The Princeton union., 1881-08-04
RECOMPENSE.


it funny?"
To me'" exclaimed mother, in turn. Law
ing down the blue sock she was mending,
and smoothing her apron as though she
were going to take the baby, Dear me!"
Why, how queer?' said Hattie, dropping
her book and looking at Kate wonderingly.
George hasn't written to any Of us in an
age, and never to ma. What secrets brew
ing now, I wonder?"
'sMaybe he and Milly are coming home
on visit" said.
"Not SO early in the spring as this" re-
turned Hattie, sagely; ''Milly and house
cleaning can't be separated"
At this moment; mother, who had sue
ceeded in tearing off the envelope with
eager, trembling fingers, and had commenc-
ed reading the letter, suddenly twisted her
chair around so as to turn her face from US,
cleared her throat, and wiped her eyes on
corner OF her gingham apron.
Anything the matter ,mother?" question
ed Kate, anxiously, while Hat and sat in
wondering silence.
There was no answer for moment, then,
turning slowly toward us, she held out the
letter, saying: 'Read it aloud, Kate; Milly
is taken very i'll with typhoid fever; and
George has written for me to come to them.
Cop echoed Kate, decisively, "of course
you'll 90, and take one of US girls along to
help nurse, too.
But the work, my dear. How will you
manager
Some way" said Kate. Lets see: tbs
express goes at half f-past 6, and it's half
past now-just an hour Go and get
ready, mother, and Cad and I'll pack your
valise."
"But your father"
We'll take care of him, never fear, and
he'll be home before you go. Hat, you're
not fit for much at home except to run er-
rands and keepawake nights, and you can
do that there. Get ready as quick as pos.
sible, and help mother; she's SO excited
she'll be sure to get her dress on hind side
before, and forget to lace up her shoes"
My energetic sister had by this time
gathered together their clothes. and, bring
ing the valise from the wardrobe, was pack
ing them into it in a manner which foretold
their coming out in mass..of wrinkles; I,
meantime, looking helplessly on. By dint
of her earnest efforts they were ready in,
season, and when father came home from
his work he found US hailinga street car
to take them to the depot
"Now, what's to be done first?" incurred
Kate, after we had seen them off, ana had
re- entered the house with something Of a
realizing sense of the responsibility we had
undertaken weighing our minds. There's
supper to get, of course, and-Nellie can
wash the dishes. That's all, isn't it?'
Mother said something about baking to-
morrow" l suggested with vague idea that
certain preparation was generally made.
concerning the bread the evening before,
its manufacture.
''To- morrow? Well, Let tomorrow take.
care of itself, - said Kate, 50 promptly that
I was at once silenced. Lets see what 8,
for supper; light bread, cookies, float an d
cold beef. Very good The clouds dis
perse, and the sky is most serene and fair
Set the table, Cad, while I make the tea. I"
And now while am doing that, if the.
reader will take little retrospective glance
over our lives up to this point, she will no
doubt the better understand why we were:
all so ignorant of Household affairs. There
was large family of us-ten children in
all. John, master workman in one of the
turing town Of which we were resident;
Milly, the married sister and general ia
orite; Kate and myself, twins, but totally
unlike, both in looks and disposition; Hat
tie, studious girl of 16; Ross. a boisterous
school boy of IA; Nellie. delicate, petted
child Of II, and three little boy in row,
aged respectively 8, and 4, whom we cal.
led Zip, Earl and Benny And mother did
the work for us all. Idon't know how she
managed it, but she did. Milly was the
only one who had ever taken to housowork,
and mother was one of those domestic bur-
den bearers who never consider their bur-
den 80 heavy that they can add another
trifie.
Father had never been fortunate, pecu-
niarily, and being anxious 10 give all the
children a good education, the labor of
saving for this end was added to their 9TH
or toll. And then, like many another good
and unselish, but unwise mother, she al
lowed us our own way, and spoiled us
through indulgence; and as we had often
heard her say she would rather do thing
herself than take the trouble to teach us
how, we felt as if we were actually confer
ring favor upon her by letting things
alone.
To be sure we could sweep, dust, wash
dishes and make beds and were familiar
with some of the minor details Of cook
cry; but to be able to keep the domestic
machinery we'll oiled and IN constant mo-
ton was to US like trying to converse in an
unknown tongue. And SO now, without any
adequate knowledge Of work and its re-
sponsibilities, we found ourselves with q
mountain of difficulties, to surmount. and
q pretty mess we made Of it for a few days,
too. It was not difficult to get through sup
per, for, thanks to mothers provideni,s hands,
there was plenty prepared for that meal but
when. next morning, we found the bread
was out, cookies all gone, and not stray
pie for dinner, our troubles began
and they broadened and deepened with
every passing moment, as we became pains
fully aware that making bread and pastry
was o branch Of our education which had
been terribly neglected; and when, about
ten o'clock, father in blissful ignorance Of
the novices in charge at home, sentup sir
loin roast and the information that stranger
would dine with us, and fifteen minutes
la.er the Washerwoman brought in The
clothes Tor us to iron, I was ready to melt
into tears, and Kate was SO cross ii was
dangerous to speak to her.
Oh, that weary, weary day! But only the
beginning Of many similar onss that fol-