The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1883-02-23
A LESSON IN ECONOMY.

very young to be married, said the
gossips of the neighborhood; still
younger to assume all the cares and
responsibilities of the household. And
there were not lacking divers doleful
prophets, who declared, with eyes rolled
| up and mouths drawn down, that Mrs.
harrington never would "get on" with
the old colonel.
"He is so fastidious," said one.
$50 difficult to suit" said another.
His ideal is SO impossibly highw de-
clared third.
But to their surprise-perhaps a
| little to their disappointment-Milly
and her father-in-law were the best of
friends from the very first moment in
(which they looked upon each others
faces.
Milly was so anxious to learn, so
eager to comprehend the ms and outs
3of the great, roomy old farmhouse, so
ambitious to excel every house-keeper
i'm the neighborhood, that the old gen.
tleman said, with smile, to his son:
Don't let that little girl under axe
too much, Dudley"
And Dudley harrington answered,
with q yawn:
There's no danger Of that, sir. The
ladies' of Holly Lodge have always
been first-rate housekeepers, you know.
And NJ woman is at work, she isn't
spending money foolishly, or gossiping."
Colonel Barrington's keen, bice eyer
regarded his son, sharply, for a
moment.
"Do you think Milly 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 allp' said the colonel.
And in his secret soul he wondered
Dudley was really worthy of such a
ewel as Millicent, his wife.
So the weeks went on, and Millv
stood bravely to her helm, until, one
bright October day, the colonel, chanc-
ng to pass the low kitchen window,
where the hop-vines made screen of
moving shadow, looked smilingly in to
where his aughter-in-law was at
work.
"Have you got a glass of cool milk
for me, little girl" said he
Milly brought the milk promptly.
"See, papa" she said, triumphantly
pointing to the table, "what baking
have done to-day! Three apple-pies,
hree loaves of bread, pan of biscuit
loaf of cup-cake, and dozen plum
arts."
"Bravo" said the colonel. "But
Milly, why are you baking? Where is
Hannah 2"
Hannah wanted her wages raised,
said Milly, rather soberly. "And Dud.
ey said it was all nonsense keeping a
girl, when was 50 fond of housework
30 she has gone"
"But are you fond of housework p
asked the colonel. "In itself, as ar
abstract thing, mean?"
Eyes papa" Milly answered, with
Bome hesitation. "But I'm a littl,
Tired this morning. rose early ant
swept the house through before break
last, so as to have time for the bak
ng."
You are good little girl" said thu
ather-in-law. "But we mustn't LEI
gou work too hard"
Papa" said Milly, with downcas
ashes, and a deep pink shadow creep
ng over her cheek, "Ive been think
ng for some time that-that-"
"Well," said the colonel, encourag
ngly.
THAT should like to ask you for
title money" faltered Milly.
money" echoed Colonel Barring
Fon, in surprise. doesn't Dudley Civ
'ou all you want?"
Once more Milly hesitated.
"He vents to know what everythin,
5 for" said she. "He thinks fit
cents is too much for ribbon, and h
Bays bonnet-frames ought to be ha
,heaper than aquarter of a dollar, an
ne declares it's all noncense to buy sill
gloves when cotton will do as wei
And l do need another plume for m
bat since the rain spoiled the canary