Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1884-08-02
Kiss Behind the Door.

PenWlnkle's kitchen, at least there was
every evidence of trouble, for it was
nine o'clock by the large old>fashioned
clock that stood in one corner, the
breakfast dishes still stood unwashed
on the we'll kept table, and the white
foam of the unstrained milk was visl-
bic over the top of the shining bucket,
and Jennie Perlwinkle, young farmer
Periwinkle's pretty wife and mistress
of this pleasant home, was seated in a
low chair, sobbing as though her heart
would break. What was the trouble
you ask. Well it was this:
A new carpet had arrived at the
Periwinkle homestead a few days be-
fore--a carpet bought with Jenny's
own earnings. For though the owner
of a good farm, in an evil hour Joe
Periwinkle had been induced to add
more to his already broad acres, and
so when pretty, ambitious little Jenny
had come to be mistress of his home
and heart, she found that debt, like a
black cloud, hung over the otherwise
lovely home. The home, though very
comfortable, lacked a great many
things Indispensable TO one like Jenny,
and among them was a sitting room
carpet. Jenny had determined that
her own earnings should buy the need
ed article so every egg was saved,
young chickens carefully guarded from
hawks and other enemies, the gilt
edged butter that was Jenny's pride
was sent to market just at the right
time. The result of all this was a
new carpet, which suited even fastidi>
Gus Jenny, had arrived few days be-
fore, and was now ready to be Stretch,
ed over the bare sitting room. A let>
ter had also arrived few days before
from Jenny's city cousins, saying that
they would be at her house on the
Goth of June, and 1t was now the 18th.
There was great many things to be
done before their arrival, for our little
housekeeper was anxious that every
thing should be in perfect order when
the fashionable cousins should come to
make her visit.
Jenny had thought great deal
about her new carpet, and great
many pretty articles which only a
tasteful woman's fingers know how to
fashion were locked up in drawers and
hid in various places, only waiting for
the new carpet to be put down, to be
brought out to adorn the pleasant sit
ting room. AS / said before, there
were a great many things to be done,
as every house-keeper knows, when
company is expected. Beside the ar
rangement Of the sitting room, there
were many duties to perform, many
dainty dishes to be prepared, and rasp|
berries were ripe, and canning was to
be done. Also, her bed of phlox and
pansies were needing wedding sadly ;
and to cap the climax, the girl who
had helped her had suddenly been
called to the bedside of sick mother
the day before, and at this time Of the
year help was very scarce. So that
morning at the breakfast table Jenny
had said in her sweetest manner:
"Joe, cannot you take John John
was the hired NAM, and put down the
carpet for me? | have so much to do
that it makes me tired to think of it,
Joe laid down his fork and looked
up in establishment. Never in all his
life had he heard his mother ask such
a thing of his father. Joe was very
fond Of his wife, and very proud Of
her too. The artistic arrangement Of
his home did not pass unnoticed by
him, and that his wife tried every way
to make him a pleasant home, he
was thankful for, but still like many
another good man, he thought the
house secondary consideration, for
getting that to her who managed it, il
was of the utmost Importance. So
arising hastily, he said:
Jenny, you certainly do not know
the amount of work l have on hand. +"
"Why, Joe," Jenny replied, 81
thought all the neighbors we're prais.
mo vour crOns. and SAVING YOURS ,ynre