The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1872-08-02


tie, but the hour for practice became
the ehildrens hour,n and French and
ierman were neglected while she at
ended TO the practical matters of daily
ife.
Every one in the household had her
allotted task but Lizzie: hers was al
ways TO do over the half-dOne tasks Of
others, perform many self-imposed ones,
md do her utmost day by day,-a con-
;cientiOus woman who began her mar
RED life with the determination TO do /
everything well, and all she could. She /
had done her very best for her family, l
and the very worst for herself
Tonight she looked again at her hus- !
band, who had now fallen asleep, and |
said, half reproachfully, ~ wish had
more time TO devote to him. He cannot
be more tired of this horrid sewing than
| am; it is a worry. By the time Jamie
is well fitted up, Fred is out at the ell
bows, and baby is a constant applicant
for tucks let out. / never find time 10
look after myself until l am driven 10
il. l wish l could run away from IL all
for few weeks, as Nellie suggested in
her letter. / have tried three times to
read IL and failed"
Yes. the pOstman had left il in the
morning, and Lizzie had taken il from
the servant between her thumb and fin
ger, then held it i'm her teeth, and at last
transferred il To her pocket; for on its
arrival, baby was proving himself any
thing but "a well-spring of pleasure"
having made an attack on pail OF wa
ter left for a moment near the door.
Nurse was AT hand TO 10 mop up the
carpet, while mamma attended to the
n frff
son of Adam. Going 10 her own room
after quiet was restored, Lizzie opened
her letter and entered heartily into her
friends plans for the summer, but just
as she reached the never-foTgOtten ''my
husband says the door burst open and
the frantic nurse exclaimed, ''Oh, come
quick, please; Master Laurence has
swallowed penny"
Down went the letter. After an hours
struggle, 4 dose of physic, and a series Of
screams, the penny was discovered re-
posing between the child's bib and dress.
Still trembling with fright, she was
called upon to repeat her directions TO
the seamstress: "Did she say two tueks
and one ruflle, or two Tuffies and one
tuck ~ That weighty matter decided,
! Lizzie went to her room.
Master Fred, an irrepressible youth of
three years, had taken advantage of the
open doors and excitement in the nurs-
cry, and made raid on mammals room.
When mamma entered, she saw the
letter on the floor made into II ball, her
work basket upset, a bottle of Bay-water
had wasted its sweetness on the Brussels
carpet, her tOoth-powder was scattered
about prOmiscuOusly, books and papers
were thrown down, and about the floor
4pfn
half a dozen clothes-pins, tin pan, a
broken-nOsed baby, a rubber bail, a
feather duster, and the last Bazaar with
i the fashion plates as much disordered as
/ the hair of a fashionable belle. The lit
! tie culprit stood in the corner, peeping
out with an expression compounded OF
impudence and fear, the former predom-
mating. Frequent repetitiOns of 'yOu
naughty bOy' caused an additional dis
play of dimples, and the irrepressible
yOungster marched off with nurse, look
ing triumphantly at the scene of his
late exploits with an assurance which
seemed to say, 'Didn't me fix 'em all
nice?
At last order reigned, and Lizzie at
tempted again the persual of her letter
only to hear, 1--WE need a yard and
three-quarters more of this trim ming for
baby's dress"
Well, Mary, will run down town for
it, the girls are all busy now" The er-
rand done, after a hurried walk, Lizzie
finds il TO be the children's dinner hour,
and with motherly care she usually
joins them, taking baby down for a
frolic.
Throughout the day these little wor-
ries, little cares, and constant steps were
kept up, and Lizzie thought of the even
ing not rs time for idleness, but quiet
toll after confusion.
So Lizzie laid the dreaded shirt in hel
lap and read the letter. Huntley snored
and no doubt dreamed of some spot
where women are never tired
How cheerily Nellie wrotei 'If YOU
will come,n she said, "we will exert
ourselves to make you once more the
happy, vivacious I.iZZie.n
How delightful it would be to 60 ovel
the well known paths with this deal
friend. How thoughtful John was con-
cerning Nellie's comfort and happiness
James used to be in the old days,-wa
il her fault now? She hoped not, il
was 30 hard to look after everything anC
do everything well, and she had KEEP
faithfully the promise to herself TO dc
all in her power TO make home happy
1
a vacation? Just then the dOor-bel
rang, and their neighbors, Can't. Blunt
and wife, came in; Capt. Blunt, an old
classmate OF Huntley's, and his wife
one of the solid, motherly women
whose life flowed in easy channels.
Ihe noise Of entering did not walker
James and Blunt proceeded to perform
that task in his usual manner.
Tome, sir, get up; this n pretty way
10 entertain yOur wife while she work,
for you. Good thing for you she hasn't
the pluck Of my little woman, or you
would get q cold bath for presuminl
So"
Huntley reused himself and looked
stupid, 81 guess / did forget myself
"Guess you did? not much doubt oil
that score. Polite, aren't you? Who
was it, Lizzie, who used to visit you five
nights out of seven and stay till aftel
midnight? Never smoked cigars ant
snored then, did he ."
Jamie gets very tired, and this stupid
work makes me poor company"
''Poor fiddlestickl What does he dc
to tire himself any more than YOU. OF
half so much. But that is lust like 2
woman, always making excuses for hel
husband.n
Mamie Blunt proposed going up stairs
to take a peep at the babies, for Nam
MES youngest was at this very moment
winding zephyr for a charming young
lady, and Nannie's great heart took in
all the little ones and her stout arms
were always open for "Auntie's pets"
The two women went up together and
soon became deeply absorbed in conver-
sation, Mamie borrowing a thimble and
attacking some Of the stockings.
'No use for you TO tell me to put it
down, dear child. for / shall NOT. What