Osage Valley banner., 1881-04-28
a DAUGHTER WORTH HAVING.

a DAUGHTER WORTH HAVING.
Harvey Mills has failedln said Mrs
Smithson, one chilly spring evening. 1
as she ran in 10 see her next door
neighbor and intimate friend, Mrs. /
James. Ny husband just came home. /
and he say that what we supposed 10 /
ho 4 rnmor only. Is sad fact; the as
signnivnt was made yesterday. threw
ON y shawl and ran over to tell you, /
Ghey are to Keep the house under some
sort oil an arrangement, but they have
discharged all their servants and what
in the world the Millses will do. Mrs
james, with Mrs. Mills invalid habits
and Miss Helena, with her dainty ways
and refined bringing up, is more
than | know" and pretty, shallow Mrs.
Snlithson looked at her nerye-loving
friend and neighbor with the air Of an
epicuro regarding some favorite dish.
1" heard all about il last evening
said Mrs. James, adjusting the pink
ribbon at the throat of her black silk
diuner,dress, "and this morning pre-
sumed upon our cousinship so far as TO
drive over aud see how they were get
ting along. And really, Mrs. SmithsOn,
yoG will be surprised when / tell YOU
that, although | expected to find the
family in great confusion and distress,
never saw them in such q comfortable
way, and in such good spirits. The
worst was over, OF course, and they had
oil settled into the new order of things
as naturally as could be. My cousin,
Mrs. Mills, was sitting, as calm as you
please, up there in her sunny morning
room, looking so fresh and dainty as
she ate her crisp toast and slipped hot
coffee.
".0nr comfortable and coy appear
ance is all due to Helena said she,
That dear child has taken the helm. l
never dreamed she had so much eXecu-
tive ability. We were quite broken
down at first, but she made her father
90 over all the details OF his business
with her, and they found that by dis
posing OF Helena's grand piano. the
paintings and slabs, and costly bric-a-
brac her father had always indulged
her In buying. we could pay dollar Tor
dollar, and so keep the house. My
husband old friend. MIR. Bartlett, who
Keeps the art store, you know, and
who has always taken great interest
in Helena. bought back the pa ntings,
statuary, vases, etc, at small dis
count, and Barker, who sold us the
piano year ago or so, and who is an
other old friend, aud knew, Of course
just how we were situated, took IL back,
dedue,ing only twenty-five dollars.
90 Helenahas justgone intothe kitch-
en-. What she will do there don know;
but she says she needs the exercise,
that she has not attended the cooking
school hero in the city for nothing, and
that so long as the meals are served
regularly aud properly, and the house
iskeep in good order, her father and |
are not 10 worry Alter she told me
that, | drew my call to q close, and ran
down into my cousin kitchen to see
her dainty daughter there. And what
do you thlnkg found that girl ut the
sink, with her sleeves rolled up, aim
mense water proof apron on, washing a
SeiEels'
"lpashing a keller repeated Mrs.
Smithson. holding up both her soft,
white hands in unmeasured astpnish'
ment.
"Yes, Mrs. Smithson, washing a
great, black. greasy iron Kettle that
meat had been boiled in, and that had
been left unwashed and gummy when
the cook left. And, do you knowP she
was laughing over II all. and saying u
her Youngest brother. who stood near
by, that she really liked IL, for she now
felt she was making herself useful"
The idea! Likmg to wash kettles"
and the two fine ladies looked at each
other in open.eyed wonder
1t seems TO me as II Helena Mills
was trying 10 make the best of hei
father $ altered fortunes, and was sim
ply doing her duty in the premises. v
spoke Miss Carlton. Ida James's new
drawing teacher. who was that evening
engaged in giving her pupil lesson OF
the opposite side OF the center-table
Shespoke earnestly and yetin amodes
way, and il being the vogue in New
City just then 20 patronize Miss Carl
ton. the pretty and accomplished gradu
ate from NRssar, the two ladies locke,
at her anjably. and she went on:
Somebody must wash the kettles
and'it Is always best, when one has