Daily Republican., 1879-07-18
"And we will i"said Flora very cheer

"Oh, you stall see ~ nodded Mis
Lee. r..
And, depressed though she was, Mr.
Dove began To feel the mercury rise !
her mental thermometer at once.
And Flora Lee array-d herself i
one Of Betsey's cast-off calicoes, tied hr
rippled brown tressss up in a cambri
swepping cap, and went vigorously I
work with scrubbing brush, Will
Mrs. Dove bent her attention to tn
window glass, and Adonijah, with NOR
zeal than discretion, spla.hrd white
wash over himself and the floor with
laudable impartiality.
"Wall said Adonijah, af,erward. I"
never did see no cricket work sprye
than that city young lady. By gra
cious, she beats Bets-y all holl-r at it
And she's got such an up and dowI
pretty way Of doin' things, too. dc
clare, couldn't hardly take my eyes
off her all the time was whitswash
in'l .n.
Mrs. Dove, however, was unused Il
the severe exertions incident upon a
house-cl-aning time, and went to bed
with a sick headache In the middle o.
the AFTERNOON.
"Never mind, Mrs. Dove" said
Flora; "I'll get tea, and III make some
Of those cream waffl s and short cak-
for Mr.. Dove, and you shall See how
uicA1v I rap frv nvsfsrs -
"Indeed, indeed, don't know what
! should do without you, Flora! ~ said
Mrs. Dove, fsrvently.
But, as IL happened, Mr.. Daniel Dove
was unexpectedly detained on business
at Whiskills, the n-ighboring .own,
and instead Of him, who should walk
debonairly into the little sitting room,
flipging down his carpet bag, but Eric
Hale himself, just as the rainy dusk
closed in and the delicious odor Of fry.
ing oysters and Mocha coffee filed the
house.
"Hello |" said Eric. $50 you're
cleaning house-eh, Betsy "
"Yes, sir" a demure voice responded
from the kitchen.
And where's my aunt :"
"She has retired with sick head
ache"
"Ths natural consequence Of clean
ing house, Isupposs, said Eric Hale,
with shrug of the shoulders. "Dear
old Aunt Della !! why couldn't she be
contented to leave things as they we're :
Tell her, Betsry, that Washburne has
concluded not to exchange until next
week, and that, now I'm in the midst
of the melee, I'Il lend a hand with
this business to morrow.
Yes, sir. ="
"And Betsey--"
"Sirs'
Where did you learn to make such
delicious coffee' Bring in a cup at
once Pun ready to drop with weari-
ness, and it is like dream Of ARABIA !"
And Flora Lse, with the Tapping
edge of her sunbonnet conc-a,ng the
amused dinples around her mouth,
brought in the oysters and coffee,
fanked BY pile of feather like waf,
f-s.
~ declare, B-tsey," cried the Rev.
erend Eric, fa"etiouSly, "if you were
triAe younger and prettier. I'd marry
you myself, and make sure Of ceifee and
wafars aike thss every night.
"Would you, sir" said the "soi
dissnt'' B-tsey.
And wen make compact, Betsey,"
went on the young clergyman,
as he helped himself to the butter,
"to finish the housekeeping ourselves
to morrow, and save Aunt Della the
work and worry fit"
"Yes, sir" said Bets4y. "But
please, sir, it's all done, except tacking
the carpets down."
"Who did it?"
II, sir, please, and Mrs. Dove, and
Adonijah. And please, sir, Im going
20 finish it myself Tomorrow and
please, sir"-flngiDg back her sunbon.
net, and disclosing coronal Of bronz -
brown braids, a pair Of very rosy
,heeks and eyes al of sparkling mis-
,hief-"l'm not Bstsry at all, but Flo
"a Lee, entirely at your service
The Reverend Eric Hale started with
'oundeyed surprise, not unmingled
With dsmay.
''Miss L-e,' repeated he.
"Exactly," nodded the young lady.
"DId you make the cotfee!'
81 did"
"And fry these brown jack-t+d oys-
ers, and stir up these watfles ?"
"No one else, Mr.. Hae.'
"And scrub these rooms ?" glancing
round.
eyes, sir: anil busted the cornices
nd washed the window glass, and took
own all the picture frames, aud put
be lace curtains to soak, besides other
ems too numerous to mentiOD," mis-
hievously added Flora, rather Ell
'ying the discontinue of the young
lergyman.
"Miss Lee," sad Eric, ~ beg your
ardon |" s
"What for, Mr.. Hale I" :
"For always having regarded you \
'Ho hIont oeolohS ouu oiAoucutdl VI
l recant. own that you are |
quail to any emergency" a
Aud when, later in the evening, Mrs. {
owe crept out, with Der head tied up g
eau de cologne, she found her nephew \
nd Flora Lee playing chess together /
y the fire in tho most amicable man r
er imaginabl-.
cts all right" said Mrs. Dove to
ersen.
1t was all right. And Mrs. Eric Hale "
on her frank, unconventional hus t
and, not through the medium of dress J
jewels, or waltz-s or flower shows, Il
1t through the grim realities Of clean f
g house. ft