The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1875-01-21
LEARNING HER VALUE.
BY s. ANNIE FROST.

For IN going TO 90 nOtnlHS IOreveI ana eScr
LEARNING HER VALUE.
BYs. ANNIE FROST.
"JUsT what have been expecting for
about seven years, said Miss Pauline
Worthington looking from an open letter
in her hand with frowning brow.
"Is not your letter from Herbert,
Lina?" questioned Mrs. Worthington, a
tiny, silver-haired old lady with gentle
expression.
eyes, mot her. Essie is very i'll with
low, nervous fever, and they want me to
come and stay till she is better. The
carriage will be sent at three O'Clock,
mother" and Miss Pauline's eyes
snapped 81 think it is about time
Bert's tyranny over that little martyr
was ended. He is killing her."
Lima! He is your brother"
81 can see his faults if he is"
II never heard Essie complain"
"She never would. But look at her.
Nine years ago, when she married, she
was living sunbeam, SO bright and
pretty. Now, pale, quiet and reserved,
her voice is seldom heard, her smile sell
dom seen. A wintry shadow of her
former summer brightness! Now she has
broken down. You have never seen her
at home, but surely when she is here
you see the changer"
Eyes, dear, she has changed; but FAM
lily cares"
"Has Louie changed SO? She has been
twelve years married"
Mrs Worthington was silent. Louie
was her oldest child and presided over
the home in which her mother had
been crippled prisoneffor fifteen ySsfrs.
She took all the household care and had
five children, and yet Louie had gained
in beauty and certainly in cheerful hap
piness since her marriage, even if the
merriment Of girlhood was gone.
"Henry appreciates Louie!" said Lima;
"there lies the difference between her
happiness and Essie's detection. If there
is any domestic trouble Henry and Louie
share it, while Herbert shifts it all upon
Essie. He is an habitual fault-finder."
"Perhaps, dear, Essie is not SO good q
housekeeper as Louie. Herbert may
have cause to find fault"
"Once in ten times he may. / never
saw faultless house or hossekeeper; !;
but Essie and her house are the nearest
approach to perfection ever did see."
"You never spoke SO before, Lima"
because Louie and thought it bet
ter not to worry you with trouble be-
yond your help. But firmly believing,
as do now, that Herbert is actually wor-
rying his wife into her grave, intend to
give him lesson. That is, if you can
spare me to 60"
"You must 60, dear. shall get along
nicely"
So when Herbert Worthington sent his
carriage Lima was quite ready for the
fourteen-mile drive to her brothers
house. It was most unlike . house
wherein any evil spirit of repining or
fault-inding should have found an
abode. Spacious, handsomely furnished,
with well-trained servants, and all COM
forts wealth could furnish, it seemed .
perfect paradise on earth to visitors.
But very demon lurked there to poison
all, and this demon Lima had come to ex-
orcise.
For the first fortnight Essie took all
her time and care, the gentle spirit how
ering very near the eternal home. There
was babe, too, six months old, and its
wants filled all the spare moments. Her.
bert snarled and fretted over domestic
shortcomings, but Lima percmptorily for
bade all mention Of these in the sick
room, having the doctors authority for
saying the patients very life depended
upon quiet.
q But when convalescence commenced
Lima sent Essie and the baby to visit old
Mrs. Worthington, and took hold of Her.
bert, the two older children and the
household, fully determined 70 show her
brother how far he carried his habit of
absurd fault-finding. With all her sever
ity she did believe he was himself mn
aware Of the frequency of his querulous
complaints and the exaggeration Of his
fSetfll statements.
The first dinner saw, the beginning of
the lesson Lima meant to teach, by prac-
tically illustrating some Of Herbert's sb-
sardities. Herbert entered the dining
room, his handsome face disigurcd BY III
habitual frown. Harry and Louie were
seated, and the waiter-girl in herplace
behind Lina's chair. 80
"Soup," said Herbert, lifting the
tareen-cover; "perfect dish-waterF'
"Susan," said Lima sharply, before
Herbert could lift the ladle, take thal
tureen to tho kitchen and tell Jane the
soup is not At to cat
sSusn promptly obeyed. Herberl
| Looked rather ruefully 1t the Vanishing
dish. He was especially fond q eoup
and the savory fumes Of the really ~
|licious din were tsntSlislng ssfe
would have made some gentle excase
nsyss whippsd - HI disnsr ~ g.! /. !!
wsy. All dinner time Lima kept ul
dipg-doag at 6usanaaheat tnet -
liaable esoup, till Herbert heartily wt
he had Sid 1ntling ahqyt - Id
| imasinatfbn detected : burnt 11vo 4
Ia pudding, and hefsse - CO. 1sou
stIGE That dish followed The soup
"lW eet III kiiau II Sui1l16 ~ u