Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1877-02-15
REFORMING THE HOUSEHOLD.

Aoi ObtON SEVEN SV@AcN StN Va aco ''u-
line Worthingt0n, looking up from
an open letter in her hand with Il
fro wning brow.
"IS not your letter from Herbert,
I.ina?" questioned Mrs. Worthing-
ton, tiny silver haired old lady,
with gentle expression.
"YeS, mother, ESSie is Very i'll with
low, nervous fever, and they want
ME 10 come ~ stay until she isbet-
ter. The carriage will be sent at
three O'Clock, mother" Then, more
emphatically: II think it is about
time Bert'S tyranny over that little
martyr WAS ended, UeiS killing her. y
Lima! He is your brother"
Il can see his faults if he is"
II never heard ESsie complain. y
"She never would. But look at
her. Nine years ago when She mar
ried, she was living sunbeam, so
bright and pretty. Now, pale, quiet
and reserved, hex voice is seldom
heard, her smile seldom seen. \
wintry shadow OF her former bright
neSsl Now she has broken down.
You have never seen her at home,
but surely when she is here you See
the changer"
"Yes, dear she has changed; but
family cares"-
Has Louie changed SO? She has
been twelve years married"
Mrs. Worthington was silent.
Louie WAS her Oldest child. and pre-
sided over the nome in which her
mother had been a crippled prisoner
for fifteen years. She took all the
household cares, and had five child
ren, yet Louie had gained in beauty,
and certainly in cheerful hap
piness. 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 de-
lection. II there Is any domestic
trouble Henry amt Louie share it,
while Herbert shifts it allupon Essie.
He is an habitusl fault finder"
perhaps, dear, Essie is not so
good a hOUsekeeper as Louie. Her
bert may have cause to find fault
'Once in ten times Il day he may
I never saw a fdultless house or
housekeeper but Essie and her
house are the nearest approach TO
perfection | ever did see."
"Touneyer spokeso before, Lima"
"Because Louie and 1 thought it
better not TO worry you with trou-
bic beyond your help. ! intend to
give him 4 lesson. do indeed. !
That is if you.can spare NE to go?"
"You must so, dear. l shall get |
along nicely"
So when Herbert Worthington |
sent his carriage, Lima was quite
ready for the fourteen mile drive TO !
her brcther'5 house. II was most |
uIllike a house wherein any evil Spir-
j. OF repining or fault finding should |
lave found an abode. Spacious, |
handsomely furnished with we'll |
trained servants, and all comforts
wealth could furnish. 1T seemed u !
paradise on earth to visitors. But !
a very demon lurked there to poison
Ell. and this demon Lima come to ex.
ercise.
For the first fortnight Essie took
allher timeaRd care, the gentle spirit /
lowering very near the portals OF the
eternal home. There WAS baby,
too, six months old, and its wants
filed all the spare moments. Her
bert snArled and fretted over domes-
tic shortcomings but Lima preemp-
torily forbade all mention Of these in
the sick-rO0m, having the Doctors
authority for saying the patients
very life depended upon quiet
But when convaiescence began Ii
IA Sent Essie and the baby to visit
Mrs. WorthinGton, and took con-
troll Of Herbert, the two older chill
dren and the household. determined
20 show her brother how far he car
red his habit ofabsurd fault finding.
With all her severity, she did believe
lie was himself unaware Of the fire.
quancy Of his querulous complaints
and exaggeration of his fretful state
ments.
The first dinner saw the beginning
of the lesson Lima meant to teach.
Herbert entered the dining room,
his handsome face disfgured by its
habitual froYn. Harry and Louie
we're seated.
"Soup," said Herbert, lifting the
tnreen cover perfect disl water!"
"Susan," said Lima, sharply, to
the servant, before Herbert could
lift the ladlc "take that tureen to
the kitchen and tell Jane the soup is
not ft to eat"
Susan promptly obeYed. Herbert
looked rather ruefully at the vanish
ing dish. He was especially fond of
soup, and the savoryfumes fthereally
ialicioGs dish were tantaliZinG. All
dinner timc Lima kept UP ding