The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1879-03-20
ONLY A FARMER.

group haQ g0thereQ In Mrs. wilson 6
dressing-room one morning in June.
1t consisted of Mrs. Wilson and her
three unmarried daughters. and the
subject under such animated and anx-
ious discussion was how and where
they should open their usual summer
campaign. It had always been an in
teresting subject, and to the material
element, attended with considerable
anxiety. but never such q matter OF
perplexity. almost amounting to de-
spair, as now.
The contents of the various ward
robes had been laid out and examined;
silks and muslins, cambrics and lawns,
sufficient, it would seem, for q dozen,
and yet the two elder Misses Wilson
declared, with tears in their eyes, that
they had nothing, absolutely nothing
to wear.
1t is noteworthy with what surpris-
ing unanimity the two sisters agreed
upon this point, who so seldom agreed
on any other.
Mrs. Wilson looked with dismay up
on the finery spread out before her, aft
er listening to the above assertion.
I'm sure, my dears," she ventured
to say. some of them are hardly worn,
anu u uttlo 8lCer8tlOn-
"Now. mamma" interrupted Belle,
"why will you talk so ridiculously.
when you know that there is not q
thing here but what is wretchedly out
of styleP And as to altering anything,
it always gives me pain to sew, and I'm
not going to Saratl lga all tagged out,
If i never gor, -
Of course, this settled that. 1t is q
-
work will flag" girl " all OUT who
can dance until the break of day with
out the slightest inconvenience.
There's one thing certain" said
Lucy. the second daughter, "we have
got to have at least one new dress"
"I don't know where it's coming
from then," responded Mrs. Wilson,
sinking down wearily into chair. 1T
was as much as could do get your pa
to consent to your going at all. 1t was
two o'clock last night before he gave
in, and then, verify believe, it was
from pure WEAKNESS and inability to
keep awake any longer"
Mrs. Wilson said this with the air Of
q woman determined to perform her
duty at all hazards, and anxious to OBJ
tain credit for the same. But it seemed
to have quite the contrary effect upon
josie. the youngest daughter, who had
not before spoken, but who now burst
forth:
~ declare, il it isn't sin and a
shame to worry pa sor'
Mrs. Wilson cast q reproachful look
upon the speaker.
"I will say, Josie. that you are the
most ungrateful child ever saw! I'd
like to know how much money I'd get
out of your pa if didn't worry it out.
But that's all the thanks get for lying
awake nights, scheming and planning
how to give you chance to get settled
in life"
"rd thank you for not doing so. I'm
not going tOISaratoga or Long Branch.
In the first place I know that pa can't
afford it And then 1 promised Mary
Crofton that would visit her this sum-
mer."
Though Mrs. Wilson affected to be
displeascd at this announcement; she
was secretly relieved. Bell and Lucy
were very well suited with this arrange
ment, too. Josie was very handy at
furnishing up and making over. and if
she was determined to bury herself in
q country farmhouse, she would not
need TO do 30 much of that for herself,
and could, therefore, devote more time
to them. And 50 busy did they keep
her dur1ng the two weeks that fol-
lowed, that Josie was glad enough to
see the big trunks all packed and wait
ing in the hall.
To save expenses, Mrs. Wilson had
arranged to dismiss the servants and
shut up the house, with the exception
OF one room for her husband. who was
to take his meals at his sisters.
"Of course she won't charge him
anything, and that will be one item
saved. !" remarked Mrs. Wilson, as she
regarded complacently the effect of
Bellies new dress, which her manage
ment had secured.
s.As though pa would board there
for nothing" was Josie's indignant re-
Joiner, when Uncle William ha6 such
hard time to get along"
"Wel, If your pa chooses to pay
when he needn't, and it amt expected
of him, it's his own loss. For my part
/ don't see what's the use of having re-
lations II you don't make use of them. :"
Mrs. Wilson certainly believed in
making her relatives useful, carrying out
the belief to its fullest extent, whenever
1t was practicable, as some of them
knew to their cost. Even her love for
daughters partook of the selfishness
OF her intensely selfish nature, her CHIEF
anxiety being to get them "off her
hands" In manner that would be ad-
vantageous and reflect as much credit
to herself as possible.
But they were gone at last; and Josie
was at liberty to make her own simple
preparations. which did not take her
long to complete. The father and
daughter had nice quiet day together.
Josie was going on the morrow, and as,
sitting opposite him, pouring out his
tea, she saw the hard lines soften in bis
oareworn face. and how happy he was
In her society. her heart smots her for
leaving him.