Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1881-07-21
Gales ano Sketfbts.
MY WELL SPENT SUMNER.
BY KATE PEYTON


This story is for common people ~ so
if You are one Of the uncommon people. or
think you are-which is just the same
turn the leaf and pass on. This is not for
you.
kitty, I'd give the world if / only
knew how to keep house like YOU get
so discouraged and dishearfened that /
feel as If I'd Just like to give it all up and
die. What with the children, and the
homework and my ignorance. life is
burden 10 me.
Poor cousin Belle. dim suggestion of
plan BY which / might help her out OF
her trouble had been floating through my
brain for several DAYS. and this pathetic
appeal brought my ideas to focus.
Now know how to keep house. Why?
Because had New England mother;
and if there are any better housekeepers in
the world than the New England house
keepers. there ought to be separate de-
partment in BarDum's for exhibiting them
10 the gaze Of An admiring world.
NV mother had faculty She was
a gentlewoinan. but when she walked
through room. the chairs. tables. etc.
used to marshal themselves into place, as
mand 10 his soldiers
All of her daughters were instructed in
housewifely duties | not only served an
apprenticeship a. second GIRL" but was
''chief cook a. well and when my father
said -
kitty, this bread is just ~ good as
your mothers, ~ thought had graduated
with the highest honors This was my
,<SoI fcrtur. Poor R.IIa baI pever heep
taught anything but the piano, and. as she
sagely remarked. They couldn't eat
music
This was her ill-fortune, and so it came
about that Belle, thousand times prettier
and brighter than | ever thought of being
had gotten the web Of life all in gle,
where I could have woven without let or
hindrance.
Now. this was my plan. Belle was
naturally very quick and bright. and
could STAY with her six months and train
her in house keeping. All that she need
ed was to be taught. But-alas for the
butts" in this world-we had planned a
lovely summer ut home. We had talked
about it all the winter. We were going
up the st. Lawrence, to see the thousand
Isles. to visit Montreal and Quebec; then
10 Mount Desert, and on to the White
Mountains. then to finish the summer at
Newport.
Gould give it up. and stay shut up
this little "pokev" unfinished Western
village. teaching Cousin Belle to do what
was easy to me as Mother Goose's melo-
dies and the alphabet?
That night when | went up to my room,
put on my thinking cap and sat down
to make my decision.
All mt once. the true question at stake
flashed across my consciousness M
pleasure against another's need. And so
this is your Christianity. said | to myself
severely; this is the enthusiasm for hui
manity" which you talk about so loftily
Whcreupon gave myself rs sound flag
citation. morally. rs any monk ever gave
himself physically with knotted cord.
and the question being settled. retired to
sweet slumber and peaceful dreams
BELL said |. the next morning at
breakfast, Il think there is way out of
your trouble
''Oh ~ said she radiantly, iii YOU only
conh help me''
But. Belle, is we find u way out you'll
have 10 abdicate. aud let me be a kind of
absolute Empress of China for few
months. How would you like that ~ said
! a little doubtfullv. fer Belle was several
years my senior. and matron's dignity
must be very tenderly approached.
Kitty. you've no idea how heavenly it
would be To me to have some one tell me
every day just what to do. again. That
is one OF my worst troubles. To think
every morning when get mp that must
tell myself and everybody else what to do
when don't know what want done my
self
well. them said |. well begin to-
day
Listen. Harry, and children said
Belle. clapping her hands gleefully. .'vou
must all mind Cousin Kitty. and so must
|. Wen all he young together. | begin
TO feel restored already"
Very we'll said iudicially. to-day
is Thursday. We will devote the rest of
the week to getting the house in perfect
order. We must have clean casket to
put our jewel of n home in"
Talk about gymnastics' There may be
great pleasure iii throwing out pair of
wooden dumb-bells and then drawing them
back again. but how can it possibly COM
pare with flying around room and put
ting it in exquisite order. that those YOU
love may be comfortable in it?
To enjoy your work thoroughly you
must idealize it, and who could idealize
pair of dumb-hells9
Saturday night came and the house ives
like n sand-hoN. Then put my finger on
''tonder spot in the household economy.
About one-tourth of the needless work
was caused by lack of order. The Lord of
misrule was sovereign. and it sometimes
looked rs if hats and coats. dresses and
playihiugs had rained down.
"Now," said |. quoting my mother.
1.-THE house cannot be untidv it every per
son put his or her own things in place"
Hear, hear!' shouted cousin Harry.
Bellies husband. mischievously.
"lou may laugh. Harry" said |. shak-
ing my head at him. ''but it is true
That's So" he replied. there is con-
siderable sense in that curly head of YOURS.
after all
VERY well" said l. what is the use
of sense, il it don't help us out of our
troubles Now | am going to draw up
what do you call it?-an agreement, by
which each member of the family binds
himself to keep his or her things in per-
feet order"
All entered merriiy into the arrange
ment. Harry drew up formidable look
ing document. He and Belle signed it
first: underneath the children wrote in
rayular order and one of them rleefillly