Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1884-03-19
" THOU ART THE MAN"
BY HELEN FORREST GRAVES.

cts the last straw that breaks the
camel's back" said Lucy, bursting into
tears.
The pleasant June sunbeams came
peeping 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 the blue
painted churn was already placed on the
table for service.
Mr.. Bellenden was Justly proud of his
dairy. Not a chance guest came TO the
house but was invited down to see 1t;
not housekeeper III the neighborhoOd
but secretly envied It's many conven-
iencies and exquisite neatness.
''And it isn't the dairy aloue," tri-
umphantly remarked Seth Bellenden.
''And you may go through the house
from garrett to cellar, and you'll never
fine speck of dust or stain of rust.
There never was such housekeeper as
my wife"
Mrs. Bellenden was young, too
scarcely hree-and-twenty. She had
been the daughter of retired army
officer, delicately reared and quite ig-
norant of all the machinery of domestic
life until she married Seth Bellenden.
cts very strange" Lucy had writ
ten to her father. "The farm Is beauti-
full. You never saw such monstrous old
bUttonball 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. I don't think there
is 8 copy of Tennyson in TIE whole
neighborhood, and no one ever heard of
Dore or Millais. All they think of is
how many dozen of eggs the hens lay,
and how many cheeses they can make
III year. And the woman who has a
new recipe for waffies, or new pattern
for horrible thing they call crazy
quits, is the leader in society,""
But presently young Mrs. Belenden
herself caught the fever, and became a
model housewife. Example is all-pow-
erful, 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 Seth. ''if you thought
you could get along without Hepsy, the
maid, 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 day
break, and worked later into the night
than ever.
"What is the matter with your hands,
Lucy?" Seth 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.
Il suppose it is making the fires, -
said she.
And then she took to wearing old kid
gloves at her sweeping and busting and
digging out of ashes.
"My coat is getting shabby" Seth one
day remarked.
"Why don't you buy another one?"
asked his wife.
Seth laughed a short laugh.
"What do you think Mrs. Higgin-
botham has done?" said he. ''She
ripped up her husbands old suit and cut
a pattern by it, and made him new
one, and entirely saved him ten dollars"
81 could do that!' said Lucy, with
sparkling eyes. 81 will try it!''
"You can do anything, my dear!'' said
MIR. BollenQ6n, admlrlngly.
And Lucy felt that she had her rich
reward.
Company began to come as soon as
the bright weather set IN.
All the affectionate relations of Mr..
BelIenden 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 we're even good enough
to invite their relations as well; and so
the house was full from April to Deem
Der.
All the clergymen made it their home
at Brother Defenders when they came
to Silvan Bridge for ecclesiastical con-
ventions; all the agents for unheard-of
articles discovered that they knew some
body who was acquainted with the Bel
Iendens, and brought their carpet bags
and valises with that faith In human
hospitality which is one of ife's best
gifts.
Mrs. Bellenden's fame went abroad
among the Decreases of the neighbor-
hood In the matter of butter and cheese;
she took the prize in the domestic de-
partments of all the agricultural fairs,
and the adjoining housewives took no
trouble to make things that they could
borrow of Mrs. Bellenden, 'iust as well
as not.
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
TTnoIp Paul was coming 10 the farm
"Another guest!" said Lucy, despair
ingly.
And then she uttered the proverb that
heads our sketch.
sob, it's only Uncle PAUL." said Mr..
Bellenden. Don't fret, Lutte! He's the
most peaceable old gentleman in the
world. He'll make no more trouble
than a cricket. Johns wife thought she