The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1875-04-22
A GIRLS GOOD SENSE.

"MISNIE! Minnie! is my chocolate
near ready"
1t was scrupulously neat and dainty in
all its appointments, the little paglor
where Mrs. Brighton sat, although the
carpet was a tissue Of darns, the furni-
ture faded, and the hearth-rug sklllfully
eked out by piece of quite another
fabric inserted in the spot most worn.
4 few flowers, in a slender throatedvase,
stood On the antique, claw-legged table.
the fender-irons glittered like gold, and
the th'a muslin curtains, artistically
mended here and there, were white as
snow; and Mrs. Brighton herself looked
like Cinderellas godmother, in her dress
of ancient brocade, best yellow lace, and
the rings glittering on her small, shriv-
eled hands.
Eighty years old, and lady at the
last! That was something to be proud
of What though paralysis had robbed
her of all use of those daintily-slippered
feet-what though the grand house she
had entered as bride was now narrowed
down to this one room il a second-rate
building, where two other families also
set up their household altars-she was a
lady still, and she could boast that she
never had degraded herself to common
place 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 myself and my two
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES we are ladies'"
Minnie Brighton presently came in
with her little chocolataire on napkin
covered tray, and slices of toast, exquis-
itely Drowned and cut as thin as a wafer.
Il hope you haven't been kept waiting,
grandma - she said.
My dear"-with an air of mild resig,
nation am accustomed to wait"
ooh, I'm so sorry! But our fire is out,
and l had to run in and borrow the use
of Mrs. fuckers stove to boil the choco-
late, and
Mrs. Brighton contracted her silvery
brow.
The Breightons are not a borrowing
race, Minnie"
Shall get you an egg, grandmamma? :"
" Not if the fire is out, my dear"
And Grandmamma Brighton went on
with her breakfast, wearing an injured
air, while Minnie went back to the other
room, where she sat with her twin sister,
cOgitating.
Anna Brighton was as pretty as Min
ME, but in different style. She was
dark, with melting, almond-shaped eyes,
and olive skin, and lips like pomegran-
ate flower, so perfectly shaped, so richly
red; while Minnie was tall and slender,
and fair as a daisy
Anna laid down a slip of greasy paper
as Minnie entered.
Its the grocer's bill again, sister
What shall we dog"
Minnie sank into chair.
"And the gas yesterday, and the land
lord not paid, and the purse is empty as
Mother Hubbard's cupboard. What
shall we do?"
"Thars the question" said Anna, re-
fectively, arching her jetty brows. "If
we can only keep it from grandmamma."
ave must" retorted Minnie, with a
decisive nod. at would kill her. If
we were mel, now, Nanny, we could go
out and get a job of wood-sawing, OF
house painting, Or"
And why can't we now?"
"Why? Because Pat O'Nei. has got
all Mrs. Barker's wood to saw, and be.
cause we can't climb ladders with paint
pots over our shoulders
But we can do something else, sup
pose. Listen, Minnie-money we must
have"
"If We go out on the highways and
ask it at the point of the bayonet," inter-
jected Minnie, gravely.
There's no poverty like geLteel pow
erty,p her sister sighed. But you
haven't heard my plan Mrs.. Barker, the
laundress in our top story. is sick''
What then? We have neither wine
nor Jelly, nor yet crisp bank notes, to be-
stow upon her."
And she can't keep up to her engage
ments. There are two Swiss muslin ball
dresses, futed and pulled beautifully,
lying in her basket waiting to be done
up, at this present moment. Five dol
lars apiece she has for them"
"Well."
II shall do them up"
Nanny, Your"
Well, why notf Think what gold |
en- stream of pactelous ten dollars would |
be in our empty coffersl Ask yourself
how on earth you or could earn ten
dollars any other way. And. after all, a
Swiss muslin dress is pretty poetical |
sort Of fabric TO wash and iron; and into