The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1875-03-11
LEARNING HER VALUE.
BY S. ANNIE FROST.

'Just what 1 have been expecting 70
about seven years. said Miss Paulin
Worthlngton, looking from an open let
ter IN her hand, with a frowning brow
Is your letter from Herbert, Lima ?
questioned Mrs. Worthington, a tiny
silver-haired Old lady with gentle ex
preston.
Yes mother. Esse is very i'll witt
low, nervous fever, and they want me t.
come and stay I'LL she is better. The car
riage will be sent at three clock, moth
or, and Miss Pauline's eyes snapped.
think it is about time Bert's tyranny
over the little martyr was ended. He il
killing her.
Lima. lie is your brother.
can see his faults if he is
| 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 for.
mer summer brightness. Now she is
broken down. You have never see her
at home, but surely whcn she is here YOU
see the change?
Yes dear she has changed but fam
lily cares
HAS Louie changed so? She has been
married twelve years
Mrs. Worthington was silent. Louie
was her oldest child, and presided over
the home in which her mother had boon
crippled prisoner for fifteen years. She
took ali the household care and had i've
children and yet Louie had gained in
beauty, and certainly in cheerful happi-
ness, since her marriage, even if the
mcrriment OF girlhood had gone.
Henry appreciates Louie" said Lima,
there hes the difference between her nap
piness and Essie's detection. If thore IS
any domestic trouble Henry and Louie
share 1t, while Herbcr; shifts it all upon
Essic. He is IN habitual faultfndcr'
Perhaps, dear, EssIe is not so good a
housckeeper as Louie. Herbert may
have cause to find fault"
'Once i'm ten times he may. never
saw fapltlcss house or housekecper !;
but Essie and her house arc the nearest
approach TO perfection ever did sec.'
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
worrying his wife into her grave, | in
tend giving him "A lesson. That is if you
can spare me to 20"
'Iou must go dear. l shall get along
nicely
SO when Herbert Worthlngton sent
his carriage Lima was quite ready tor the
fourteen miles drive to her brothers
house. 1t was most unlike house where
in any evil spirit of repining or fault
finding should have found an abode.
Spacious, handsomely furnished, with
well-traincd servants, and all comforts
wealth could furnish, it seemed a perfect
paradise on earth TO visitors. But
very demon luried there to poison all,
and this demon Lima had come to eXor.
else.
For the first fortnight Esslc took all
her time and care, the gentle spirit hoy
ering very near The portals OF the eternal
home. There was babe, too, six months
old, and It's wants filled all the spare
moments. Herbert snarled and iretted
over domestic shortcomings, but Lima
promptly forbade all mention Of these in
the sick room, having the doctors au-
thorlty for saying the patients very life
depended upon quiet.
But when cOnvalesceIce commenced
Lima sent Essie and the baby to visit
old Mrs. Worthington, and took control
~ la,.h ba al lnp oh nd
the household, fully determined to show
her brother how far he carried his habit
of absurd fault-fnding. With all her
severity, she did believe he was himself
unaware of the frequency of his queru
lous complaint and the cXaggcration Of
his frctful statements.
The first dinner saw the beginning of
the lesson Lima meant to teach by prac-
TALLY illustrating some Of Herbert'S alb
surdilies. Herbert entered the dining
room, his handsome face disfigured by
its habitual frown. Harric and Louie
were sea to 1, and the waiter girl IN her
place b hi al Lina's chair
Soup said Herbert, lifting the tureen
cover; perfect dishwater
Susan, said Lima sharply, take that
turecn TO the kitchen and tell Jane. the
soup is not fit 10 eat
Susan promptly obeycd. Herbert
looked ruefully at the vanishing dish.
Ho was especially fond of soup, and the
savory fumes Of the really delicious dish
were tantalizing. Essic would have made
some gentle eXcusc-never whipped of
his dinner in that way. All dinner time
Lima kept up ding dong at Susan about
that abominable soup, ull Herbert
heartily wished he had said nothing
about it. But his Imagination detected
a burnt flavor in the pudding, and be-
fore he could demonstrate that dish fol- .
lowed the soup.
'pil get this house in some sort of
order before leave it, said Lima, en-
phatically.
Before you leave it, said Herbert,
sharply. DO you suppose you are
better housekeeper than Essie? Why, /
1 have not friend who does not envy
me the exquisite order of my house and
my dainty table
Herbert, you surprise nc. Only
yesterday ! heard you say you did wish
there was ever anything tit to eat on tie
table
Conc doesn't avnect evorX- word IN he