Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1876-08-16
"When Company Comes.

" HUI Voiii'dily OVli0o.
"There, Jenny, this is all right now.'
They had been clearing and rearrang.
Ing their luxuriant parlor, and now
that the work was done, the last particle
ofdust removed and everything set back
in place, Mrs. Lane looked about hei
with the utmost complacency and there
was a world of satisfaction in her voice
as she said:
''There, Jenny, this is all right now.
Drop the curtains and then the room
will be ready for company any time;''
and she went out, closing the door be-
hind her carefully.
Left alone, Jenny dropped upon a
sofa opposite large mirror, and look
ing around the room with its graceful
appointments, she sighed heavily, say
ing to herself, "It is pleasant here with
the beautiful sunshine streaming in. /
do wish we could sit here part of the
time instead of always staying in those
dingy back rooms. l believe we should
all feel better; but then, mother don't
think so,' and she rose wearily to dar-
ken the room.
An Dour later Mr.. Lane strobe rapidly
up the gravelled walk, with all the
haste which hungry business man
feels when approaching his home at
dinner-time. Turning the knob hur-
riedly he wheeled impatiently about
and walked around to the side door,
muttering to himself:
81 wish Maria wouldn't keep forever
locking that door-as if the front hall
was too good for a man to walk through
in his own house."
The edining-rOomw was empty and dark,
and after waiting a few minutes he pro-
ceeded to the kitchen where, as he ex-
pected, his wife and girls were just set
ting the dinner upon the table.
The room was hot, uncomfortable and
swarming with flies, the floor was dirty
and the air filled with the Odors of
burned bread and fried meat.
His brow contracted when he sat
down to the ill-cooked meal that was
served up on a soiled table-cloth beside
a hot Stove, and he bit his lip in vexa-
ton that his wife did not think him
worthy of any better treatment than
that. But experience had taught him
that remonstrance was foolishness.
"I told you that | was going to keep
the dining-room nice after it was painted
and fixed up" she explained.
If your cousin Eunice felt as if she
must go home, 1 was willing to have
her go, so we could shut up the front
part of the house, and keep the furni-
ture from fading, and put away the
best dishes. / never should have any
thing decent if L wasn't particular with
what I've got, and that is why have
to be careful of the best things. L have
got the dining-room fixed to my mind
now, and l mean to keep it so as long
as can; we can just as well eat in the
kitchen, when there is nobody here but
ourselves"
Mr.. Lane rushed from the house as
soon as had swallowed his unrelished
dinner, leaving his wife to wonder that
he spent so little of his time at home.
80, Jenny, what did you put on that
pink dress for?"
Mrs. Lane looked up from her work
i'm CONSERVATION, when Jenny came
from her room an hour later.
"Your old calico is plenty good enough
to wear-when there is nobody here,
and do you go and take this right of
and hang it away until We have COM
pany.''
81 won't hurt it any, mother" the
girl replied hesitatingiy. 81 am sure
we want to look well for ourselves, and
l think father likes 10 see us fixed up a
little sometimes"
"Nonsense, child. Do as tell you;
and don't you put that on again unless
there is somebody here; it is setting
Fanny bad example, and L won't en-
courage such silly notions"
Days and weeks went by. and the
DultilcT SllDpcu lilto hubuihh, "hhO
the Lanes were still pursuing the even
tenor of their way, save new and then
when they were jostled aside little by
the advent of visitors.
But they always fell back on their
old habits, as soon as the company had
gone, shutting up their pleasant roomst
and putting away the prettiest and bes
of everything to save for company.
1t is strange how Mr.. Lane could have
been i'm a pleasant mood when his coffee
was muddy-it wasn't worth the while
to make anything nice for ones own
folks-when the toast was burned, and
the breakfast table looked so shabby
with its old cracked dishes, it is strange
how he could have been in a pleasant
mood. but he smiled and looked kindly
at his wife one morning, proposing
what she loved to hear best Of anything
that she should go to a neighboring viii
lage and spend week with her dear
old friend, Mrs. Darling.
'The girls are so large they can get
along very well without you for few
days." he said; "then / will take them
and come after you, so we will all have
a little recreation