THE FADED WRAPPER

Seventh-day Adventist Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Sep 30, 1880

THE FADED WRAPPER.

"ARE you not sorry that father has gone away to stay all night, Alice?" said one of Mr. Montgomery's children to his sister. "It rains so hard that no one will call, and mother will wear that faded wrapper all day. I heard her tell Barbara that she would have a good day for sewing. She doesn't think it worth while to set even the dining table for us."

"Don't you wish she would spill ink on that dress, Phillip?" was the answer. "Then she wouldn't wear it any more."

"No, indeed, I don't want it any worse, for she would wear it all the same on rainy days and when papa is away."

Now mamma in the next room heard this discussion of the children and arose to take a survey of herself in the looking glass. It was not a very pleasing picture that the polished surface gave back to her view.

"Now Harry Warren's mother," said Philip, "is always dressed nicely any time of the day."

"She wears such pretty bows on her hair and neck," said Alice. "But she isn't half so pleasant as our mother," she added loyally, "If she does look prettier."

The mother's eyes glistened as she looked down on the old wrapper.

"To be compared to Aunt Warren," she thought, "and by my own children, too. Who would have thought they were such sharp little things? They notice every trifle."

Mrs. Montgomery's spirit was quite stirred. She would not allow such a rival, she said, if she could eclipse her.

"You shall be disappointed about the old wrapper for once, Mr. Philip," she added, smiling; so she took a soft, bright dress, just the thing to enliven a dull day. Then she proceeded to dress herself with care and simple neatness.

Mrs. Montgomery's face wore a brighter ray as she entered the nursery. Her dress had actually raised her spirits; but she had hardly prepared for the burst of admiration that greeted her. It is not often that compliments are sincere and heart-felt as were those of her little ones that day. But the children's tones quickly changed to those of anxiety.

"Are you going anywhere, mamma?" they asked directly.

"No, dears, I am going to sew on the machine all day; so we can have a nice time together."

Little Alice hung over her chair a minute, admiring, and fingered her buttons as she said, with a smile of deep content in her eye,

"You look nice, mamma."

Mrs. Montgomery smiled as she threaded the needle of the machine, while Philip added proudly:

"She looks nicer than Harry's mother, even when she has her silk dress on."

That was reward enough; she had eclipsed her rival.

"I'll remember this day's lesson," said the mother, in her own heart; and she did remember it.

The rainy day dress was doomed, and they helped to rip it up with sincere pleasure. It made excellent lining for a new one, and it often preached its old sermons over as it hung wrong side out in the closet.

Mothers, when you allow yourselves slovenly ways among the little ones in the seclusion of the nursery, remember there's a child there "a taking notes." These notes will be read even when your head lies low. Of all the bright pictures that hang on memory's wall there is none to me so fair as a sweet, loving mother whose appearance was always neat and tasteful, even in work dress. Children love an untidy mother after a fashion but they can never respect her. She cannot keep the hold on them after years that one of the opposite habits possesses. Besides if you are untidy yourself they will probably grow up to imitate you. Don't neglect the details of dress, that add so much to the appearance, because there will be "no one about but the children."—Exchange.