Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1873-06-25
OUR COMPACT: AND HOW WE
KEPT IT. sort s4
BY HATTIE HALL.

BY HATTIE HALL. t.t 2-
"s A MERRY heart goes all the day.
Your sad tires in a mica. "a W3f1ter'S rae.
s'Girls, do you know it's almost house
cleaning time again?' said /, one bright
October morning. at.
"Why, so it is!' exclaimed Kate, look
ing up from her writing; ~ declare, it
doesn't seem six weeks since we scrubbed
this old house from garnet to cellar!'
"Well, it's all got to be done over again,
and pretty soon, too" $3.50
81 just hate it," Nell spoke up, ederget-
Ically; "it's just over and over again, and
/ don't see that we are one bit the better
for it''
ooh, now, Nell, you know you like a
clean house as well as any one, and only
last spring you said you rather enjoyed it
when you once got into it, said Susie,
our youngest invalid sister
"Well, SO I do, or should, if it would
only stay clean"' admitted Nell, looking
down somewhat; "but this turning a
house upside down, and making every
body uncomfortable for week, and then
having to sweep and dust the very next
day, just as usual, is what / abominate!"
aOh, don't eel so,' said Kate; 81
rather like it; but one does get so dread
fully tired after washing paint and mailing
carpets five or six days."
t'And dreadfully Cross" added, laugh
ing "There is no time in the year SO try
ing to me; and do you know, I've been
thinking, lately, whether things would not
go smoother, and we get through this
semi-annual trial easier if we were to do
our best to-keep our tempers?"
"Oh, yes, it's very well for you to talk,
who never lose yours
t'Now you are too kind, Nell; I'm no
more amiable than the rest of you, only
am inclined to be sullen, while you talk it
out and have done with it. Now, [ pro-
pose we all make a special effort this fall"
"Well-I'll try" said Nell, soberly;
"and," she added, with laugh, eff old
Flash as Tom calls me, can keep her
temper, I'm sure the rest of you can"
"Ladies and gentlemen" began Kate,
jumping up and striking an attitude.
''Whereas, in the opinion of this family
greatly impede the work of renovation :"
{cries of "Hear! hearr' from Nell J "and
Whereas, it is the ambition of the family
aforesaid to clean house in the easiest
way therefore, Resolved, That each mem
Der herewith bind herself to keep the
peace-so far as in her lies'-with an arch
glance at Nell 'and furthermore, Resolv-
ed, That the forfeit for failure to do the
same shall be a supper prepared by her
own fair hands,
81 second the notion" shouted Nell,
clapping her hands and dancing about
''And third it," cooed Susie, from her
sofa-corner. ta5Haa
"You precious little dove'' said Nell,
dropping down beside her, ''there's no
danger of your having to get up a supper
But poor me girls, where is the cookery
boOk?'
There was shout at the pretty afecta-
ton of despair, which brought in Tom
from his smoking on the veranda.
81 say, girls, what mischief are you
plotting now?" r. ~
''Only resolving ourselves into Society
for the Promotion of Availability" replied
Nell, demurely. a.
Happy thing for us, eh, mother?" said
saucy Tom, Struggling his shoulders, and
glancing back at mother, who had follow
ed him in: "But come, girls, tell fell
low what it all means"
Kate proceeded to explain, while mother
beamed approval. v
"Whew! honey and pie!' calculated
Tom. "Well, guess I'll jine' too, if you
admit masculines. OF course, / can't
hope to be as angelic as you girls, but I'll
do my level best'''
"And you won't bolt if you're asked to
beat carpet?" queried Kate.
mot at all.''
"Nor growl if you have cold dinner?'
said I.
t'Or your slippers are missing?" added
Nell.
"Just you wait and see," answered Tom.
asBut," said he as sudden thought struck
him, 81 can't cook supper"
"Oh, you provide the oysters, and We'll
cook them"
call right But when does this thing
go into effect?'
"Not until house cleaning"
"I'm glad of that [ say, Nell, where
are those COMPOUNDED slippers?"
"Look till you find them, sir" retorted
she, pertly.
perhaps it might be as we'll to practice
a little beforehand" suggested mother,
smiling.
"That's so mother!" said Tom and chang
ing his voice to softest cadence. Sweet
sister, couldst thou tell me where might
discover my ruant slippers?" And So,
amid jest and repartee, and yet, withal, an
undertone of earnest purpose, "Our Com
pact" was made.
Perhaps it might be well to state, more
particularly just here, who 1--WE" are.
There are five children of us, all arrived
at "years of discretion" Kate, our eldest,
Is tall and handsome, a little inclined to
presume upon her seniority and dictate to
us younger ones, which /, being thirteen
months behind her, am quite disposed to
resent. Tom usually calls her LADY
Kate" and when she is particularly lofty,
tHer Royal Highness" She is literary in
her tastes, and has written some very good
things. Tom, who is sedulously cultivat-