Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1865-05-18
VOLUME XIV.

| Dear, dear! Sne exclaimed, discovering
a small cobweb behind a picture frame, 81
should think it l0as time we were cleaning,
sure enough"
| The state of the windows moved her to
yet more narrowing emotions. What
streaks! what cloudiness! How could they
ever have lived with such things in such a
state! She stood shivering over her tub,
scrubbing and rinsing at frame and glass,
while the cold gust rushed in through the
! open easement. Twinges of pain shot now
and then through the back of her head, and
dread forboding visited her heart, but she
never faltered. Duty must be done.
Meanwhile Mr.. Henry pursued his ordi-
| nary avocations Coming out of the post
Office, he encountered his Sister-in-law.
Good morning, Helen going to look in
at our house? ?"
"No, think not | must hurry home
IIow's Marguerite ?"
'Not bit too well, can tell you and
up to her eyes in cleaning by this time, |
suppose" -,
Helen, with little shudder.
ooh, it couldent be put off! Of course
there'll be neuralgia, and all that to pay.
But who can stop a woman when she has
once made up her mind | could see she
had started ont on regular bender" And
Mr.. Henry smiled that smile of concious
pride beftting the husband of the most par
ticular houskeeper "in town" He felt
about his wife's undertaking as you and |
felt when we heard that Sherman had begun
his march to the seaboard. He knew it
was hard job, but she was The one to put
it through.
''Send the children over to me-" said Hell
en-. "Clara and Georgy will be glad to
have their company, and they'll be out of
the way"
Thank you. l dare say it will be re-
lief You've not begun, suppose ?"
ooh no. | shall do nothing till next
week, and not then unless it is milder. |
shall have Phillis, and take it easily. Give
my love to Margaretta. Good-by."
AS Mr. Henry opened the front door on
his return to dinner, general odor Of damp
ness and soapsuds saluted him. He passed
down the bare hall into the bare dining
room; no sign of any meal was visible
"Oh, papa" said his little girl, who was
wandering disconsolately to and fro, "Pm
so glad you've come It's just as lonesomel
l went into the parlor with mamma, but
! the windows were open and 1t was cold,
and she wouldn't talk bit"
'She was too busy, dear You mustn't
disturb mamma when she's at work. But
where's dinner, wonder?"
\ third figure now appeared on the scene.
1t was clad in an old dark calico, faded and
limp; a small shawl, of hue equally sub
dued, was wrapped about it; its head was
tied up in a comforter, rather worse for
wear. Nothing proclaimed this to be the
same being that had sat down to break
fast, fresh and TRIM but the expression of
the face; that was clearly recognizable;
the same, but wofully intensified
"How are You getting along, Margaretta"
asked her husband.
ooh, as well as | could expect where
there was so much to do. If you could
just have seen these paror windows, John!
never was so tired in my life. My back
really feels as if it was broken"
'You must let everything go and lie
down and rest, Or you'll be sick, that's GER
tain"
"Must I?7 And faint smile seemed to
say, "Its easy for you to talk" But she
made no remark, and only led the way to
the kitchen where the tempting bill of fare,
which we have heard already, was set
forth. The table stood against the wall,
one leaf turned up; the cloth, folded double,
was spread upon it.
How | hate that style of setting a ia
BILE ~ said Mr. Henry, with some impatience
"Why not have it in the middle of the room
in good Christian fashion ?"
"It's so in the way out here" explained
his wife, dcprccatingly, ''and only you and
the children will sit down. I'll just take
cup of tea by the stove, and try to get
warmed up a little ; | couldn't eat a NOR
sell"
"Humph " said Mr. Henry, as he took
his seat and surveyed the viands, but he
made no further Comment. The potatoes
were brown and wrinkled from over long
in the oven, the cold meat was
hardly visible to the naked eye, and both
he and the children were very hungry
But this species of semi-fast was sacrifice
which the well-trained husband was accus-
toned to lay before his Penatcs at the great
domestic epoch.
"Helen says you'd better send the young
sters over to her." he presently remarked.
\ good sized piece of pie had by this time
appeared, and his heart grew lighter
"They haven't torn up yet"
Il didn't suppose they had" said Mrs.
Henry, in a peculiar tone. at wouldn't
trouble Helen at all if she didn't begin till
June"
"She says she means to have Philis"
II presume SO. know some people do
employ her | don't see how to manage,
for my part Pm sure can never get my
cleaning done properly in any such way.
But every one must suit herself, of course.
Phillis asks six shilings, too, for every day
she works. and she is mortally slow. Il
don't feel that / can afford it. | don't think
ought to spare my own labor once in
awhile"
"You never do, at any time,n said Mr..
Henry, admiringly and thrill of pleas
ure at the appreciation vibrated one mo-
ment under the faded shawl.
"Well, about the children
''I shall be glad enough to have them go.
Emma was teasing Inc all the morning
with her questions and was so afraid
that Johnny would get at the axe out in
the shed and cut his foot, that | hadn't a
minutes peace thinking of it,"
"Poohl Couldn't cut his foot with that
axe if he tried all day It's just fit for
woman and children to handle But come