The weekly Oskaloosa herald. [volume] (Oskaloosa, Iowa) 1855-1885, 1875-02-11
LEARNING HER VALUE.
BY S. ANNIE FROST.

"Just what have been expecting fo
about seven years" said Miss Paulin
Worthington, looking from an open lette
in her hand, with frowning brow.
as not your letter from Herbert
Lina?" questioned Mrs. Worthington,
tiny, silver-haired old lady with a gentl
expression.
ayes, mother. Essie is very ill wit
low, nervous fever, and they want me t
come and stay till she is better. Tn
carriage will be sent at 3 o'clock, mother,
and Miss Paulines eyes snapped
think it is about time Bert's tyranny owe
over that lit'.c martyr was ended; he i
killing her"
'Lina! He is your brother"
81 can see his faults if he is.
81 never heard Essie complain"
"Shc never would But look at hel
Nine years ago. when she was married
she was living sunbeam, SO bright ant
pretty. Now, pale, quiet, and reserved
her voice is seldom heard, her smile sci
dom seen. a wintry shadow of her for
mer summer brightness! Now she ha
broken down. You have never seen he
at home, but when she is here you SCI
the changer"
"Yes, dear, she has changed; but fami
ly cares"
"Has Louie changed SO? She has beer
twelve years married.
Mrs Worthington was silent Loui
was her Oldest child, and presided owe
the home in which her mother was
crippled prisoner for fifteen years. Sh
took all the household care and had fv
children, and yet Louie had gained il
beauty, and certainly in cheerful happi
ness, since her marriage, even if the mer
riment of her girlhood was gone.
"Henry appreciates Louie!" said Lima
"there lies the difference between he
happiness and Essie's detection. If ther
is any domestic trouble Henry and Loui
share it, while Herbert shifts it all upol
Essie. He is habitual faultfnder."
"Perhaps, dear, Essie is not so good
housekeeper as Louie. Herbert ma,
have cause to find fault"
"Once in ten times he may. | neve
saw faultless house or housekeeper; bu
Essie and her house are the nearest ap
proach to perfection ever did sce."
"You never spoke so before, Lima"
Because Louie and / thought it bette
not to worry you with trouble be
yond your help. But firmly believing, a
do now, that Herbert is actually worry
ing his wife into her grave, | intend t
give him lesson That is if you cal
spare me to go?"
"You must go, dear / shall get alonj
nicely"
$50 when Herbert Worthington sen
his carriage Lima was quite ready for tn
fourteen-mile drive to her brothers house
1t was most unlike house wherein an
evil spirit of repining and fault finding
should have found an abode Spacious
handsomely furnished, with well traine,
servants, and all comforts wealth coult
furnish, it seemed perfect paradise t
visitors. But very demon lurked ther
to poison all, and this demon Lima ha'
come to exercise.
For the first fortnight Essie took a
her time and care, the gentle spirit hover
ing very near the portals Of the cterna
home. There was babe, too, six month
old, and its wants filled all the spare Inc
ments Herbert snarlcd and fretted owe
domestic shortcomings, but Lima peremT
tOrily forbade all mention of these in tn
sick-room, having the doctors authorit
for saying the patients very life depende
upon quiet.
But when convalesccnce commence
Lima sent Essic and the baby to visit oil
Mrs. Worthington, and took control 0
Herbert, the two older children, and tn
household, fully determined to show he
brother how far he carried his absurd hal
it Of fault-fnding With all her severity
she did believe himself unaware of tn
frequency of his querulous complaints an,
the exaggeration of his fretful statement.
The first dinner saw the beginning 0
the lesson Lima meant to teach, by prat
tically illustrating some of Herbert's al
surdities. Herbert entered the dining
room, his handsome face disfgured by it
habitual frown. Harry and Louie wer
seated, and the waiter girl in her place be
hind Lina's chair.
"Soup," said Herbert, lifting the turee
cover; perfect dish-waterl"
"Susan," said Lima sharply, before Her
bert could lift the ladle, "take that turee
to the kitchen and tell Jane the soup
not fit to eat"
Susan obeyed promptly. Herbert look
ed rather ruefully at the vanishing disf
He was especially fond Of soup, and tn
savory fumes of the really delicious dis
were tantalizing. Essie would have mad
some gentle excuse-never whipping oi
his dinner in that way. All dinner tim
Lima kept up ding-dong at Susan abou
that abominable soup, till Herbert hearth
wished he had said nothing about it. Bu
his imagination detected burnt favor i
the pudding, and before he could remo1
strate that dish followed the soup.
'1n get this house in some sort of o.
der before l leave it." said Lima emphat
cally.
Before you leave it," said Herberr
sharply. @Do you suppose you are bel
ter housekeeper than Essie? Why,
have not friend who does not envy m
the exquisite order Of my house and m,
dainty table"
| Herbert, you surprise me. Only yes
terday heard you say you did wish ther
was ever anything fit 70 eat on the table" :"
"One don't expect every word to be t.
ken literally" said Herbert, rather sulkily
But not an hour later. finding a streak 0
dust in the sitting-room, he declared en-
phatically it was not fit for pig to liv
In"
Coming into it the next morning h
found the curtains torn down, the carpet
taken up, the floor Uttered with pail.
soap, and brushes, and Lima in disma
dress, her hair tied up in towel, direct
ing two women scrubbing vigorously.
"Good gracious, Lima, he cried, "wha
are you doing?"