Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1875-09-04
How Good Sense Won a Good
Husband.

1t was scrupulously neat and dainty in
all its appointments, the little parlor
where Mrs. Brighton sat, although the
carpet was o tissue of darns, the furni-
ture faded, and the bearth-rug skillfully
eked out by piece of quite another
fabric inserted in the spot most worn.
A few flowers, in q slender-throated
vase, stood on the antique claw-legged
table, the fender-irons glittered like
gold, and the thin muslin curtains, Or
tistically mended here and there, were
white as snow; and Mrs. Brighton
herself looked like Cinderella's god
mother, in her dress of ancient brocade,
best yellow lace, and the rings glitter
ing on her small, shrivelled hands.
Eighty years old and lady to the
Inst! That was something to be proud
Of What though paralysis had robbed
her of all use of those dainty slippered
feet-what though The grand house she
had entered as q bride was narrowed
down to this one room in q second-rate
building, where two families set up
their household altars-she was lady
still, and she could boast that she never
had degraded herself to commonplace
toll.
"Our means are limited" said old
Mrs. Brighton, with the lofty air Of a
duchess; but the pension of my son
the Colonel-who, as you probably may
remember, was killed on the Florida
frontier-is sufficient to maintain my
self and my two grand-daugbters--and
we are ladies'"
Minnie Breighton presently came in
with her little chocolataire on napkin
covered tray, and slices of toast exquis-
itely Drowned and cut thin as water.
"I hopo you havn't been kept wait
ing, grandma p
I" Ny dear"-with an air of mild res
ignation-" am accustomed to wait"
"Oh, am so sorry! But our fire is
out, end 1 had to run in and borrow
the use of Mrs. fuckers stove to boil
the chocolate, and"
Mrs. Brighton contracted her silvery
brow.
"The Breighton's are not borrow
ing race, Minnie" -t q"
"Shall get you an egg. grandmam-
ma ?" ...
"Not if the fire is out, my dear"
And grandmamma Brighton went
on with her breakfast, wearing an in
jured air, while Minnie went back to
the other room, where she sat with her
twin sister, cogitating.
Anna Brighton was rs pretty as
Minnie, but in different style. She
was dark, with melting almond-shaped
eyes, and olive skin, and lips like a
pomgranate flower, so perfectly shaped,
so richly red; while Minnie was tall
and slender, and fair as daisy.
Anna laid down slip of greasy paper
as Minnie entered.
"It's the grocer's bill again, sister.
What shall we doP''
Minnie sank into chair.
And the gas yesterday, and the
landlord not paid, and the purse as
empty as-Mother Hubbard's cupboard
What shall we do?'
"That's the question:" said Anna,
reAectively arching her jetty brows.
eff We can only keep it from grandma
ma" sr a.. ..f
"We must" retorted Minnie, with a
decisive nod. 1T would kill her. II
we were men, now, Nanny, we would
60 out and get job of wood-sawing,
or house painting, Or"
(" And why can't we now ?"
"WhyP Because Pat O'Neal has got
all Mrs. Bakers wood to saw, and be-
cause we can't climb ladders with paint
| nots over our shotrlders" s.t ..ta
=" But we can do something else, ]
suppose. Listen. Minnie money we
must have"
"If we go on the highway and ask il
at the point of the bayonet, " interjected
Minnie gravely. cas- 60, L#.'
g There's no poverty like genteel pov.
erty," her sister sighed. Mrs. Baker,
tho laundross in our top story, is sick. y
"What then? We have neither wine
nor jelly, nor yet crisp bank notes to
bestow upon her. .'''
"And she can't keep up her engage
ments. There are two Swiss muslin
ball dresses. Auted and puffed beauti-
fully, lying in her basket waiting to be
done up, at this present moment. Five
dollars apiece she has for them.
80 Well ?"d f;sw lssaG 'Fa"o <tta@
4. ] shall do them up." elg9 s-]s.4
" Nanny! You?" ,a(l ,al
|" Well, why notp Think what a
golden stream Of Poctolus ten dollars
would be in our empty Golfers! Ash
yourself how on earth you or could
earn ten dollars any other way. And
after all, Swiss muslin dress is pret.
1 ty, poetical sort Of fabric to wash and
iron. and into the bargain, poor Mrs,
Baker keeps her custoaaers. " s. 'a.
1 Oh, NannyI have You come tc
that ~
Now you look and talk exactly like
dear old grandmammai Don't be 3
i goose, Minnioi sJnst ayon invent some
| story about my promsnading in the park
or taking lessons in wax-fower making
to delude her credulous soul while / &