The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1878-01-24
WORKING BOTH WAYS.


gusta Lawton and her dearest friend,
Anasthusia Meaklm, contract was made
between the two couples-a contract en-
tirely independent of that which IN the
eye of the law they had made when
each answered 81 WILL" in reply to the
somewhat inquisitive question put by
the clergyman in regard to their future
intentions as to supporting, loving and
honoring each other. 1t was this
They bound themselves that if one fam
lily had son ard the other daughter,
that son and daughter, when they had
arrived at proper age, should become
man and wife. There was nothing so
novel or original in such an agreement,
if there had been the parties to the con-
tract would never have made it, tor they
were neither novel nor original in any
thing-they were simply maudlin with
romance, and this covenant was merely
the effect of which a strict attention to
novels, love tales and plays was the
cause.
So much by way of prologue. Now
for our story.
Flipper and Clemmens had died full
of years and govt and rheumatism, and
left each a large fortune to his wife.
They had each left, as well, child
Flipper daughter named Kitty, Glenn
mems son named Richard, otherwise
Dick. The old men had forgotten long
before their deaths all about their agree
ment on their wedding-day, but not SO
the mothers. They had been in cores
pondence for the last FIVE years about
nothing else. The children had now
reached their majority, and the mothers
were anxious for the contamination of
their plan.
"Mother," said Dick, at the breakfast
table, "there is no use in urging that
girl Kitty's suit, for | vow | will never
marry her."
"How do you know, my son? You
have not seen her for twelve years, and
you might be delighted with her." re-
turned Mrs. Clemmens, coaxingly.
al know | shouldn't" Dick said.
"She was red headed abomination when
she was child, and I'm certain she's
the same now.
80, Richard ~
Even if she was as handsome as Hebe,
l wouldn't marry her. I'd feel disgust
ed the moment l met her, and so would
she if she had any sense. We'd be in
troduced, we'd look at each other, and
say to ourselves: "And this is the per-
son I've got to marry, and then we'd
hate each other"
"Well, it seems to me, Dick. that you
might at least wait until you do see
each other, before you make up your
mind. This is too sad" whined Mrs.
Clemmens, wiping her tears with her
napkin, and not discovering her mistake
until she rubbed some mustard into her
blue orhs, which occasloned the use of
her handkerchief in good earnest, "just
when L thought had such good news
for you"
"What is the news"
"She's coming here"
"Who, Kitty FIipper 7"
eyes. received letter this morn
ing from her mother, saying Kitty would
start IN day or two"
80, lorw groaned Dick. "You must
stop her." he said, seriously. aft she
60. know what she'll be; a
stuck-up little mink, full of the French
airs she's acquired by studying abroad
twelve years. She'll swear 'Mon Dieu'
and ma fol- and she'll talk about her
and her gaucherIe, and her
chic; she'll speak bad French in the
present tense, Indicative mood, OF the
first conjugation, and she'll commence
all her questions with 'Esker,' and then
stick like the young man at the Veneer
ings' party. shan't see her, that's set
tied. Write to Mrs. Flipper (mellifuous
appellation y and say we are..going on
visit and don't know when we will re-
turn or, better, 60 to town, see Mrs. r,
explain openly that | will never marry
o Frenchified wax doll, but that want
a wife who knows how to keep house
in order, can cook, bake, preserve, darn,
mend, sew, dust, sweep, and, as the adj
refreshments say, make herself generally
useful. In short, q woman like my re-
spected ma; and, so that you may kill
two birds with one stone, find a cook /
VINO call COOh anu ictCD UcE UhCh Will
you.
An idea seemed to strike Mrs. Glenn.
mems, and she answered gayly: "Well,
Dick, every things for the best. Iiyou
won't marry her,you won't, SO I'll do as
you say"
After breakfast she made a hurried |
.oilet and, took the first train tor the
,ity. Towards evening she returned
with as pretty little piece offemininlty
Is Dick had ever seen withal. The
iainty, curlybaired little woman
went to the kitchen, and
hen Mrs. Clemmens informed her son
hat she had made matters oil right with
Mrs. Flipper, and that the pretty con-
of muslin, curls and punk
md white was a new cook she had en-
Jagged.
"Ah. cries the intelligent readers,
you can't deceive us; the pink and
white little cook is Kitty Flpper, and
he three women have formed scheme
o catch Dick unawares." And the IN
elligent readers are correct, but we view
nd declare that we never had any in
ention of shrosding the dear girl in
n I'd Aanantfnn IL