The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1878-11-14
WASHING DAY.

WASHING DAY.
'Oh, dear me! what shall we do ?
said Mary Lennox. Its just exactly
like those working people, to go anC
fall ill just when we need them most
And every napkin in the wash, and
not enough table linen to last two
weeks. You must be very poor
manager, grandma. not to have more
of such things
Old Mrs. LeDnox sighed as she rub
bed the glasses OF her spectacles.
my DEAR said she, Il should have
had more if 1 could have afforded
them. But times are hard, and -
'Yes, I've heard all that BEFORE ssid
Mary, irreverently. But the ques
ton is, grandma, what shall we dc
about the washing, now that Katrins
cannot come?
Mrs. Lennox heaved another sigh
She was old and rheumatic, and tht
great piled-up basket of clothes seem
ed terrific bugbear before her eyes
I'm sure 1 don't know said she
But Il you girls will help littl.
about the dinner, I will try and se'
what [ can do. 1t must be got out,
suppose, and -
But here a slight, dark-eyed girl
with a clear, olive complexion, anS
wavy black hair growing low on he
forehead, turned from the table, wher'
she was rinsing china.
you will do nothing of the kind
grandma said she, as resolutely as
she had been seventy instead of sew
enteen. 'You attempt days wash
ing at your age!
But my DEAR said grandma Len
nox, feebly, 'who will do it?
Il WILL said the dark-eyed lassie.
sGeorgie, I'm surprised::at you ! sal
Mary. why, you never did such
thing in you life!'
sThat's no reason ! never should
But Georgie-if any one should sc
you'll
We don't generally receive compa
ny in the Kitchen SAID George Len
nox. 'And if any one should com
in
sWell?'
Elf they like my occupation, ] shal
be very much pleased; if they don'i
they are quite at liberty TO look tn
other way.
And Miss Lennox tied prodigiou
crash apron around her, rolled up he
sleeves and resolutely took her stau'
in front of the washbench.
lit seems too bad. my dear, wit
those little white hands of yours, sal,
old Mrs. Lennox, irresoluteiy.
sOh, my handsv laughed George
What are they good for, if not t
make themselves useful:
Mary drew herself disdainfully VI
WELL said she, 1 never yet stoop
cd to such degradation as thatv
sIt would be great deal wors
degradation to stand by and let m
rheumatic old grandmother do tn
washing observed George, with phi
losophy, as she plunged her hands int
the anowy mast of suds.
Old Mrs. Lennox had been left wit
picturesque farmh0lse on the edg
of Sidopla Lake, and nothing else. S.
old Mrs. Lennox bethought herself t.
exc her slender means by the recep
ton OF summer boarders. And whel
her two grand daugeters had obfaine,
their fortnight's leave of absence from
the type-setting establishment in Troy
where they earned their daily bread
they came home for breath of frcsI
mountain air. and helped grandm
was no girl kept at the farmhouse, All
no outside assistance called in, eXcep
as German Katrina came once O wee
TO wash and scrub.
'It's drudgery.' sighed Mary, VIII
was tall and slender, with a fair com
plexioD, doll llblue eyes, and ByroDi
dissatisfaction with her lot in life,
sIt's funp said Georgic, who had n
such exalted aspirations, and liked t
make custards, wash china, and deco
rate the tea table with flowers.
you'll hang out these clothes fo
me, Mary, won't you?' said George
as she flung the last red-bordered to W
el on top of the clothes-bssket, swhiI
L wash the piilow-cases
Indeed l shall not said her sister
with the Miss Pooleys playing cre
quet in plain sight? Never!'
'Then l must do it myself sal
Georgia, with little shrug of th
shoulders. 'And'-
But just as she spoke there came
tap at the kitchen door.
sCome in = cried George, valiantly
while her sister, with burning cheeks
endeavored to hide herself and her OF