Turner County herald. (Hurley, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1884-03-20
THOU ART THE MAN..

BY HELEN FORREST GRAVES.
"It's the last straw that breaks the
camels back, said Lucy, bursting into
tears 80. =.
The pleasant June sunbeams came
peeping into the cool, stone-payed dairy
where pans of milk and cream were
ranged in orderly array; great stone pots
stood under the shelves, and the blna
painted churn was already placed on the
table for service.
MIR. Bellenden was justly proud of his
dairy. Not chance guest came to the
house but was invited down to see it:
not housekeeper in the neighborhood
but secretly envied its many conven-
iencies and exquisite neatness,
''And it isn't the dairy alone" hi.
umphantly remarked Seth Bellenden.
"And you may go through the house
from garret to cellar, and you'll never
fine speck of dust or stain of rust.
There never was such housekeeper ms
my wife"
Mrs. Bellenden was young. too
scarcely three-and-twenty. She had
been the daughter of retired armv
officer, delicately reared and quite ig-
norant Of all the machinery of domestic
life until she married Seth Bellendep.
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 Q 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
ma year. And the woman who has q
new recipe for waff1es, or "a new pattern
for a horrible thing they call crazy
quilts, is the leader in society,""
But presently young Mrs. Bellenden
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 TO-"
ssI'll try" said Lucy.
And after that she rose before day.
break, and worked later into the night
than ever. es
"What is the matter with your hands,
Lucy?" Seth asked, one day, "They
are notsso white and beautiful us they
used to be-"
Lucy colored as she glanced down ai
} the members in question. =
II suppose it is making the fres,,'
sid she.
And then she took to wearing old kid
gloves at her sweeping and dusting aud
digging out of ashes.
my coat is getting shabby, :" Seth one
.'Why don't you buy another one?'
asked his wife.
Seth laughed assbort laugh.
.'What do you think Mrs. Higgin.
botham has done?" said he. "She
ripped up her husbands old suit and cut
n pattern by it, and made him new
one, and entirely saved him ten doliars!e
81 could do that!" said Lucy, with
sparkling eyes. II will try itI' d
You can do any thing, my dearl' said
Mr.. Bellenden, admiringly. -
And Lucy felt that she had her rich
reward.
Company began to come as soon as
the bright weather set in. "a
All the affectionate relations of Mr.,
Belle4den soon discovered that the farm
( house wns cool and shady, that Lucy Is
cooking was excellent, and that tho bed.
rooms were neatness itself.
Some of them were even good enough
to invite their relations as we'll; and SO
the house was full from April to Decem
her.
AlIthe clergymen made it their home
at Brother Bellenden's when they came
!. to Silvan Bridge for ecclesiastical con-
ventions; all the agents for unheard- OF
articles discovered that they knew some.
I body who was acquainted with the Bel.
lendens, and brought their carpet bags
and yalises with that faith in human
hospitality which is one of life's best
gifts. 4
Mrs. Bellenden's fame went abroad
among the Dorcases 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
troubleito make things that they could
borrowSof Mrs. Bellenden, ttjust as well
as not.
And one day, when poor Lucy, under
the big ghting influence of q horrible
sick headache was endeavoring to strain
three or four gallons of milk into the
shining pans, the news arrived thai
Uncle Paul was coming TO the farm.
Another guest!" said Lucy, despair
ingly.
And then she uttered the proverb that
heads our sketch.
ssOh, it's only Uncle Paul!'' said Mr..
Bellendep. 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
couldn't have him because she has nc
hifed girl Just now
'.Neither have II" ssid Lucy, REBEL
iously.
( aAnd Sarah Eliza don't like com.
sand am supposed to be fond oil
it," observed Lucy bitterly.
Ada AtVubCAo . SA4So AoA y W0AAo VIZ
folks. staying there, It's too much
trouble. they say, added Seth.
Lucy bit her lips to keep back the
words she might have uttered and said,
instead:
"Where is he to sleep? The Belfords
have the. front i bed room, and your
Cousin Susan ocehpies the back, and the
four Miss Pattersons sleep in the two
thelgarret room. y 81
She might have added that she and
her husband, and the baby had slept in
a little hot den opening from the kitca-
1 en-, forfour weeks, vainiy expecting Mr..
and Mrs. Belford to, depart; and that she
never had q. chance to invite her father
to the farm in pleasant weather.
But she was magnanimous and held
her peace. 4 :, ~ s.
"Oh, you can find some place for himr'
! said her husband, lightly. ttt There's that