The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1876-10-11
Reforming the Household.

helUTllIiliY l'io nuuSoloiu'
"Just what have been expecting for
about seven years, said Miss Pauline
Worthington, looking up from an open
letter in her hand with a frowning
brow.
"Js not your letter from Herbert,
Lina2" questioned Mrs. Worthington, a
tiny, silver haired old lady, with q gentle
expression.
tYes, mother, Essie is very i'll with
low, nervous fever, and they want me to
come and stay till she is better. The car
riaee will be sent at three o'clock, moth
er." Then, more emphatically: 81
think it is about time Bert's tyranny
over that little martyr was ended. he is
killing her"
"Lina He is your brother"
81 can see his faults if be is.
81 never heard Essie complain"
"She rever would. But look at her.
Nine years ago, when she married, she
was q 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 has
broken down. You have never seen her
at home, but surely when she is here
you see the change2"
eyes, dear, she has changed; but
family cares
"Has Louie changed so? She has
hean twelve wears married"
Mrs. Wortbington was silent. Louie
was her Oldest child, and presided over
the home in which her mother had been
a crippled prisoner for fifteen years.
She took all the household cares, and
had five children, and yet Louie had
gained in beauty, and certainly in
cheerful happiness, since her marriage.
even if the merriment of girlhood was
gone. . -.
Henry appreciates Louie |" said
Lima; "there lies the difference be-
tween her happiness and Essie's dejec-
ton. If there is any domestic trouble
Henry and Louie share it, while Herbert
shifts it all upon Essie. He is an ha-
bitual fault finder"
"Psrhaps, dear, Essie is not 80 good
housekeeper as Louie. Herbert may
have cause to find fault y
"Ouce in ten times he may. I never
saw faultless house or housekeeper;
but Essie and her house are the nearest
approach to perfection l ever did see. "
"Yon never spoke so before, Lima. "
I" Because Louie and I thought it bet
ter not to worry you with trouble be-
yond your help. I intendt to give him a
lesson. I do, indeed. That is, if you
can spare ms to go?"
"You must go, dear. I shall get
along nicely"
So when Herbert Worthington sent
his carriage, Lima was quite ready for
the fourteen mile drive to her brothers S
house. It was most unlike house
wherein any evil spirit Of repining or
fault fudipg should have found on
abode. Spacious, handsomely furnish
ed, with we'll trained servants, aud all
comforts wealth could furnish, it seemed
perfect paradise on earth to visitors.
But very demon lurkedt there toroison
all, ni.d this demon Lima had como to
exercise.
For the first fortnight Essie took all
her time and care, the gentle spirit how
ering very near the portals Of the eternal
home. There was a baby, too, six
months old, and it's wants filed all the
spare moments. Herbert snarled and
fretted over domestic shortcomings, but
Lima peremptorily forbade all mention
of these in the sick.room, having the
doctors autl ority for saying the pa
tient's very life depended upon quiet.
But when convalesceDce begun Lima
sent Essie and the baby to visit old Mrs
Worthington, aid took control of Her
bert, tho two older childlen and the
household, determined to show her
brother how far he carried his habit OF
absurd fault finding. With all her Sc
verify, she did believe he was himself
unaware of the frequency of his querul-
Gus complaints and the exaggeration Of
his fretful statements.
The first dinner saw the beginning of
the lesson Lima meant to teacn. Her
bert entered the dining-room, his hand
some face disfgured bv its habitual
frown. Harry and Louie were seated.
"Soup," said Herbert, lifting the
tureen cover; "perfect dish water!"
"Susan," said Lima, sharply, to the
servant, before Herbert could lift the
ladle; stake that tureen to the kitchen
and tell Jane the soup is not fit to eat. "
Susan promptly obeyed. Herbert
looked rather ruefully at the vanishing
dish. He was especially fond of soup,
and the savory fumes of the really deli
cions dish were tantalzing. All dinner
time Lima kept up ding-dong at Susan
abont that abomipsble soup, till Her
bert wished he had said nothing about
it. But his Imagination detecting q
burnt flavor in the pudding, he could
not refrain from mentioning it, and be.
fore he could demonstrate, that dish had
followed the soup.
ell get this house in some sort of
order before I leave it" said Lima, en-
phatically.
Before you leave it," said Herbert,
sharply. "Do you suppose you are a
better housekeeper than Essie Why,
have not friend who does not envy
me the exquisite order of my house and
my dinner table"
Herbert, you surprise me. Only
yesterday heard you say you did wish
there was ever anything it to eat on the
table"
"One doesn't expect every word to
be taken literally" said Herbert, rather
sulkily. But not an hour later, finding
o streak of dust in the sitting room, he
declared emphatically it was not fl, TO,