Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-09-06
THE HOME COOPERATIVE SOCIETY
II HESTER STUART.

broWD braid 20 tumbijng dOwT her back
$50 am T.. said Beth.
ESQ 40 T." said Mamie. who was sult.r.lS
Wit. dreadful cold
what Is it. girI,: said J. turning Inv book
face down in my lap
} Ii the suppers" said Beth
lis the everlasting gossip. said Kate.
Its so differed from hoOe." said Mamie. to
whom clearinghouse lite was new expert
eHCe-
ITS ali three. and much more was what /
wanted TO say, Dut beng the eldest OF the fouf.
IL seemed my duty 20 make the best of thingS;sU
i sad. quite cheerfuIly. II DIDN'T see anything
unusual about the supper to-Ri-ht"
That : the trouble. grOaned Heth. at was
altogether too usual am 50 tired of bread
and butter and apple sauce ana dry cake that
feel IKE GnashnE my :eeth At the signt OF them.
j should Ike slice of toast OF q bowl of bread
and milk occasionally. without being made to
f'ei that had disdrranGed the whole internal
economy OF the house.
The sugperS are bad enough" said Kate
''but they are nothing to the gossip I'm tired
OF hearing it whispered round that NJ. john
son and his wife had a quarrel in their room last
night or that Miss crimson has w,sn three
New dresses this menth. or that Mr.. jew TT
came in ever - late tn" other nizit. and it
so,otati Is though he fell upstairs Ban" aud
Kate lUOke'i a. sco,utu! a. u round face with
diml.c M it would allow
II could stanG EVERYTHING else" sal Mamie.
''ii It was odIy hDht-iikr on, # could o4lv
sit dowd in a CicHd kijC.cd with 10y let N the
stove owed. AL see hraund nat in f~nd of the
hahuy-
We all laughed at this idea Of bliss. but after
the laugh there Wa~ sudden silence. for each
one OF ts recalled such Kitchen and tie Pres
eHce that had made II hpmc-Iikp
We We're not sisters or even Kin tOeach Other
H. s. \ lir,tr-
house, strong friendship iaG grown up be-
tween Ia, start n-r. think. IN the fact That We
were each orphaned and had cur Iiyig- 20 cara
and strengthened Ey maEy cyuggna tastes.
We were doing our daily duties il rather
brave. cheerful way. usually with few com
paints. but tonight Wp Mere under cloud.
out-lf'. November rain was laSi,inr the WIG
GO-s and Inside. the stove smoked.
1t Was payday II the Hanufacrory where
Kate was bu0kkeeppr and thai was ALWAYS q
hard day for her Beth had worried t.yo Of her
duiiPst pupils through their music lesson: and
had iIad 4 time in school tIat afternoon with
wretch of boy. aud WAS at my wills end what
to So with Eim or the morrow: and Mamie was
more than half Sic%-SO We SAT there quite still
for while. Finally Beth spoke: II suppose
We might make these rooms look a little pleas
antrr. We each have a few pictures and kaick-
knackS."
do you suppose would hang my few pic
fure- against this awful Uappr:" said Kate
''Bcsides what wUujd be the use: Just a. VIC
got everything nicely fixed. some man would
want the room. and We shouid ha invited To 20
up higher. I've boarded in this house two
years AMI in that time I've advanced from the
first nOOr bacN tn the thirG floor front and two
moves more viii take ne cat on the Roof
We b.@l.t 20 subwheTr risa sad Mamie.
lon. you poor little innocent laughed Beth
y "ud change the place and keep tine pain
They Re- Gil about alike
VI this. Mamie lifted such 4 woe-begone face
4 ~ II ne
'Uifls. said |. in my most impressive school
room manner.
But hese there was an Interruption. for Nan
ME lett the Oching-chair and rushed toward the
bed
''Oh. Mamie" cried Kate. don't rnuss tie
bed: it's hard enough anyway" But she spoke
too late, for under the combined influence #
Inconsistencies and infuenzI Mamie had .1unr
herself on the bed in lor!orr little heap. and
was Hitting up her voice in a hUarse crr.
