Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1882-07-27
RECOMPENSE.

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"a letter from George" exclaimed
sister Kate coming up FROM the post
office and holding up for our inspection
large yellow envelope. And address
ed to mother isn't it funny. ?"
"To me - exclaimed mother, in turn,
laying down the blue sock she was
mending. and smoothing her apron. as
though she were going to take the
baby. Dear mel"
"Why, how queer I" said Hattie,
dropping her book and looking at Kate
wonderingly. George hasn't written
to any of us i'll an age, and never to ME.
What secrets brewing now 1 wonderT'
"Maybe he and Milly are coming
home on visit, said.
mot so early in the spring as this, !"
replied 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
commenced reading the letter, sudden
ly twisted the chair around sc as to turn
her face from us, cleared her throat and
wiped her eyes on corner OF a glng-
ham apron,
Anything the matter, mother !?
questioned Kate anxiously, while Hat
tie and sat in wondering silence.
There was no answer for q moment,
then turning slowly toward us, she held
oat the letter, saying:
Read it aloud. Kate; Milly is
taken i'll with typhoid fever, and George
has written for me To come to them.
''Dear child, wish l was so L could
CO."
"Gow echoed Kate, decislvely; of
course you'll go, and take one of us
girls a,ong to help nurse, too.
''But the work, my dear. How vii
you manage"
Some way" SAID Kate. Lets see;
the express goes at half-past SIX, and
its half-past five now-just one hour.
Go and get ready, mother, and Cad and
/ will pack your valise.
But your father"
1--WE will take care of him. never
fear. and he will be home before you
90. Hat You are not fit for much at
home except to run errands and keep
awake nights and you can do that there.
Get ready as quick as possible and help
mother; she ls SO excited she will be
sure to get her dress on hind side be-
fore, and forget to lace up her shoss. "
Nv energetic sister had by this time
gathered together their clothes, and
bringing the valise from the wardrobe,
was packing them into it in a manner
which foretold their coming out mass
of wrinkles, /, meantime, looking help
Iessly on. By dint OF her earnest ef-
forts they were ready ii season, and
when father came home from work he
found us hailing a street car to take
them to the depot.
'sNow, what is to be done first p in
uuired Kate, after we had seen them
off. and had re-entered the house with
something of the realizing sense of the
responsibility we had undertaken weigh
ing on our minds. ''There is supper to
get. of course, and now-NelIie can
wash the dishes. That is all, isn't it ?"
'.Mother said something about bak-
ing tomorrow" l suggested, with q
vague idea that certain preparation
was generally made concerning the bread
the evening before its manufactur
Tomorrow VIII let tomorrow
take care of ITSELF" said Kate, so
promptly, that was at once sllenced.
''Let US see what is for supper light
bread, cookies, float and cold beef
Very good. The clouds d1sperse and
the skv is most serene and fair. Set
the table, Cad, while make the tea."
And now, while am doing that, If the
reader will take a little retrospective
glance over our lives up to this point
he will, no doubt, the better understand
why we were all SO ignorant of house
hold affairs. There was large family y
of us-ten children in all; John, mas
ter-workmen in one Of the machine
shops in the fourlshiUg town of which
we were residents Mllly, the married
sister. and general favorlte; Kate and
myself, twins but totally unlike, both
in looks and disposition Hattie, stu
dious girl of sixteen; Ross, q boisterous
school boy of IA; Nellie, a delicate,
petted child of II, aud three little boys
in a row, aged respectively 9, 7 and 4,
whom we called Tip, Ear4e and Benny.
And mother did the work for us all. l
don't see how she managed it. but she
did. Milly was the only one who had
ever taken to Duse-work, and mother
was one of those domestic burden bear
ers who never consider their burden so
heavy but that they can add another
trife.
Father had never been fortunate, pc
cuniarily and being anxious to i've all
their children good education, the
labor saving for this end was added to
their other toll. And then like many
another go d and unselfsh, but unwise
mother, she allowed us our own way,
and spoiled us through indulgence and
as we had often heard her say she
would rather do thing than take the
trouble to teach us how, we felt as
though we were actually comforting q
favor upon her by letting her have her
own way.
To be sure We could sweep, dust,
wash dishes and make beds, and were
familiar with some of the minor details
OF cookery; but to be able to keep the
domestic machine well oiled and in con.
slant motion was like trying to converse