Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1879-03-19
Washing Day.

said Mary Lennox. "It's just exactly
like those working people to go and fall
i'll 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
thinssi"
Old Mrs. Lennox sighed as she rub
bed the glasses OF her spectacles.
my DEAR" said she. 81 should have
had more if could have afforded them.
But times are hard, and''-
Yes. I've heard all that before, "
said Mary irreverently. But the
question: is, grandma, what shall we do
about the washing, now that Katrina
cannot Gomez"
Mrs. LennoX heaved another sigh.
She was old and rheumatic, and the
great piled-ap basket of clothes seemed
a terrific bugbear before her eyes.
I'm sure | don't know" said she.
but if you girls will helpa little about
the dinner, | will try and see what | can
do. 1t must be got out suppose, and"-
But here a slight, dark-eyed girl.
with clear, olive complexion, and
wavy black hair growing low on her
forehead, turning from the table where
she was rinsing china.
You will do nothing OF the kind,
grandma" said she, as resolutely as If
she had been seventy instead of seven
teen. "'You attempt days washing,
at your age?"
But my dear" said grandma Len
nox, feebly. "who will doit?"
81 WILL" saId the dark-eyed lassle.
George / am surprised at you"
said Mary "Why you never did such
L thing in your lifel''
That's no reason | never should"
"But Georgie-if any one should see
you"?
"We don't generally receive eompa-
ny in the Kitchen" said George Len
nox. But if any one should come
in''-
"Well:"
at they like my occupation, | shall
much pleased; If they do not
they are quite at liberty to take the
othes way"
And Miss Lennox tied a prodigious
crash apron around her, rolled up her
sleeves, and resolutely .ook up her
stand in front of the wash bench.
at seems too bad, my dear, with
those little white hands of yours" said
old Mrs. Lennox, irresolutelv.
l.
.'what are they good for. if not to make
themselves useful?"
Mary drew herself disdainfully up.
"well, said she, al never yet stopped
10 such degradation as that"
sit would be a great deal worse
degradation TO stand by and let my
rheumatic old grandmother do the
washing" observed George, with
philosophy, as she plunged her hands
into the snowy mass of suds.
Old Mrs. Lennox had been left with
4 picturesque farmhouse on the edge
of Sidonia Lake, and nothing else. And
so old Mrs. LennOx bethought herself
TO exc out her slender means by the re-
ception of summer bOarders. And in
September, when her two granddaugh-
ters obtained their fortnight's leave of
abserce from the millinery establish
ment in Troy, where they earned their
daily bread, they came home for
breath of fresh mountain air. and
helped grandma Lennox with her
boarders. For there was no girl at the
farmhouse, and no outside assistance
called in except as German Katrina
came once a week to wash and scrub.
.It's drudgery," sighed Mary, who
was tall and slender, with fair COM
plexion, dull-blue eyes, and Byronic
dissatisfaction with her LOT in life.
ats fun, :" said George, who had no
such exalted expirations. and liked to
make custards, wash china, and decor
ate the table with flowers.
You'll hang out these clothes for
me, Mary, won't you?" said George,
as she flung the last red-bordered towel
on the top of the clothes-basket, "while
wash the pillow-cases 2"
.Tndeed, / shall not" said her sister.
with the Miss Pooleys playing GRO
auet in plain sight? Never"
"Then | must do it myself, said
George, with a little shrug of her
shoulders. "And''-
But just as she spoke there came
tap at the kitchen door.
.'Come ini' cried George, valiant
ly, while her sister, with burning |
cheeks, endeavored to hide herself and
her occupation of peeling onions, be-
hind the big roller-towel.
And Mr.. Raymond Abbott walked in
accordingly.
II beg your pardon, Miss George,
said he rather blandly. 81 didn't
know should disturb you"
"Oh, you're not disturbing me at