Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1880-04-30
Washing Day.

Washing Day.
ooh, dear me what shall We do?'
Said Grace Lee. Its Just exactly
like those working people to go and fall
i'll just when we need them the 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
things!'
Old Mrs. Lee sighed as she rubbed
the glasses of her spectacles.
"My dear" said she, D." l should have
had more if could have afforded them.
But times are so hard, and"
"Yes, I've heard all that before, :"
said Grace irreverently. But the
question is, grandma, what shall we do
about the washing, now that Kate can.
not Gomez
Mrs. Lee heaved another sigh. She
was old and rheumatic, and the great
piled-up basket of clothes seemed ter
rife bugbear before her eyes.
"1'm sure l don't know said she.
"But if you girls will help me little
about the dinner, I will try and see
what l can do. 1t must be got out, l
suppose, and"
But here a slight, dark-eyed girl.
with a clear, olive complexion, and
wavy black hair, growing low on her
forehead, turned 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 to do days
washing at your sge!"
81 But, my dear" said grandma Lee,
feebly, who will do it,"
" will, said the dark-eyed lassie.
"Susie, I'm surprised at you |" said
Grace. Why you never did such a
thing in your life |"
That's no reason l never should"
But, Susie, if any one should see
you'll"
I've don't generally receive com.
pany IN the Kitchen" said Susie Lee.
And if any one shoald come in"
IF they like my occupation I shall
be very much pleased; if they don't
they are quite at liberty to look the
other way"
And Miss Lee tied prodigious crash
spron around her, rolled up her sleeves,
and resolutely took her stand in front
of the wash-bench.
1t seems too bad, my dear, with
those little white hands OF yours" said
Mrs. Lee, irresolutely.
Oh, my hands !" laughed Sns;e.
What are they good +, p, # not to
make themselves useful?
Grace drew herself disdainfully up,
Well" said she, I never stopped
to such degradation as that /"
at would be a great deal worse deg
radiation to stand by and let my rheu-
matte old grandmother do the wash
ing" observed Susie. with philosophy,
as she plunged her hands into the
snowy mass of suds.
Old Mrs. Lee had been left with a
picturesque farmhouse on the edge of
Sldonla Lake and nothing else. And
so old Mrs. Lee bethought herself to
exc out her slender means by the re-
ceptlon OF summer boarders. And in
September, when her two granddaugh-
ters obtained their fortnight's leave of
absence from the type-setting estab-
nshment in Troy, where they earned
their daily bread, they came home for a
breath Of fresh mountain air, and to
help Grandma Lee with her boarders.
For there was no girl kept at the farm.
house, and no outside assistance called
IN except as Kate came once a week
to wash and scrub.
It's drudgery," sighed Grace. who
was tall and slender, with fair complex.
ion, doll blue eyes, and Byronic dis
satisfaction with her lot in life,
It's fun !" said Susie, who had no
such exalted aspirations, and liked to
make custards, wash china, and decor
ate the tea-table with flowers,
You'll hang out these clothes for
me- Trace, won't you ," said Susie, as
she tiung the last red bordered towel on
the TOP OF the clothes basket, while I
wash the pillow cases p
Indeed shall not" said Grace.
With the Miss Poleys playing croquet
IN plain sight, never |"
Then must do it myself" said
Susie, with little shrug of the shout.
ders. "And-"
But Just as she spoke there came q
tap at the kitchen door.
Come in" cried Susie, valiantly.
while her sister, with burning cheeks
endeavored to hide herself and her &C.
cupation Of peelins onions behind the
big roller towel.
And Mr.. Ray Abbott walked in"
accordingly.
80 beg your pardon, Miss Susie. {"
sald ne, rather blandly. didn't
Know should disturb YOU"
-, On, you are not disturbing me at
Al, sad Susie, serenely, resting one
almpie-dotted, rosy elbow on the wash.
Doard' and looking at him like practi-