West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1884-10-17
THE HOME COOPERATIVE SOCIETY

II
I'm sick of it," said dashinp n
handful of hair-pins upon the table. and
letting big brown braid 90 tumbling
down her back.
80 am l, - said Beth.
so alb II said Mamie, who was
suffering with dreadful cold
What is 1T, GirlsP' said 1. turning
my book face down on my lap.
1T the suppers," said Beth.
It's the everlasting gossip" said
Its so differed from hobe." said
Mamie, TO whom boarding house life
was new experience.
1T all three, and much more" was
what j wanted to say, but beiny the
oldest of the four, it seemed my duty
to make the best of things; so | said.
quite cheeriully; Il didn't see ANYTHING
unusual about the supper tonight"
THAT the trouble" groaned Beth.
at was altogether too usual. | am so
tired OF bread and butter and annie
sauce and dry cake that | feel like
Snashlng my teeth at the sight of them.
should like piece of toast or n bowl
OF bread and milk occasionally. with
out being made To feel that | had dis
arranged the whole internal economy
of the house"
1.-The suppers are bad enough" said
Nate, "but they are nothing TO the COS
SIP. I'm tired of hearing il whispered
round that MIR. johnson and his wife
had quarrel in their room last NIGHT.
or that Miss Robinson has worn three
new dresses this month, or that Mr.
Jewctt came in ever so late the other
night, aud it sounded as though he fell
upstairs. Bdhr' and Kate looked as
scorniul AS round face with dimple
III ii would allow
IL could stad everything else" said
Mamie, ''if i was odly hobe-like. on
II | could OILY sit dowd in a cIead
htchcd, with by feet in the stove owed
and see braided mat i'm frod of tbe
stove with dice cat cd it, should be
perfegly habby."
We all laughed at this idea of bliss
but a.ter the laugh there was sudden
silence, for each one of us recalled sucb
kitchen, and the Presence that had
made it home-like.
we wer not sisters, or even kin to
each other, but meeting as strangers in
city boarding-housr. q strong friend
ship had grown up between us start
ing, think, in the fact that we were
each orphaned and had our livino, to
earn, and strengthened by many con
genial tastes. We were doing orr daily
duties in rather q brave. cheerful wov
usually with few complaints. but 10.
night we were under cloud. Outside
a November ran was lashing the win
dows. and inside, the stove smoked
II was payday at the manufactorv
where Kate was book keeper. and fbot
was always a hard day for her: Beth
had worried two of her dulest puniIs
through Their music lesson: and | had
had a time in school that afternoon with
wretch Of n boy, and was at NV wiz
END what To do with him on the NOR
row and Mamie was more than half
sick so We sat there quite still for
awhile. Finally Beth said "a yunnose
we might mako these rooms look a III
Tie p.easanter. We each have a few.
pictures and knick-knacks."
DO you suppose would hang my
lew pictures against this awful panerp',
said Kate. Besides. what would bo
the use? just as we rot thin,
nicely fixed some man would want TIC
room. aud we should bc invited 10 90
up higher. I've boarded in this
house two years. and in that time I'VE
advanced from the first floor back IN
the third floor front, and two moves
more will take me out ON the roof
We blight 20 subwhere csc" said
"Oh, you poor little innocent,
laughed Beth. You'd Chance tho
place ano keep the pain. They're all
about alike
AZ this Mamie lifted such n Woo
begone face that felt something must
be- done
Girls said I. in my most impressive
schooi-rOom manner
But here there was an information
Tor Mamie lcft the rocking chair and
rushed toward the bell
SON. Na1nic.' cred Kate. "don'
mus Che bed it's hard enough apv-
way. But -he spoke too late. for un-
der The combined influence of bome.
sickness and influenza Mamie hal
iung herself on the bed in forlorp
l.itIe heap and was lifting up her voice
In q hoar-e cry
lni, wa simply dreadful
Beth and J purred over and cuddIed
Nor, and Kate Tipped dOwn-siair. and
coaFed the cross Kitchen girl into max.
ing q bowl Of sage tea. and by the time
AHe vas back with ii The invalid was
somewhat cOmforted
When quiet was restored 7 smoke
again Girls let's 20 20 housekoap-
ing Mamie stopped the boa baf
way 10 bier lips Beth ~ upright on fbo
trunk. and Kate dropped Ire ,rck 81
wood 200 her hand back into The box.
''lfhore the furniture comm,
from -n.I shr.
|Hp u pay tho b.lf-r said Mamie
" I'D d0 hc works Said Bn,b
|hs Ha born south Of Ma.oa ali
Dis Iire
Won. aII do d." said Z. an,var,,o
uo Inst question Grd "and "a for fIe