the babies,
That are sleeping in the world.
. There are babies in the highlands
And babies in the low,
There are pale ones wrapped in furry
skins
On the margin of the snow,
And brown ones naked in the isles
Where all the spices grow.
And some are in the palace
On a white and downy bed.
And some are in the garret
With a clout beneath their head,
And some are on the cold, hard earth
Whose mothers have no bread.
O little men and women,
Dear flowers yet unblown?
0 little kings and beggars
Of the pageant yet unshown?
Sleep soft and <Jream pale dreams now,
Tomorrow is your own.
?Exchange.
THE CLUB THAT MOTHER JOINED.
"What do you think Mrs. Whitesides
said about mother a few minutes ago?"
said Belle, dropping into a chair to laugh.
"She said, 'Belle Morton, your mother is
the most pizen neat housekeeper in this
town.' How is that for a compliment?
1 told her she'd think you were pizen
neat if she had to take down six pieces
of the washing and rehang them on a
windy day as I had to this morning. Ugh!
I can feel the wet things flapping around
my head yet."
"I might get worse compliments," said
Mrs. Morton with a smile.
"The last lecturer we had said women
are slaves to system, mother. She talked
so beautifully about having a soul
above the common, every-day affairs that
it would have done you good to hear her.
After all, what difference does it make
whether the washing is done on Monday
or Saturday?"
"All the difference in the world, and
when you keep house for yourself you
will find that out, Belle."
"All the same I wish you would dress
up more, mama," put in Anna, the eldest
daughter. "Mrs. Clay is ten years older
than you, but she dresses' so stylishly
that she attracts attention wherever she
goes. Belle and I would willingly do
more of the work if you would only take
more time for higher things. John was
wishing for a little help with his lessons
the other dav. but vou were too hunv
making cookies tp help him."
"I notice that my cookies are never
wasted," said Mrs. Morton. "It people
enjoy belonging to clubs and societies
and wearing fine clothes I am glad they
do, bnt 1 am old-fashioned enough to en
PRESBYTERIAN OF THE SOUTP
joy housekeeping and visiting among my
friends. John gets all the help that is
good for him in his lessons."
"If you'd once belong to a club, mother,
you would like the work very much," said
Belle encouragingly.
"Yes, I have no doubt," said Mrs. MoroKoon?1?
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folded her work. "I'm going right out to
make a gingerbread for tea," she anounced.
"You children all like warm gingerbread
and apple sauce."
She laid aside her work and presently
from the big, tidy kitchen came sounds
of quick beating in the yellow bowl and
snatches of a favorite hymn. "Isn't that
just like mother?" laughed Anna. "I do
believe she thinks she's happier than if
she belonged to the best club in the
world."
"Dick Trent's mother was out to the
game this afternoon," said John, helping
himself liberally to the fragrant cake at
the tea table, "and she was as much excited
as the girls. Why don't you come
some day, mother?"
"I think fnnthnll in rmiirh BnJ KI
as you boys play it," said Mrs. Morton
with decision. "I don't enjoy -seeing a
game where arms and legs are often
broken."
"Mother is Joined to her idols, John, so
let her alone," said Belle lightly. "Anna
and I have been trying to persuade her
to join a club and enjoy life, but she will
not listen."
The very next day a wonderful thing
happened, for Mrs. Morton went out to
spend the afternoon with an old friend
and never got home till five o'clock. Belle
was putting on the kettle and Anna setting
the table when she walked in and
anounced, "I've joined a club."
"What club?" screamed both irirls at
once while Anna dropped a plate in her
excitement.
"A lady organizer was at Mrs. Craft's
this afternoon and she reorganized the
old 'Don't Worry Club' that flourished
some years ago," said Mrs. Morton, finding
it hard not to say anything over the
loss of her cherished plate. "I really believe
I'm going to enjoy it just as you
predicted. Don't look so grieved over
the plate, Anna. There are other dishes
in the stores."
"Wonders will never cease!" said Belle
in awe when her mother went into her
bedroom to take off her best hat "I wonder
who ever induced mother to do such
a reckless thing?"
"What a blissful thing it is not to have
mother look significantly at the things
you don't pick up and put in their places,"
sighed John a few days later, kicking
off his slippers in the sitting-room and
elevating his feet to the lounge. "Actually
I feel that we all ought to join the
'Don't Worry Club' for what it has done
for us."
"Take your feet down at once and- get *
those shoes out of here!" commanded
Anna sharply. "Nell Banks and that stylish
cousin of hers are coming up the walk
and this room is a sight to behold."
"Take them into the .parlor," retorted
John, making no effort to move.
"Mother is taking a nap in there with
I. October 27, 1600.
her oldest wrapper on. Quick! There is
the bell now!"
John was indignantly hustled out et
the room, but left one shoe behind in
his haste. Belle swept a9 much of the
disorder as possible under the lounge
cover and lowered the shades, while her
sister admitted the guests. As soon as
the callers left both girls set to work to
put the room to rights, but neither was
in the best humor possible.
"rm going ror a walk, girls," said tbeir
mother, looking in before the task was
completed. "If I am not back in time
get anything you want for tea. I must
see about some new clothes and take a
long walk in the pure air. That iB one
of the duties of our club members. The
lecturer said the way to keep our spirits
tranquil was to spend as much time as
possible in the air and I want to profit
by her instructions. Don't go to any
trouble with the cooking. Something
simple is best for mind and body."
"We've had nothing much but bread
and butter and fruit for a week," said
Anna, looking over the supplies in the
pantry. "I'm starved for something hot
and appetizing. If you'll run to the inar
ket for chops I'll bake some muffins.
Belle."
"Indeed I will," said her sister, putting
on her hat. "It sounds all very well to
talk about living close to nature, but
somehow a hearty meal tastes good Just
the same."
It is one thing to go into a well ordered
kitchen and devote one's whole energy
to a certain dish and quite another
to be responsible for the entire meal as
Anna speedily found out. System had
been thrown to the winds and the stove
was redhot before all the ingredients had
been gathered from cellar, pantry and .
kitchen cupboard for the muffinB and
creamed potatoes. John came in hungry
and cross over a defeat at the ball park
and growled out his opinion of two girls
"who couldn't get a decent bite short of
a whole day's cooking," so it was not a
pleasant evening.
"I am afraid the chop is too badly
burned for vnu tn oat " oois *????? ?v?
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her mother strolled In to And supper halt'
over. "I thought you must have stayed
at Aunt Ida's and didn't save you anything."
"That doesn't make any difference,"
said Mrs. Morton placidly. "I did stop to
see Auntie for a few minutes, but the
baby was crying and she seemed actually
provoked when I urged her to put
aside her cares and go with me for a
walk. I urged her to Join our club, but
when I remember how prejudiced I was
I am not surprised that housekeepers refuse
to belong. If they could only realize
what it means to have one's soul
above drudgery they would be anxious to
Join, but I suppose we must move slowly
at first." *
"Would you mind dustine the narlor
this morning?" asked Anna after her <
mother had been a member of the 'Don't
Worry Club" a few months. "I really
don't believe I will have time to do It,
mama."
"If I find time I shall be glad to do It."