The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1884-07-10
AT the Cream 0IOred Cottage
BY SARA b ROSE.

it In my mind all the spring, ever since
]. heard you had bought place in the
country, to come down and stay all
summer with you. l knew you would
want some one to advise you about fur
nishing, and so on, and L knew L was
just the one to do that, so here / am"
Mrs. Holmes welcomed her elusive
cousin cordially, although she secretly
felt able to furnish her house herself,
with no advice but that of her daugh
ters, but Cousin Martha had, ever since
she had been a widow, been in the habit
G living around among her relatives,
fnd. indeed, levying her tax upon every
one who had ever invited her to their
house, when the pleasure of her COM
pany became burdensome to her rela-
tions.
True, some women would have pre-
ferred taking up some branch of indus
try to spongine around upon relatives
and friends; but, happily or unhappily
for herself, Martha Mason was not one
Of this kind. She felt that the world
owed her living, and until some un-
lucky man chose her again for a wife,
she meant that the world should pay its
debt
aWhat queer. looking house this is,
isn't it, One of the old, old-fashioned
gothics; it would have been quite gem
for its antiquity, if some one had not
attempted to rejuvenate it by painting
itsuch sickly cream color
II like it pretty we'll, returned Mrs.
Holmes, who had the house painted
herself "And Belle and Clara think
when the leaves of the ivy come out,
the house will look very picturesque. "
GAS if their taste was anything.
should have it painted again this very
spring, if L were YOU"
@Wculd you not like to 60 to your
room now, Martha?" asked Mrs.
Holmes, who rather dreaded her cou-
SIMS sarcastice tongue, and wanted to
he the first to tell the girls of the dread
arrival, and to talk them over little
before they met their cousin face to
face.
"Perhaps 1 had better, but you must
call me an hour before dinner, for L
wish to give the girls some directions,
for connot say that 1 exactly fancy
their cooking.
And with little derisive laugh the
agreeable lady followed her large Sara
toga trunk to her room, and Mrs.
Holmes descended to the kitchen in the
basement.
"Gnls," said she, in little fear of
their reply, "Cousin Martha has come
to spend the summer with u.s."
"Without an invitation; that is just
like heri" cried Clara, in dismay.
IL shall not wait on her; if she stays
here this summer she will make up her
bed for all me-" was Bellies comment.
"Girls, said Mrs. Holmes, in dismay,
sremember your cousin is widow and
has no home"
And so are you widow, mother,
and it would be just as much right for
you to expect her to support you as for
her to expect you to support her."
"Well, girls. thought / would tell
you beforehand, and expect you to
treat her with respect, at least. must
see about the table now"
AIf mother was not SO kind to her
she would not dare come around so, u
sold Clara, when her mother had left
them.
ave would not mind it 30 much il
she were not continually meddling with
u.s." replied Belle. "She will have a
grand time with the boarders now"
"She will be after Mr.. Jewett won't
she. / wonder how mamma will like
that" And Clara laughed slyly.
In the meantime Mrs. Mason crimped
all the front of her rather carroty hair
and pulled out the blue ribbon bows Of
her rather youthful gray dinner dress
and laid herself down for little nap
before donning it; for dress we'll Mar
tina Mason would, if all the cousins and
half-cousins in the world donned sack
cloth and ashes, while they toiled fol
her support.
The dinner was already on the table
when Mrs. Mason came down, for Mrs
holmes by some oversight had forgot
ten to call her until the last minute.
She was in her element when sh,
found seve oil boarders, engineers from
the railroad building near by, at thu
table, one of whom, Mr.. Jewett, mar
of about 40 years, she began to MAKE
eyes at, notwithstanding she had hearC
that there was an engagement Of mar
riage between him and her cousin
Mary.