New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1878-09-11


Come right in here,' shoured out
Henry, and followed his voce through
the dining-roDm, unwarmed except by
the far-away warmth of the kitchen fire.
A large basket of rough, unfolied, and
unironed clothes was turned bottom-up.
wards on the extension-table an immense
clothes-horse filed half the room, and
every chair was loaded with coats, hats,
cloaks and shawls.
I'VE just use the dining-room as a sort of
"gangway" in The winter said Henry,
and den up here, except when we have
company. If any body runs in upon us,
they must take us as they find us " This
was not an over-cordial welcome, but l
went along into the kitchen, where Henry
was seating himself at the tea cable which,
If you will believe me, Aunt Mary, was
their little hangniug cooking-table COW
cred over with strip of OF cloth. A few
odd pieces of crockery were scattered up
on it without regard to order.
"Tbe little bit Of kitchen was untidy,
the stove dirty and rusty. There were
memories Of Saturdays baking in the
shape and appearance of flour, dough and
grease on the flour, table and door catches,
and a salt cod fish, with a cotton string
tied around its tail, was hanging to the
knob of the closet door. Susan's hair
was rough and frowsy, and her gown was
torn and soiled. Dear me, who could
have IMAGINED that such state of things
was so soon to follow their great and ex-
pensive wedding! What a picture of
loveliness the bride was They might as
we'll hire two or three rooms in a flat to
den up in as to own that large, elegant
ly.furnished house and not use ii, or to
so misuse it.
This scene rather discouraged me.
We're Jane and to deteriorate in that
way, think would rather have every
thing stop just where it is. I believe it
would save us world of trouble, and we
would go on looking at married life, as
we would have made it. through rose
colored glasses" and Mark moved uneas
lily. got up nervously, and going around
the table, seated himself by James side
and tendelly kissed the pretty, reproach-
ful face she raised toward him, while
Aunt Mary was considerably looking
another way.
"Perhaps Henry is not altogether
blameless in the premises" said Aunt
Mary, coming back to the table with
red fece at er an energetic hunt for the
shears; "did he fix himself up for tea?''
20, dear, no. replied Mari; che sat
down and ate his bread and milk in his
shirt sleeves, colarless and cravatless, and
with unbrushed hair and whlskers. He
would not have shown himself to Susan
in such plight before his marriage, I
assure YOU
Aunt Mary looked at the pretty Susie's
clock on the mantcl, took out her gold
pencil, wrote little note, and then said
to the youog man, II wish; Mark, dear,
you would carry this billet over to my
nephew, Horace Alden's, for me. They
live in the east tenement in the Ruther-
ford Block, you know, and on the strength
of your cousinship that is to be, I wan
you to run in without ceremony"
Mark came back in half an hour with
a radiant face. Removing his hat, he
made Aunt Mary low bow, saying, am
very much obliged to you; I wouldn't
surrender the opportunity that may be
graciously given me of helping make
home with Jane here for any earthly con-
sideration.'
Indeed" cried Aunt Mary, in seem
ing surprise, "perhaps you will be good
enough to tell US what has changed your
mind so suddenly"
SWELL, you see,' said Mark, ~ ran up
stats and opened the door at the top, as
you told me. and such charming pic
ture that I saw. A living room, neither
parlor, dining room nor kitchen, but
happy combination OF the three, made
attractive and homelike by perfect neat
ness, order and good taste. Such cor
dial welcome that I had, to be sure. l
was heartily ashamed when it came over
me how we'll used to know both Hor-
ace and his charming wife, and tina,
had not called on them before.
II gave Julia your note, and she read
l. with a little laugh, ana insisted that /
should take off my overcoat and take tea
with them. The cosey round table, with
its snow-white cloth and pretty tea-ser-
vice, looked SO inviting could not resist
the temptation. Horace does not get
out of the store till seven; he sees to the
closing up, so we have our tea at half
past seven,' Mrs. Alden said. Julia's
dress was plain, but tasty and neat, set
off by dainty white apr IN, and her sim
pie toilet was completed by geranium
leaf and verbena blossom in her shining
hair. Horace, in a handsome dressing
gown and embroidered slippers, looked
every inch a gentleman, as he is.
s'The situation made us confidential, and
I asked Mrs. Alden how she had pean-
aged to settle down into being such a
wonderful little housekeeper; and she