River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1884-09-25

square before go to bed am determined |
on it
But it did seem to Mrs. Batterby as if the
children were never so worrisome before.
What was the reason year-old Edith should
be so tiresome about getting to bedg And then
after she was there she wanted the pillow fixed,
and the sheet smoothed, and a drink of water,
and at the last moment she called her mamma
back because she hadn't said her prayers.
Then when the patient mother again reached
the stairs the little voice called
Mamma, mamma, Eide wants dollie-
The usually gentle mother, becomes frantic
at separation from her ''crazy quilt returned,
and snatching mp the battered, bald headed
object of Edie's affections tossed it into the
crib.
There, dolhe, get into bed with you.n she
said, GROSSLY. You haven't got to say any
prayers, because You haven't got any soul
Edie snatched up her child and turned on
her mother with flashing eyes.
''Tee hab dot tum tout tool" she roarcd
Mrs Batterby, smitten with remerse, kissed
her child and smoothed her, and yet it did not
occur to the mother how strong and baleful
must be the influence which could render her
thu hard and petulant to her darling Edith,
patient and tender and cansiderate Of the
feelings of dollie's mother as she generally
was.
The next day Nine. Pumpernickel departed,
but the evil which she had disseminated re-
manned. Mrs. Batterby grew worse daily
until she became hopeless crazy quilt ma
MAC. The devoted husband, his attention now
drawn to the subject, was alarmed to observe
how fixed hold the terrible mania had
taken upon his poor wife's liberated
| mind 1t was only Sunday she
abstained from creative work upon this de-
stroyer Of domestic unhappiness. BUTT was,
after all only physical abstinence, for hef
husband marked her long memorizing gaze
upon the illuminated texts above the pulpit
wherein the grayhaired minister was impress
ing upon his hea rers the spiritual darkness OF
the Jews He noted her rowing, abstracted
gaze over the congregation, and he OWNED the
envy and eovetousness In her soul as her eye
caught the beauty Of some new tint in bonnet
trimming.
One cold morning Mrs Batterby's mother
came in from the suburbs, and surprised her
daughter with visit But no sooner were the
old ladys wrappings off than the crazy quilt
was brought to notice. and the daughter could
not be induced to make any but a momentary
depression ON any other subject; but there she
| sat- only stopping reluctantly for LUNCH feath-
| er-stitching" on her square as if her next
days bread depended on getting it done be-
| fore night
'sWelI goodbye" said tho old lady at part
| ing IF they conclude to send You to the
asylum at Batavia, tell 1hhn to let me know
| Immediately
! And she went ba elk to the suburbs with little
| chill of disappoin Iment at her heart
But while Mr.. Pat,erby was racking his
brain to know how he could surreptitiously
| minister to his wife's diseased mind, a kind
providence was senulnS a DleSSlllB III clS-
guise 1t was something like the sensational
society drama where the sickness of the child
recalls the erring wife back to virtue
Little Philip fell ILL., 1t was only the chicken
pox, but as the family physician said, sit was
not once in hundred times that there was
such a severe case.
The morning of the fourth day of his illness,
as the mother sat holding in her gentle arms
the little sufferer, whose swollen face was COW
cred with the continent eruption, and whose
I'll aotOG tllea 100
little Edie came and looked at her blind baby
brother very thoughtfully
''Philip dom TO die?" she lisped
so no. mamma hopes not,
Mamma wouldn't feel so very bad, Mamma
could work all re time on her taZy twill zen"
rejoined Eide gravely,
| The unconscious reproach went straight to the
mothers awakened conscience.
AS soon as her arms were temporarily freed
| from their beloved burden she gathered up all
the material Of her crazy quilt and put them in
a bureau drawer in the sewing room. In the
| drawer lay tire five yards of dark-green
plush for the border; for the squares were all
ready to be put together Five yards at two
dollars a yard, ten dollarsl And now there was
all the expense of Philips sickness to meet
She half regretted the spending of the ten dol
lar gold piece Gustave had given her. he had
| told her to buy comfortable house dress with
| it. Not that he would ever ask what she did
with it. But now she really needed the dress.
And ten dollars just for the border OF the guilt
seemed good deal Satin would have been
cheaper of course But then, plush was the
thing. Still she sighed little perplexed sigh
as she shut the drawer
| The next Monday morning Bridget left her
wash in the tubs, declaring she was sick and
! must go home TO her aunts.
cam shure We wuldn't be Eapin' back weeks
| pay for weeks warnin whlD m that SICK
| can't stand on my two fatel
So she got her full pay and she went, and
| when the the strange washerwoman hired to
| fini sh the wash was gone, 1t was found that all
the towels, and handkerchiefs and stockings
! had vanished
Then the intelligence Office began to send its
| Bedouins through the kitchen of poor Mrs
| Batterby.
It was the same old tribe In the course of
three weeks they had them an-the girl who
| broke everything from the largest platter down
| to the handle of the furnace door, the girl who
served her hair up with various dressings at
each meal, the girl who put her potatoes on to
! cook when she heard Mr.. Batterby's voice IN
| the hail. and baked all the griddle-cake before
| the breakfast bell rang. And SO forth and so
/ on.
| But they lived through it all, as people do
| and nothing ever really came OF II all except
| secret change of Mr.. Batterbys views on the
subject of Purgatory, and his growing con-
| viction of such place as necessary adjunct
| to celestial housekeeping
| In the meantime the crazy quilt was almost
| forgotten One day, however, when Mr. Batter
1
his family, a lady visitor came in, and somehow
| the new style of patchwork became the topic of
! conversation.
"Ah, but you just ought to see my wife's
| quilt! Go get it, dear, and let Mrs. Smith see
| it."
sTt'snot quite finished. Baby's sickness made
| me lay it away demurred Mrs. Batterby, who
felt strange reluctance to take out her old en-
| SLAYER
'sNeyer mind. Show the squares.
so do. should so like to see them"
s'Prettiest thing you ever saw" enthusiastic.
| ally said the proud husband.
| Mrs. Batterby rose and left the room. AS she
| went slowly through the hall and up the stairs
| her mind wildly recalled that $40 worth OF
| plush 1t seemed pity not to let Mrs Smith
| see that and get clear idea of the whole effect
of the quilt But it might set Gustave think
ing. OF course the gold piece had been her
| own Yet he would be astonished at her ex-
| travagance. At least he would think 1T extrav
! agance
So thinking she opened the drawer. 1t was
! EMPTY
| Mrs. Batterby stood confounded The other
drawers were packed with old half-worn gar
ments to be remade. No quilt in them Gone
plush and squares Also the Bingham for
| aprons, and her unmaid calico dress.
| With lightning flash she recalled sending
Bridget to the bureau one Sunday afternoon
| for flannel for Philip The next Monday she
| left
| Mrs Batterby went back to the sitting room.
She was pale, but dry-eyed She told her
| woe.
| ssNever mind, my darlingl" said her hus-
band, putting his arm about her "Tn buy
| you handsome Marseilles spread
Her hours and days and weeks of slayish
| work rose up before Mrs Batterbys mind,
| the tears gushed from her eyes.
l A Marsaflleg SprpadI What does man