THE LADIES’ FLORAL CABINET. 
271 
migration was drawing nigh, and it also warned those 
who meant to receive them that it was time all extra 
preparations were finished. The house of the Grays was 
spick, span clean from garret to cellar, and its inmates 
were in daily expectation of applications from people in 
search of accommodation for the summer. 
Several other houses and their inmates were in the 
same state of immaculate neatness and expectation, and 
one by one, two by two, the seekers after the refreshing 
and invigorating advantages of country life for the hot 
season came into the little town of N-, and, after a 
brief tour of inspection and inquiry, settled themselves to 
the enjoyment of their needed vacation. 
Several called at the Grays’, examined rooms, exclaimed 
at the neatness and order of everything and went away, 
saying they were unable to decide till later whether they 
would come to stay. 
Subsequently it appeared that they had called else¬ 
where, been better suited and forthwith engaged rooms 
and board. 
This mortified Mrs. Gray exceedingly, yet was only a 
confirmation of certain misgivings which she had all 
along entertained. 
The front door was always kept locked, that the grass 
might not be trampled down by the children running out 
and in. “One door was enough,” Mr. Gray said, and of 
course that decided the matter for the family. This 
rather gloomy peculiarity was always noticed, and though 
Mrs. Gray’s explanation was always smilingly received, she 
knew it had the effect of putting a damper upon her hus¬ 
band’s money-making chances with city boarders, which 
fact did not displease her very much, as they were not in 
need of the addition to their income which boarders 
would afford, and her cares were already too numerous ; 
yet she could not help feeling hurt at the superiority for 
beauty and pleasantness of her neighbors’ places over her 
own, and the consequent choice of them by those in 
search of accommodations, as long as they had signified 
a desire to take summer boarders. 
She did not see fit to inform Mr. Gray of the cause of 
the failure of his plans, however, and his rather obtuse 
mind did not grasp it readily, so he remained in a state 
of grumbling ignorance and wonder, till one evening 
Louie came running in, full of indignation at something 
which had happened. He seemed to see no one but his 
mother, and to her he was accustomed to confide all his 
griefs. Besides, this was a family matter, and he felt she 
should be immediately informed. 
“Mother! Bennie Green says we’re 1 stingy old fogies,’ 
and that we keep folks away by locking up our front 
door and making a meadow of our front-yard, and that’s 
all the reasons the folks wouldn’t board with us, and—” 
Mrs. Gray, fearing the effect of the disclosure upon her 
husband’s temper, tried to soothe the excited boy. 
“ Bennie Green is not worth minding, Louie; don't pay 
any attention to him,” she said; but Louie took breath 
and went on : 
“ And he says we never go anywhere, and haven’t any¬ 
thing to wear, and no flower-beds, and—it isn’t us to 
blame, is it, mother? We’d like things different, but—” 
“ Louie, hush ! don’t let me hear anything more that 
foolish little Bennie Green has said. When boys speak 
like that to you, come home, and do not listen to 
them.” 
But the lesson went home. Mr. Gray had a certain 
sort of pride which had become buried beneath a crust of 
avariciousness, for which he was not so much to blame 
after all (for in his youth he had felt the need of money), 
and he was deeply touched by the knowledge which 
Louie’s indignant recital had brought to him—that his 
neighbors were talking of his miserly ways of living, and 
though he did not indicate by word or manner that he 
had heard anything of what Louie said, a change began 
to come into the lives of the family before long, which the 
mother was quick to ascribe to the true cause. The 
crowning joy of all was the giving over, the succeeding 
spring, of the old flower-garden into the hands of Jennie 
to do with as she pleased, and she was not slow to put 
into effect the cherished plans which had once been so 
summarily crushed. 
The next summer sunshine fell upon many improve¬ 
ments about the Gray homestead, and the washing-ma¬ 
chine and other facilities for the performance of work 
which they could well afford, but which had never been 
allowed, were now given them freely, and never a word 
was said as to the necessity of taking summer boarders 
to help pay for them. 
And rejoicing in the change which brought so much 
true happiness into the lives of her loved ones, Hester 
Gray did not think it worth while to regret anything 
which belonged to the past. 
Mrs. C. M. Potter. 
THE THISTLE. 
In the grass and the clover meadows, 
In the orchard among the trees, 
We see you, O thistle, all purple-robed, 
Too stately to nod to the breeze. 
You bristle with spines that are wonderful; 
Like the delicate green of spring 
Is the shade of your leaves, with royal flowers, 
But I know you can fiercely sting. 
But when over the fragrant meadows 
Adversity’s winds shall pass, 
And the flowers will bend their sturdy heads 
As they bloom in the orchard grass, 
Then you'll change to a lustrous whiteness, 
O flower of the thorn that day ! 
Your petals will fade from the angry spines 
And heavenward vanish away. 
Annie L. Jack. 
