Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1879-02-17
Slipshod Ways.
BY MRS ANNIE A. PRESTON.

preparations. Aunt Mary was always
considerate and sympathetic in her words
and ways. and Mark liked her. He sat
down by her now in unwonted silence,
and with a clouded brow.
Jane looked at him furtively from be-
hind the clouds of white lace and mus
lin in her lap, as he mechanically poked
over the multitudinous trifes in her
dainty work basket, making as vague
and unsatisfactory answer to her numer-
Gus questions as if he were guessing
conundrums. After ten minutes had
been spent in this rather stupid way,
Aunt Mary asked, suddenly:
"Well Mark, what is it %
The young man started and looked up
at her with smile, as bright as if a
heavy fog had been lifted off his mental
horizon, as he said:
81 declare, Aunt Mary, didn't mean
to speak of it, but | am as nervous as
a girl over-over-nextT Thursday; not
the ceremony itself, mind you; I shall
really enjoy the display in the church
but l refer to the life that is to follow" :"
Marriage is indeed the most impor-
tant event of lifetime, and the out
look to every reflective mind must be a
serious one," said the sweet-faced old
lady; "but may l ask what has brought
up the subject so impressively before
you tonight %
1.-The fact is, Aunt Mary" replied
Mark, hesitatingly, :" have just come
from Cousin Henry's. AS | was pass
ing the gate on my way here l heard
the woodshed door open, and Susan's
voice calling out: 'Supper's ready
The pleasing vision of neat dining
room, cosy tea-table, and two happy,
contented young souls enjoying the
nicely-cooked, tastefully served evening
meal rose up before me, and I could not
resist the impulse to turn back and take
look at them. | ran in uncerimonious-
ly, as is my wont, announcing myself,
as l opened the sitting-room door, by a
hearty 'Good-evening.' There was no
fire in the room, but plenty of dust and
disorder"
Henry, and followed his voice through
the dining room, unwarmed except by
the far away warmth of the kitchen fire.
A large basket of rough, unfolded, and
unironed clothes was turned bottom up
wards on the extension table, an i'm
mense clotheshorse filled half the room,
and every chair was loaded with coats,
hats, cloaks, and shawls.
1--WE just use the dining-room as a
sort of 'gang-way' in the winter" said
Henry, land den up here, except when
we have company. If anybody runs in
upon US they must take us as they FIND
us. This was not an over-cordial vel
come, but | went along into the kitchen
where Henry was seating himself at the
tea-table, which if you will believe me
Aunt Mary, was their little hanging
cooking table covered over with a striE
of oilcloth. A few odd pieces of crock
cry were scattered upon it without re
gard to order.
The little bit of kitchen was untidy
the stove dirty and rusty. There wer
memories of Saturdays baking in tn
shape and appearance of -four, dough
, and grease on the floor, table, and door
3 latches, and salt-codish, with cot
ton string tied around its tail, wa
!, hanging to the knob of the closet door
, Susan's hair was rough and frowsy, an
her gown was torn and soiled. Dea
t me, who could have imagined that sue
a a state of things was so soon to folloV
their great and expensive wedding
What picture of loveliness the brid
r was They might as we'll hire two Q
three rooms in fiat to den up in as t
s own that large, elegantly -furnishe
:. house and not use it, or to so misuse i
This scene rather discouraged me. Wel
= Jane and l to deterloate in that way,
4 think | would rather have everythin
stop Just where it is. | believe it woul
s save US world of trouble, and we woul
l. 60 on looking at married life, as "
" would have made it, through rose-colo
d ed glasses" And Mark moved uneas
II ly, got up nervously, and going roun
J. the table, seated himself by James sic
and tenderly kissed the pretty. reproacI
t full face she raised toward him, viii
!. Aunt Mary was considerably lookir
" another way.
:. perhaps Henry is not altogeth
d blameless in the premises" said Au
ID Mary, coming back to the table with
" red face after an energetic hunt for t.
shears "did he fix himself up for tea
u, "Oh, dear. no." replied Mark, q
w sat down and ate his bread and milk
in his shirt sleeves, collarlcss and crave
ry less, and with unbrusEed hair and VIII
ae kers He would not have shown hi
- = self to Susan in such plight before /
be marriage, assure you %
or Aunt Mary looked at the pretty S
g. sizes clock on the mantel, took out b
III gold pencil, wrote little note, a