Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1882-08-03
marvelously white and clean BY yigor-

No matter what happened. the system
went on as usual--nothing whatever
was allowed to interfere with that.
Aaron never thought Of such thing
as coming into the house without first
removing his boots in the little entry
by the kitchen door and putting on
his slippers which were always in
readiness in neat bag and he SUBJ
mitted to his wife's rule OF retiring
precisely at 8 o'clock without q single
word of rebellion.
If jack, in his careless indifference,
som etimes crossed the white kitchen
floor in his muddy boots, his sister,
m1ch to his annoyance, followed close
behind him with cloth in her hand
end carefully wiped up his tracks, with
an expression upon her face which
spoke volumes, and distressed him
more than good round scolding would
have done.
Emma was unaware that her system
was rapidly destroying her good looks.
She had been pretty, pleasant girl in
the days when Aaron had courted her /;
little prim and precise perhaps, but
not given to lectures on neatness and
order. She lived with two maiden
aunts, who had taken pains with her
bringing up, and thoroughly imbued
her with their system of housekeeping.
Mrs. Raynor would not have SER
want, for servants were 80 "slack and
disorderly," and she preferred to see
after her household affairs herself, un-
conscious that her voice was from much
fault-fnding becoming fretful, queru-
lous whine /; that lines were msrring the
beauty of her white forehead, and
crows feet gathering around her eyes !;
that her energy and elasticity were less
with every day, and that she was dste-
riorating both physically and intellect
ually.
"If I ever marry" said Jack, one
evening, suddenly dropping on the
floor the newspaper he had been read
ing by the center table, "I shall insist
upon my wife's keeping q stout girl to
help her. You don't seem to be aware
of it, Emma, but you are working your
sell into the grave"
Mrs. Raynor rose from her seat to
pick up the newspaper, folded it neatly
and laid it on the table. Then she took
up her mending again, saying as she did
so:
81 could not endure hired girl in
the house, Jack. They are all so
slovenly and neglecttul. Mary never
could remember to rub off the kettle in
the morning when she filed it; Bridget
always forgot to hang up the broom,
and Hannah used to upset things over
the stove. I tried all three thoroughly,
and decided never to have another
girl"
"Well, those are only minor evils
when compared to you becoming fret
full invalid or dying of overwork.
Brooms are cheap, and what did it mat
ter even If the kettle did happen to be
triHe dusty occasionally"
"Jack p Emma's tone was one OF
Mortified disapproval. "It's the prin-
ciple of the thing more than all else. ]
never could find girl with any system
about her."
Jack smiled grimly.
"And I will say this in my own
praise" pursued Emma, "nobody could
gather tesspoonful of dust in my
house after I had swept it, if they
searched from garret to cellar"
"True; it would be waste Of time
to try," said Jack.
Emma paid no attention to her broth.
er's sarcastic tone, but said:
eff you ever do marry, hope your
wife will be orderly and neat. You
have no system about you, and if she ID
no better I pity the house you live in
it will always be at SKIES and sevens."
"I woul rather it should look like 9
pig-sty than that Fanny wife-should
overwork herself as you do in keeping
it clean and neat. Aaron, you really
ought to put stop to Emma's perpetu
ally triaing with her health and
strength"
Jack had expected only smile an d Z
sigh from his brother-in-lsw, but to his
great surprise, Aaron spoke.
"I've talked to her about it often,
he said; "but it will be necessary fol-
her to have severe lesson before she
will learn common sense. I made ur
my mind year ago that I would say nc
more to her on the subject"
Common sense y said Emma; 81
don't understand you. Would you hav'