Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1883-03-20
A LESSON In ECONOMY.
BY HELEN FORREST GRAVES.


Milly Darlington was only eighteen
When she came to live at Holly Ludge
| Very young to be married. said the
gotsips of the neie h borhood still young
er to assume all the cares and responsI
bilitits nf the household And there
were not lacking divers doiefuI prophets,
who declared, with yes rolled up aDG
mouths drawn down, that Mrs Barring
ton never would ''get on" with the old
colonel.
"He is so fastidioHs,n said one
! $50 difficult to suit said another.
His ideal isSso impossibly high W de
clared third
But to their surpfise-perhaps a little
to their disappOinImen nI-MIiiy aud her
lfather-in law were The best of fiiende
| from the very first moment in which
they looked spUn euct Others faces.
Miily was ST. anxious to learn, so eager
to compre bend The ins and outs of The
great. roomy old farmhouse, so am
tinus to excel every housekeeper in the
Deig bofhood, that the old gentleman
said with 3 smile, to the son:
Don't let that little girl undertake
too much, Dudley"
And Dudley Darlington answered,
W tn yawD:
"Theres no danger of that. sir. iThe
ladies Of Holly Lodge have always been
| list rate hnus4k tepers you know And
If u woman IS at work. she isn't spend
ing money foolishly, or gOssipping."
Colonel BarfiDgtOn's keen, blue eyes
regarded his son, sharply, for mo-
meDt
do you think MilIy is addicted TO
either OF those pernicious practices %
said he
"They come natural TO all women,
don't they ?' said Dudley, struggling
his shoulders.
Not to all J" said the colonel.
Ana ii bis secret soul he wondered il
Dudley was really worthy of such {.
jewel as Millicent, his wife.
So the weeks went on, and Miliy stood
hravely to her helm, until. one bright
| October day, The colonel, CHANGING to
pass the low kitchen window, where the
hop-vines made a screen of moving
shadow, looked smiingIy in to where
his aUghter ia law was at work.
| "Have you got glass of cool milk for
me, little girl ?" said he
MiIIy brought the milk promptly
See, pa" she said, lriumphantly
pointing to the table, what baking l
have done 10 day.! Three apple pies,
three loaves of bread, a pan of biscuit, q
loaf of cup-cake, aud dozen plum
tarts !"
"Bravo!" said ihe colonel. "But,
Milly, why are you baking? Where is
Hannah ?"
"Hannah wanted her wages raised, !"
said Milly, ather oberIy land Dudley
said il was all nonsense Keeping girl,
when / VS. so fond of housework. So
she has gone"
But are you fond of homework p
asked the colonel. In itself, as an alb
stract thing, mean ?" .r
YES, papa" Milly answered, with
some hesitation, hut I'm little tired
this morning I rose early and swept
The house through before breakfast, 50
a. to have time for the baking"
You are good little girl" said the
ia her-lD law. but we mustn' let yOu
work too hard
Para" sad Mily, With downeast
lash-s, and a deep pink shadow creep
ing over her cheek, "I've been thinkipp
for some time thst-that-"
WELL" said the colonel, encour
agingiy.
THAT I should like to ask you for q
little money" faltered Milly,
money !" echoed Colonel Barring.
ton. in surprise. Doesn't Dudley give
you all you want?'
Once more MiIly hesitated.
He wants to know what everything
is for" said she. He thinks fihy cen,s Z
is too much for ribbon, and he says bon
Det-frames ouehtto be had chea per han
1 quarter of a dollar and he declares it's
all nonesense to buy silk gloves when
cotton will do as well And I do need
spol,!ed1; a., me eanaJySe9lgred one, but ]
DO you mean to-sab," Said Colonel
Darlington, leaning his elbows on the