The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1884-07-10
At the Cream. .CoIored Cottage
BY SARA b ROSE.

HOW uo you do, Mary! nave naO
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 / 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 widow, been in the habit
of living around among her relatives,
and, indeed, leyying 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 o wife,
she meant that the world should pay its
debt.
"What q queer. looking house this is,
isn't it? One of the old, old-fashionetl
gothics; it would have been quite gem
for its antiquity, il some one had not
attempted to rejuvenate it by painting
it such sickly cream color"
4 like it pretty well, 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.
AS II their taste was anything. |
should have it painted again this very
spring, If I were you.
would You not like to 60 to youl
room now, Martha?" asked Mrs.
Holmes, who rather dreaded her cou.
sins sarcastice tongue, and wanted to
be 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 l had better, but you must
call me an hour before dinner, for
wish to give the girls some directions
for / cannot say that l 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.
Girls" said she, in little fear o1
their reply, Cousin Martha hos come
to spend the summer with u.s."
without an invitation; that is JUS,
like hcrl" cried Clara, in dismay.
Il shall not wait on her; II she stays
here this summer she will make up he,
bed for all me-" was Bellies comment.
"Girls," said Mrs. Holmes, in dismay
remember your cousin is widow and
has no home"
And so are you widow, mother
and il would be just as much right fol
you to expect her to support you as fol
her to expect you to support her."
"Well, girls, l thought I would tel
you beforehand, and I expect you tt
treat her with respect, at least. I mus
see aboEs the table now."
IF mother was not so kind to hel
she would not dare come around SO,
said Clara, when her mother had lef
them.
"We would not mind it SO much i
she were not continually meddling will
u.s." replied Belle. "She will have
grand time with the boarders now."
"She will be after Mr.. Jewett, won
she? / wonder how mamma will lik,
that" And Clara laughed slyly.
In the meantime Mrs. Mason crimpet
all the front Of her rather carroty hair
and pulled out the blue ribbon bows O
her rather youthful gray dinner dress
and laid herself down for little maj
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 fe
her support.
The dinner was already on the tabl,
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 several boarders, engineers from
the railroad building near by, at tn
table, one of whom, Mr.. Jewett, a mar
OF about 45 years, she began to maxi
eyes at, Notwithstanding she had heart
that there was an engagement OF mar
riage between him and her cousin
Mary.
For was not she, herself, bette
dressed than her cousin, and . lady
While Mrs, Holmes toiled for the brea.
she ate, besides being two years olde
than herself? Reason told Mrs. Masol
she would win, if she but showed her
self willing to engage in second mat
rimonial scheme.
How did you leave your brother
people?" inquired Mrs. Holmes, whel
her guest was seated amid Q great flut
ter Of ribbons and lsces.
avery nicely. indeed; it is one Of th