The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1885-11-25
TOO BUSY.

Mrs. Fountain had been, to use common
oppression, "as busy as bee all day
long, She had been cleaning the best room
-whitewashing the ceiling, scrubbing tho
fioor, polishing the windows and helping
Creusa, the colored charwoman, to beat the
dust out of the breadths of red-blue-and-
purple ag-carpet, which she herself had cut
Ind sewn and woven.
Laws, missus !" said old Creusa "why
don't you let old Creusy do de work, and
you set still You'll get rheumatic, sure as
lie world, and Cen whar'n We be"
Mrs. Fountain compressed her lips and
shook her head in a manner that expressed
volumes.
When 1 do the work myself, 1 know
that it is well done,n said she. "Run,
Creusa, runl the wind is futtering those
muslin curtains half across the meadow"
All day long she toiled at her post The
children came Sinking home from school at
noon, only to find few slices of cold pork,
some bread and butter and bowl of apple
sauce set out on q side table.
$ Is this all there is for dinner, mother ~
cried out little Bell, in disappointed ac-
cents.
Nothing but cold pork, mother ?" COM
planned Johnny.
Eat your dinner and hold your tongues,
children" said Mrs. Fountain, sharply.
i've no time, to-day, to stuff you and
pamper your appetites. Pm cleaning the
best room and you may be thankful to get
ANYTHING ut all to eat ~
Marian came running to her mothers
side
Look, mother" she cried, Z" ut the prize
medal I'm to wear ii oil the week. was
the best girl in the class for a month |"
Don't bother me, child - said Mrs.
Fountain, who was on step-ladder, tack
ing up the freshly washed muslin window
draperies.
And Marian shrank back with chill pang
Of disappointment. 1t would have been very
sweet to have her mother share her inno-
cent triumph.
But" thought poor Marian, "mother
is always too busy to care /"
Mother" shouted Walter, can l &C
fishing to Buttermilk Greek with
mo-" said Mrs. Fountain, sharply,
"you can't"
Yes, but, mother"
g. say no !" imperiously spoke the ma
tron. $50 back to school, every ono of
you. can't accomplish o stroke of work
while you are around under foot %
The children crept away, feeling almost
glad to escape from the electricity charged
atmosphere of the home where oil was SO
uncongenial.
At night, when Mr. Fountain came home,
his wife was setting sponge for the morrow's
baking.
Well, Kitty" said he, cheerfully,
"what do you say to walk over to Squire
Falklane's? They're to have some music
there, and the young folks will dance, and
as it's lovely moonlight night, Thought"
Mrs. Fountain shrugged her shoulders.
If you had been scrubbing floors all
day." said she, petulantly, "you wouldn't
feel much like moonlight walks, guess !"
Mr.. Fountains honest countenance fell.
Is But what do you scrub floors for ?' said
he. Isn't there plenty of help TO be
hired ?"
Help, indeed I" retorted his wife. "Pd
like to see the way your house would look,
If left things to hired helpl"
Well, them" said Mr.. Fountain, after
moment or two of perplexed silence, "Pll
get that new library book that Johnny
brought home, and read aloud to you"
e / don't want you to read aloud" said
L
The minute my work is done, shall go to
bed"
Mr.. Fountain gave an innrticulate grunt,
and took up his newspaper.
ooh, by-the-way |" said he, finging some
bits of paper on the table, there are tickets
for the picnic"
What picnic ~
Mrs. Fountains face was study as she
looked up from her work.
"The Sunday-school picnic, Kitty
Don't you remember? On Monday !"
:" You don't mean to say that you've paid
fifty cents ticket for that silly nonsense p
cried Mrs. Fountain.
" 1 only took six tickets" said her hus-
band, apologetically. The children SEEM
ed to think SO much about going, and"
"Then you'd better take 'em back, ana
get your money refunded" said Mrs. Foun-
tain. az, for one, shan't go!"
But, Kitty, asked Sallie Field to go
with u.s." demonstrated Mr.. Fountain.
She works hard to support that old aunt
of hers, and never gets any recreation"
"That's her business, not ours" said
Mrs. Fountain, acidly. 81 work hard, too,
don't I +? never get any recreation, either"
"Too hard deal," said Job Fountain,
with emphasis. 81 don't like it, Kitty. 1t
In't right !"
~ make a perfect slave of myself |"
cried Mrs. Fountain, with a sob rising up
into her throat, land nobody thanks me
for it."
81 don't know as they ought to thank
you for doing q foolish thing" said Mr..
Fountain, slowly.
" Is it foolish thing to try and save your
money!"
"pd rather you'd save your strength
than my money!" said Job, "a score of
times"
Mrs. Fountain pushed away her bread
pan and sat down, beginning nervously to
plat and unplait her apron-strings.
Fountain" said she, edo you know
what I've done this year ?"
More than wish you had I" said Mr..
Fountain, leaning his elbows modify on
the table and staring of the old clock oppo-
site.
To begin WITH" said Mrs. Fountain
speaking with some excitement, /" I've done
every stroke of the homework myself, ex-
cept having old Creusa here day or SO,
even to the washing and ironing, just to
save you expense. I've sat up nights to
make and mend the children's clothes. I've
m ada 4xxrc ls..a -. l.