Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1884-06-06
THOU ART THE MAN. z

ttassrs. $
The pleasant June sunbeams came
peeping into the cool, stone paved dairy
where pans Of milk and cream were
ranged 81 orderl, array great stone pots
h stood under the shelves, and a blue
painted churn was already placed on the
4 table for service. sss <.>gs A /
81 Mr. Bellenden was justly proud Of
his dairy. Not a chance guest came to
the house but was invited down to see
Z it;}not a housekeeper in the neighbor-
hood but secretly enyied its many con-
veniences and exquisite neatness.
&. And it isn't the dairy alone" tri-
tunphantly remarked Seth Bellenden.
'And you may go through the house
from garrett to cellar, and you'll never
find speck Of dust Or stain of rust.
There never was such housekeeper as
my wife"
Mrs. Bellenden was young, too
scarcely Internationally. She had
been the daughter OF retired army
officer, delicately reared and quite ignor-
ant OF all the machinery ofdomestic life
until she married Seth Bellenden.
cts very strange" Lucy had written
to her father. THE farm is beautiful
You never saw such monstrous old put
tonball 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 copy
ofTennyson in The whole neighborhood
and no one ever heard of Dore or Mil
iais. All they think Of is how many
dozens Of eggs the hens lay, and how
many cheeses they can make in year.
And the woman who has a new recipe
for watfies, Or new pattern for hor
rible thing they call crazy quilts is
the leader in society,""
But presently Young Mrs. Beilenden
herself caught Tho fever, and became 8
model housewife. Example is all pow
erful and Lucy began to believe that
the whole end and aim of life was do
nestle thrift, money~savlng and the
treadmill Of work.
"My dear," said Seth, "if you thought
you could get along without Hepsy,
the maid, 7 might be able to afford that
new reaper before the oat crop comes
in"
"Ill try" said lucy
And after that she rose before day
break: and worked later into the night
than ever.
"What is the matter with your hands,
LUCY" Seth asked one day. "They
are not Sc white and beautiful as they
used to be-"
Lucy colored as she glanced down at
the members in question. Il suppose it
is making the fres,' said She.
And then she took to wearing Old kid
gloves at her sweeping and busting and
digging out of the ashes. ....
my coat is getting shabby" Seth
one day remarked.
"Why don't you hny another one?"
asked his wife.
Seth laughed shortslaugl,
"Whnt do you think Mrs. Higgin~
botham has done" said ho "She has
ripped up. her husbands old suit ond
cut pattern by it. and made anew one
and entirely saved him ten dollars!"
II could do that" said Lucy with
sparkling eyes. Il will try it."
"You can do anything my DEAR" said
Mr. Bellenden, adniringly.
And Lucy felt that she had her rich
reward.
Company began to come as soon as
the bright weather set in.
All the atfectiolIate relations of Mr..
Bellenden soon discovered that the farm
house was cool and shady, that Lucy's
cooking was excellent, and that the bed
rooms were neatness itself.
Some of them were even good enough
to invite their relations as well; and so
the house was full from April to Decem-
Der.
ALI the c1ergymen made it their home
nt Brother Rellenden's when they came
to Silvan Bridge for ecclesiastical con-
ventons; all the agents for unheard- of
articles discovered that they knew some
body who was acquainted with the
Bellendens, and brought their car
petbags and valises with that faith in
human hospitality which is one Of
LIES best gifts.
Mrs. Bellenden's fame went abroad
among the Decreases of the neighbor
hood in the matter of butter and cheese !;
she took the prizes i'll the domestic de-
pnrtments OF all the agricultural fairs.
and che adjoining housewives took no
trouble to make things that they could
borrow Of Mrs, Bellenden, ";;Hst as we'll
as not"
And one day, when poor Lucy, under
she blighting influence of a horrible
sick headache, was endeavoring to
strain three or four gallons of milk into
the shining pans, the news arrived that
Uncle Paul was coming to the farm. =
i. aAnother guest" said Lucy, despair
ingly. d. +.. .., Ill.,: =,
that heads cur sketch.
. "Oh, It's only Uncle Paul I" said Mr..
Bellenden. "Don't fret Lutte! He's the
most peaceable cd gentleman in the
world. He'll make no more trouble
than q cricket. Johns wife thought
she couldn't have him because she had
no hired girl just now-"
? s'Neither have I!f said Lucy. rebel
LOUSY. 81. -. FL ,'@.:%
i. ''sAnd Sarah Eliza don't like COM
pany." = r.. + X. .*s. A.. - H..
\ And J am supposed to be fond of itv'
observed Lucy, bitterly. ..s ...,4 ~.
'sAna Reuben's girls don't want old
folks staying there IT'S too much tror-
bic, they say" added Seth, r.. s-s
Lucy bit her lip to keep back the
words she might have uttered and said,
instead: " -. 5rs.a.E SE
Where is he sleep? The Belfords
have the front bed room, and your