Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1882-11-21
A DAUGHTER WORTH HAVING.

Harvey Mills has failed :" said Mrs.
Smi,hson one chilly spring evening, as
she ran in TO see her next-door neighbor
and intimate friend. Mrs. James. My
husband jus, came home, and he says
that what we supposed 10 be rumor
only is sad fact /: the assignment was
made Yesterday. | threw on shawl
and ran right over to tell you. They are
to keep the house under some sort OF an
arrangement. but they have discharged
all their servants, and what in the world
the Mills's will do. Mrs. James, with
Mrs. Mills's invalid habits. and Mrs
Helena with her dainty ways and retn-
ed bringing up. is more than | know
and pretty. shallow Mrs. Smuhson look
ed at her nerve. loving friend and neigh
bor with the air of an epicure regarding
some favorite dish.
IL heard all about il late last eve
ning," said Mrs. James, adjusting the
pink ribbon at the throat OF her black
silk dinner dress, " and this morning |
presumed upon our cousinsbip SO lar as
TO drive over and see how they were get
ting along. And really, Mrs. Smithson,
YOU will be surprised when tell You
that, although | expected TO find the
family in great confusion and distress,
never saw them in such comfortable
way, aud in such good spirits. The
uo,,t was over, of course, and they had
al se,rle,l into the new order Of things as
naturally as could be. My cousin, Mrs.
Mills. was sitting, as calm as you please
nm there in her sunny morning-room,
looking so fresh 4nd dainty as she ate
her crisp toas, and slipped her coffee.
".Our comfortable and oozy appear
ance is all due 10 Helena, said she
That dear child has taken the helm. |
never dreamed she had so much execu-
tive ability. We were quite broken
down at first, but she made her father g
over all the details of business with her
and they found tha, BY disposing OF be
lena's grand piano, the paintings. and
slabs. and costly bric-a. brac her father
had always INDUCED her in buying. VIZ
could pay dollar for dollar. and so KEEP
the house. Ny husbands old friend
Mr.. Bartlett, who keeps the art store
you know, and who has always taken
great interest in Helena, bought back tn
paintings, s,stuary, vases, etc. at
small discount, and Raker, who sold u
the piano a year ago or SO, and who
another old friend, and knew, OF course
;u.t how we were situated, took 1t back
deduc.iug only twenty FIVE dollars
Helena has JUS, gone into the ki'ch
~ What she will do there don
know but she says she needs the exer
c;se. that she hes not attended the COOK
;op..chool here II the city Tor nothing
and hat, so long as the meais are serve
regularly and properly. and the house
KEEP, in good order, her father ana l al
no, TO worry After she told me that
drew nv call to close, and ran down IL
% nv cousins kitchen to see her dam
daughter there. And whs, do YOU thinS
II found the girl at the sink. with nj
sleeves rolled up. an immense WATERPROOF
apron on. washing kettle !
:" Washinga a kettle ?" repeated Mr
Smi'hsoa, holding up both her soft' whi
hands in unmeasured as,onlshment.
"Yes, Mrs. Smi,hson. washing grea
black, greasy iron kettle that meat h'
bsen boiled in, and that had been left III
Washed and gummy when the cook lie!
do YOU know: she was laughlI
anu anu' :, III. and saying TO her younge
owe. II -ss9ad pear by, that she res
o. SiI;ael, ,;,i :. ~n, Co. ne now felt shs was ma
ing herself useful" ...s ,a,,,..
1.-The idea liking l. - :. o,,
and the two fine ladies l.. NV
other in open-eyed wonder. NJ
cit seems to me as if Helena '''
was trying to make the best of her faith.
altered fortunes, and was simply dom
her duty in the premises" spoke hi
Carlton, Ida James new dra~ing-,escl
er, who was that evening engaged
giving her pupil lesson on the oppo'i
side Of the center-table. She spoke ear
estly and yet in a modest way. and 1t b
ing the vogue in New City just then
patronize Miss Carlton. tae pretty. a
ieomplished graduate fronL Vassis, &