Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1875-06-16


made some gentle oxcuse-nevel
whipped off his dinner in that way
All dinner time Lima kept up q
ding-dong at Susan about thai
abominable soup, till Herbert heart
lily wished he had said nothing
about it. But his imagination de-
tected burnt flavor in the pudding
and before he could demonstrate
that dish followed the soup.
an get this house in some sort
of order before / leave it," said
Lima, emphatically.
"Before you leave it," said Her.
bert sharply. "Do you suppose
you are better house-keeper than
Essiel Why, I have not friend
who does not envy me the exqui-
site order of my house and dainty
table"
"Herbert, you surprise me. Only
yesterday l heard you say you did
wish there was ever anything fit
to eat on the table,"
"One don't expect every word
to be taken literally" said Her
bert rather sulkily. But not an
hour later, finding a streak of dust
in the sitting-room, he declared
emphatically it was not fit for a
pig to live in
Coming into it the next morning
he found the curtains torn down,
the carpets taken up, the floors
Uttered with pals, soap and brush
es, and Lima in a dismal dress, her
hair tied up in towel, directing
two women scrubbing vigorously.
"Good gracious! Lima" he cried,
"what are you doing!"
"Cleaning this room"
"Why, Essie had the whole house
cleaned till it shone in the fall, and
didn't make half this muss," he
added contemptuously.
"Well," said Lima, slowly, 81
thought this room marvel of neat
ness myself, but when you said it
was not fit for the pigs supposed
you wanted it cleaned"
"The room was well enough"
was the curt reply. "For mercy's
sake, don't turn any more Of the
house upside down."
At breakfast tiny tear in Louie's
apron caught her fathers eye, and
by his own angry statement, "she
never had q decent stitch of clothes,
and he did wish somebody would
see to her."
Two days after formidable dry
goods bill was presented at the
store, and Lima explained it in this
wise:
"You said, Herbert, that Louie
hadn't decent stitch and you wish
ed somebody would see to her, so
l bought her a complete outfit. /
could not see any fault myself, but
of course / got more expensive ar
ticles, as you did not like those al
ready provided. I am glad you
called my attention to the poor
neglected child"
"Poor neglected child?" echoed
astonished Herbert. "Why, Lima,
Essie fairly slaves her life out over
those children. / am sure / never
see any better dressed or neater."
Lima merely shrugged her should
ers. A month passed away. Essie
gained strength in the genial at
mosphere surrounding Louie and
her mother, while Lima ruled Her
bert's house with rod of iron.
Herbert began to experience a sick
longing for Essie's gentle presence.
Lima took him so very literally in
all he said, and yet he could not
rebuke her for doing exactly what
he openly wished. 80 80
A chair with tiny spot of dirt
being declared absolutely filthy
was upholstered and vanished at
a cost of eight dollars. A dozen
new shirts, ESTES last labor of
love, being said to "set like meal
bags" were bestowed upon the
gardener, and a new set sent from
a furnishing store. Harry's blocks
were burned at the kitchen fire
when Herbert, stepping upon one,
said he "would not have such rub
bish in the house." Every window
was opened after pettish declara-
ton that the room was as hot as an
oven," and an hour later the stove
was fred up to smoldering heat
because he declared it "cold enough
J TO frieze n polar bear"