Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1873-01-14
Stlrct Storp.
Prom Arthur's Home Magazine
PEARLS AND DiSH-WATER,
BY KATHIE MEME.

>ls khluAAu our isuu loSkH anu htitli
Ssreuely live, while We are keeping strife
With Heavens true purpose in us, asa kulfe
Against which We may struggle"
''Niuo hundred and sixty. three women,
aud I've thousand seven hundred and
forty one childronl"
That WAS all the Major said, when he
opened the kitchen. door. and saw three
Of his little girls tSking u bath in ore
corner OF tho room; little Dodis in All
other. devouring the doughnuts which
rosy faced Halle was frying over very
hot stove; while Bessie sliced apples in
Il very little closet, aud Mrs. Major su-
psriulended the whole. and darted TO and
lro 50 swiftly that think the Major mu"t
have counted her luur or five times 90
make out his number
Halle looked up and caught The look
Ut duSiousucsS on her fathers face
WHY. Papa Mgu,, You're too bad
there only mamma, and Bessie, and
Dodr. aud Lily. and Jcu. and Miiic, aud
u, ,eii, aud We can get along very con
iogtably in this dear. Iiltlv place, 10y goug
sideways And then papa had To laugh
at lIlIurN rcd lace and beaded forehead.
Twas in The middle OF July girls.
when, YOU know, svery effort costs 4
psrspirati1n-drop, and She dii look funny,
but her spirit wa. up, aud she went on;
'.Fknow its warm, pa. doar, but | take u
spitclul satisfaction in proving TO myself
+ that co.. girls. that. mamma and !, came,
/ cooA o,sr The stove ~ilh hands aud i,co
Is white a. Mrs llolabird's,' OF checks
a, piak - 'koSameuds. .''
She wa, obliged to raise her voice 4.
the last, tor tho three liulc girls in tue
bath.uuu had kept up dea!cning scrcam.
tor papa 10 20 way we're washing us--
'tls not proper! Oh, 90 way"
After vainly trying to hide behind each
other. they had apparently collapsed in,o
the bolt6,a Of the tub. but their yellow
heads KEEP. bobbiug up, To sec if the coast
ws> clear. aud 50 the Major. looking very
much shocked, retired behind tho door,
aud talked through the crack.
You know its about dinner limo?'
"Oh. why no it can't be-we'rs not
nearly ready
but it Is. and what's molo-" Here
the door opened - little wider, xnd bob
went tho thiso "Graccs" in state oi
nudity. Whats more. General TIE
felhen's come to dianer."
Every body dropped everything and
screamed. Nobody S,p,s anything ip-
.tuaiy SITTER Ihunder.clap, YOU know;
there's l seconds silence. before the con
fusion comes. DOde cluIched theatrically
"a, her loug.sieev,d apron, and spoke
first.
Good land OF Goshen The butcher
and the baker haven't been near us to
day. and there isn't scrap OF meat Tor
dinner"
"Wel," lrowned tho Major, this i.
the beauty of living in a country village,
where we have no market III was only
farmer. independent of meat men
ANYTHING but poorIawycr. in place
where don, belong. What shall we do;"
Then Mrs Major began To give hnr
riod orders, aud tIaIie druppcd u'r
doushuuts, -pa,te,ins her barred arms
wifi the boiling lat. and jas, dar'cd "'.'
OF the room, and up, over the s;tlt>.
into her own little chamber, and jo~u
on her knees. Please don't laugh at
what she said. | insist lhal 'lwaa u
prayer. only kitchenish, instead al
prayer meotingish
"Oh, dear God, we're in such a iusS
down-s,airs. Nothing Ton dinner. and
he. come! On. please do send the
meat man or something. aud oh, DO help
Us. hurry quick Amen :"
Then downstairs again went tho brown
calico and flushed lace, AND reached the
/ foot lust in time 10 answer knock al the
porch. door. Of course ,Ce know it was
the butcher, and ~ should have done
the proper thing. but HALLE. in hvr ca
element. held out both hands 10 him. and,
with beAming countenance, told him
she WAS $50 glad to sec him Why didn't
he come before? Sit right down! She
would take ten pounds of nice steak !"
and then climaxsd the poor E,sa's
asionishmeni oy bringing a chair loi The
dripping slices.
The Kitchen looked encouraging
Children aud doughnuts had been eX.
pelIcd. and mother was preparing tie
igesH vegetables. with i little, amused
smile ON her lace, which lIHllie's exlra'a
CANT order Tor bselsteak had produced.
Halle began to stir up one OF her lavorite
/ puddmgS, eXclaiming, Mother Nell.
you're the wOnderlullest woman for an
emergency! l believe YOU would be
perfectly at home in AZ earthquake"
when she lound that Bess was entertain
ing the General in the parOr, and Dode
was arranging the china on the table in
the great. cool hall Thank Heaven Tor
one shady place in This dove eote,' she
said
That pudding was bealen leverishly.
/ Hallie lairly ram with 1t TO the oven.
Then she turned round. and seeing there
was no moro to do till the potatoes were
soft, deliberately sal down and began to
cry Mrs. DartOn smoOthed the little,