The blacksmith lighted his great red fire, and hammered out four fine new shoes, with a cling! and a clang! and fastened them on with a rap! and a tap!  Then away rode the man on his little gray pony,—­clippety, clippety, clap!

HOW THE HOME WAS BUILT

MOTTO FOR THE MOTHER

The priceless blessing of a happy home can be
won only by struggle, endurance, and self-sacrifice.

         FROEBEL.

Blow’s Commentaries.

Once there was a very dear family,—­Father, Mother, big Brother Tom, little Sister Polly, and the baby, who had a very long name, Gustavus Adolphus; and every one of the family wanted a home more than anything else in the world.

They lived in a house, of course, but that was rented; and they wanted a home of their very own, with a sunny room for Mother and Father and Baby, with a wee room close by for the little sister; a big, airy room for Brother Tom; a cosy room for the cooking and eating; and, best of all, a room that Grandmother might call her own when she came to see them.

A box which Tom had made always stood on Mother’s mantel, and they called it the “Home Bank,” because every penny that could be spared was dropped in there for the building of the home.

This box had been full once, and was emptied to buy a little piece of ground where the home could be built when the box was full again.

The box filled very slowly, though; and Gustavus Adolphus was nearly three years old when one day the father came in with a beaming face and called the family to him.

Mother left her baking, and Tom came in from his work; and after Polly had brought the baby, the father asked them very solemnly:  “Now, what do we all want more than anything else in the world?”

“A home!” said Mother and Brother Tom.

“A home!” said little Sister Polly.

“Home!” said the baby, Gustavus Adolphus, because his mother had said it.

“Well,” said the father, “I think we shall have our home if each one of us will help.  I must go away to the great forest, where the trees grow so tall and fine.  All Winter long I must chop the trees down, and in the Spring I shall be paid in lumber, which will help in the building of the home.  While I am away, Mother will have to fill my place and her own too, for she will have to go to market, buy the coal, keep the pantry full, and pay the bills, as well as cook and wash and sew, take care of the children, and keep a brave heart till I come back again.”

The mother was willing to do all this and more, too, for the dear home; and Brother Tom asked eagerly:  “What can I do?—­what can I do?” for he wanted to begin work right then, without waiting a moment.

“I have found you a place in the carpenter’s shop where I work,” answered the father.  “And you will work for him, and all the while be learning to saw and hammer and plane, so that you will be ready in the Spring to help build the home.”