This was simply dreadful.
Beth and purred over ana cudIied her and
Kate slipped downstairs ana coIvrd ne cross
kitchen girl into making a bowl OF S.i-s.tra and
by the time She WAS back with It the iavai 81
was somewhat comiorted.
When quiet was restored. I spoke ararr
Girls, les 20 To hou>ekeepinr" Name
stopped the bowl halfway t. fer liuS Beth sci
upright on the trunk. and Kate dropped tn,
stick OF wood in her hand Uac, INFO the box
wv here's he furniture coming frOm:" sad
ehe.
Who'll pay the Bills aid Mamie.
Who'll do the work. said Peth. who was
born south Of Mason and Dixon line.
We'll all do It." said |. answering the last
question first; land as sorthe furnishing. tina.
needn cost so very much: and about the bills
hate how much do We all paw q week.
-Four times i've IL twenty and two dollars
Tor washing. makes TWENTY-FIVE" said Kata.
VIII book keeper pT0mptness
Nv nv said Beth. beginning ~ be ce,rpr
u rfr..% q,
fnr everything out OF it-ciOthes and doctors
bills and everything
Vel. we talked till midnight and the more
We talked. the more feasible the scheme seemed
anu IL was decided that we should commence
tenement hunting the very next morning and
after Beth and hail gone In our own room
hare came hurTyin@ across 10 -Gv that she had
some spoons aud FORKS which had been her
mothers. and that Mamie said she knew how
To make lovely WaiiIe~
We expected . tedious time fut'ino 2 REM
within orr means; but IL is astonishing how for
tune helps those who try 70 help themselves
That very week nice little scholar Of Nannip's
stopped after school TO say that her parents
Mere gong 10 move 0Ht of the city. We knew
Where >ht' iiEru-a pleasant house in a rrSppcf-
able locality: so after supper Kate and hunted
uD the landlord. the next day We went i'm q body
To inspect the place. and the bargain was con-
GUIDED
Between that time and our departure we babe
bOarders in the house for ever ni,st There. was
talking and idu-tin- n ole room or me other
while Ne stitched AMI GcmIned and figured
his last the hardest uf all.
Nate. with "a confidence born of much' hand
ln@ OF money. nai" ont Il list in a twinkIinr
which LIST was perfectly satisfactory TO all OF us
until We inquired prices. One thing We were
agreed upon. and thar was rigid economy. so
We cheapened this and left our that until t.
looked qlite reasonable
Well. the first day Of December found Us in
''our OVID hired house" anu a. Beth turned the
key in the bali door. we felt that we had burned
our ships behind Us.
The outgoing tenants seemed 10 regard our
experiment IN the light of Il huge Joke. which
they we're Willing To help along so they rave us
a number OF housekeeping things among Tiers
braided mat. aud a haif-dOZpn plants ali i'm
blossom. and sold Us their sane. "a Z. very low
prce- those familiar with the peculiar attrib-
uteS 81 stoves aud stOve-ppes VIII understand
the relief IL Was To have a reliable raYUc in nm
,p.ug orte-- Besides this. We had & couple of
Je,lStcstIs with the furnishings few dishes
our trunks and q haiI-doZen packing boxes OF
different sizes
The next fortnight was a busy one We rose
early and went To bed late and lived in picnic
fashion. while We painted and pounded. and
p'dnnrC- "" were IN a STAKE Of mind where We
wished Tor no advice. much less help from any
ooG1 .de; hiit after jaruG.ing considerable
plaster from the walls. and skin from orr knuch-
les. We decided That there were times when
man could be- iEs'i't useful. ana ~ Nannic's sug-
gtStOn a certa n young architect from the
boardif@-hou-e was taken INTO our confidence
and d!d valiant service in putting un shelves and
hooks.