The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1884-05-21
MRS. BAKERS RELIGION
BY FLORENCE Il. HALLOWELL.

BY FLORENCE Il. HALLOWELL.
s'NIrs. Baker, ma wants to know if you
can't come and sit up with granny to-
night. She's worse, and ma II Tilly's
bout warn out"
Mrs. Baker was frying crullers on the
kitchen stove when little Tom Marsh came
in to deliver his message. She had been
at work all day, and was tired. warm and
considerably out of temper. She was GER
tainly in anything but Il mood to confer
favors.
mo, l can't" she snapped, turning
upon little Tom a face scarlet from the
glow of the hot fire. ''Your mother ought
to know bettcr'n to send for me. l told
her only yesterday that l was up to my
eyes i'll work, and that l expected COM
panv o-morrow. She'll have to find
some one else. Goodness knows, l put
myself out enough fo~folks without being
called on to be a ~s..ck-nursc, and she re-
sumed her frying, while Tom ran home to
report his non-succcsS.
Mother said Madge, coming into the
kitchen just as Mrs. Baker. having fin
ished the frying Of the crul!ers, was re-
moving the kettle of lard from the stove.
'Ive fixed the spare room up beautifully.
know you'll be pleased with It. And
tomorrow III fill the mantel- vases with
flowers just before Mr.. and Mrs. Spear
come. And MOTHER very timidly,
''would you be willing for me to ask the
Shakespeare club to meet here next Tues
day evening? They have never met here,
and I've been a member over a year."
"You must be out of your senses,
said Mrs Baker. GROSSLY. "Do you sup
pose I'd let two dozen people come trape-
sing owe my parlor carpet, and breaking.
tearing and burning everything? I'm
not so foolish"
You speak as if they were so many
wild animals. mother" said MadSc, in a
tone of some resentment.
"They act like wild animals" said
Mrs Baker. "Id like to know if they
didn't burn up one of Mrs. Clarke's lace
curtains"
THAT was an accident said Madgc,
"and not likely to occur q second time.
Mary Lewis pushed n gas jet to one side
so as to see the glass better, and didn't
notice that she pushed it right into the
curtain. Mrs. Clarke didn't blame her
at ALL"
"She can afford to have her curtains
burned up, perhaps. l can't. Don't
argue the subject, Madge. When | say
mol mean it, as you ought to have
learned by this time"
~ have learned that and a good many
other things, too, mother. l know |
often wish l was back at boarding
school,
"It's like you to say that! 1t shows
your ingratitude."
II don't mean to be ungrateful; but |
know YOU don't make things very pleas
ant for me at home. Susie Clarke could
have the club at her house every night in
the week if she wanted to-"
"Therc, that's enough. Go upstairs
until you can learn to control your tenn
per- said Mrs. Baker, going into the
pantry; and Madge went out, closing the
door behind her with a good deal of un-
necessary noise.
"You look tired, Sarah" said John
Baker, coming in as his wife was putting
supper on the table.
live good causc to look So" was the
response. I've worked like a galley
slave ever since sunrise"
''Where's Madge been"
ooh, l never depend on Madge. And
Knight work my fingers to the bone
without its affecting her IN the least"
"You do the child injustice, Sarah.
She's always willing to help, as far as |
see."
'.eYou never see very far"
s'Perhaps not. By-the-wav." with a
very natural wish to change the subject,
..Hiram Long shot old Miss Starts cow
to-day. You know he said he would if
it ever broke into his corn-patch again.
The old ladv's bout wild over it."
"Serves her right said Mrs. Baker,
CURLY.
That amt Christian like. Sarah"
"He gave her warnings enough" said
Mrs. Baker, land she knew he was the
sort of a man to keep a promise of that
kind. Why didn't she keep the COW
tied up2"
'She said the creature would break
loose no matter how she tied her. Andit
does seem a hard case. The COW was
the old lady's only support. l was think
ing, Sarah, if we couldn't do something
for her? You being on the relief com
mittee, YOU know, could easily"
John Baker, do you supposc-do YOU
actually suppose I'm going to lift ONT
finger to help that old woman who in
suited me ten years ago? 1t would look
we'll for me to be rushing to her aid now
81 think help would look better ccmin'
from you han from any one else, Sarah
She'd know you'd forgiven the past, and
that your religion meant something"
s.When she comes to me and asks my
pardon for what she did ten years ago,
III think about helping her" said Mrs.
Baker, coldly, ill-pleased at her husbands
criticism. II do my duty as far as l see
it, and l latter myself I'm as good as the
general run O folks
The entrance of Madge prevented
further conversation on the subject, and
with a heavy sigh John Baker took his
seat at the supper-tablc. He noticed
that his daughters eyes were very red,
but did not question her about them. for
he suspected the caus" of their condi-
ton. But he was more than usually
kind in his manner to her, and on rising
from the table slipped a silver dollar in
her hand, whispering: Buy yourself
some little trinket, darling"
The unexpected gift, coupled with
the tender words, proved too much for
Madge in the ovcr-strained condition
of her nerves. Throwing her arms about
her fathers neck, she laid her head on
his breast and burst into a tempest Of sobs
and tears. And the eyes of the father
were dim as he tried to soothc her.
"This is perfectly ridiculous" said
Mrs. Baker, eXasperatcd at the scene.
"Onc would think the girl was seven
wears old instead of seventeen. Leave
the ROOM, Madge, and don't come back
again until you can behave Yourself"
O'.You're too hard on the child. Sarah"
said John Baker, as Madge went out,
sobbing wildly. "She's all we've got,
and we'd ought to make her home
happy
make it unhappy" demanded Mrs.
Bdker. "You just spoil her out of all
reason. She don't know what she really
does want, and so she makes mountains
out O. mole-hills. If she had to drudge
as Lucy Cole does she'd have room for
complaint. I wish YOU wouldn't put
notions into her head. l have work
enough to manage her without your
setting her up to think herself abused"
John Baker said no more. He knew
by long experience that further argu-
ment would be useless. Sarah called
herself a Christian, and was one of the
most active members of the Calvary
church; every Thursday evening her
voice was heard in prayer-meeting, and
she held prominent positions on various
committees appointed by the elders. She
was always ready to join in plans to pay