Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1884-09-12
THE LAST STRAW.

camePs back, said Lucy, bursting into
tears.
The pleasant sunbeams came peepino
into the cool, stone paved dairy, where
pans OF milk and cream were ranged in
orderly array; great stone pots stood
under the shelves, and blue
painted churn was already placed on the
table, for Mr. Bellenden was Justly proud
OF his dairy. Not chance guest came to
the house but was invited down to see
1t; not house keeper in the neigh
borhood but had secretly envied its
many conveniences and exquisite neat
ness
"And it isn't the dairy alone,o tri-
umphantlv remarked Matthew Bellenden.
And you may go through the house
from cellar to garnet, and you'll never
find speck of dust or stain of rust.
There never was such house-keeper as
my wife!"
Mrs. Bellenden was Young, too, scarcely
three land twenty. She had been deli
cately reared and quite ignorant of the
machinery of domestic life, until she mar
ried Matthew Bellenden.
Its very strange" Lucy had written
to her father. "The farm is beautiful.
You never saw such monstrous old elm
trees, nor such superb roses, and the
meadows are full of red clover and the
strawberries shine like Jewels on the
sunny hillsides But nobody sketches
or reads. don't think there is a copy
OF Tennyson in the whole neighborhood.
ana no ever heard of Dore or Millais.
All they think of is how many dozens of
eggs the hen lays, and how many cheese
they can make in year. And the
woman who has new receipt for home
made PIE, or a new pattern for patch
work quilts, is the leader of society,"
But presently young Mrs. Bellenden
herself caught the fever and became a
model housewife Example is all-power-
full, and Lucy began to believe that the
whole end and aim of life was domestic
thrift, money saving and the treadmill
of work
my DEAR said Matthew, eff you
thought you could get along without
a servant this year, might be able to
afford that new reaper before the oat
crop comes in"
''I'll try. " said Lucy.
And after that she rose before dav-
break. and worked later in the night
than ever
What IS the matter with your hands,
Lucy9" her husband asked one day.
They are not so white and beautiful
as they used to be.
Lucy colored as she glanced down at
the members In question 4"
81 suppose it is making fires" she
said.
And then she took to wearing kid
gloves at her sweeping and busting and
digging out of ashes.
My coat is getting shabby" Mat
thew one day remarked
Why don't you buy another one?"
asked his wife.
Matthew gave short laugh.
What do you think Mrs. Higgins
has doneg" said he :" She ripped up
her husbands old suit and cut pattern
by it, and made new one and saved
twenty dollars
I could do that, said Lucy, with
sparkling eyes. :" l will try it."
:. You can do anything. my dearr'
said Mr.. Bellenden, admiringly.
And Lucy felt that she had her rich
reward.
Company began to come as soon as
nice weather set in.
All the affectionate relations of Mr.
Bellenden soon discovered that the farm
house was cool and shady, that Lucy's
cooking was excellent, and that the bed
rooms were neatness itself
Some of them were even good enough
to invite their relations as well; and so
the house was full from April to Decem-
Der with visitors who bought their car
pet-bags and valises with that faith in
human hospitality which Is one of life's
best gifts.
Mrs. Defenders fame went abroad
among the Decreases of the neighbor-
hood in the matter of butter and
cheese; she took prizes in the domestic
departments of all the agricultural fairs,
and the adjoining housewives took no
trouble to make things that they could
borrow Of Mrs. Bellenden, Just as well
IS not. 2
and one day, when poor Lucy, under
the blighting influence of a horrible
sick headache. was endeavoring to strain
| three or four gallons of milk into the
shining pans, the news arrived that hei
husbands Uncle Paul was coming to the
farm