The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1885-06-13

II
at is certainly great Improvement
Snid Hordcr.
"a great Improvement" echoed the other
Echo is the right word-even their voice:
were alike.
In n contented frame of mind they resumed
their seats, their claret, and their cigarettes
he great improvement was this:
For some time past these excellent house
keepers had been sorely exercised by the con
ventional way in which laundresSes fold table
cloths They did not like the appearance OF
the three long Creases on the snowy eXpanse
They turned their inventive abilities to ac-
count, and a week ago walked down to the
residence, redolent of soap and hot water, OF
| the woman who did the washing, and startled
the poor creature out of her wits by in
sisting upon their table cloths being folded
in new and improved fashion. They ever
demonstrated their meaning by a practical
experiment. and so impressed the nymph OF
the wash tub and mangle with the importance
they attached to the matter that she had
actually managed to learn her lesson vel
enough for the result of their teaching tC
give them great satisfaction.
Coffee was brought in, and the two gentle
ltl were hucuV W ltdNt Uuo iooni
when the Rev. Mr.. Mordle was announced
Mr.. Mordle was the curate of Oakbury, and
always welcome guest at Hazlewood House.
1t was an unspoken axiom of the Talberts that
the church set the seal of fitness upon her SER
wants, or at least upon her upper servants
Organ blowers, parish clerks and pew openers
were the lower servants-so all things being
equal, clergyman could always break
through the exclusivenesS which reigned at
Lakewood House. Mr.. Mordle was clever in
his way, full of talk, and of course knew
every in and out of the parish, in the admin
istration to the wants Of which he must have
found the Talberts great assistance. All
great men have their weaknesses-perhapS
their friendship for Mr.. Mordle was the Tai
berts weakness. But then they dearly loved
having finger in the parochial pie, leaving
out of the question the fact that they liked the
curate, and in the kindness Of their hearts
pitied his loneliness So he often dropped in
like this unlimited, and no doubt felt the
privilege to be great honor.
On Mr.. Mordle's side, he could thoroughly
appreciate humor, the more so when its exist
ence was quite unsuspected by the sedate
humorist. To him the study of Horace and
Herbert was a matter of keen and enduring
delight.
They rose and greeted him Excuse me, "
said Horace rather nervously, did"
Eyes, did," answered the curate briskly.
81 rubbed them-I scrubbed them-my feet
feel red hot. could dance minuet Oh your
tablecloth without soiling it."
The redundancy of the answer set their
minds at rest. The bugbear of their domestic
lives was persons entering their rooms with
out having first wiped their shoes as every
Christian gentleman should. The hall door
was SO heavily armed with mats and scrapers
that such an omission seemed an impossibility.
Yet sometimes it did occur, and its effects
were terrible-almost tragic.
Horace rang for more claret; Herbert
passed his cigarette case and the three men
chatted for a while ON various subjects.
Presently said Horace with sad decision
"Ann Jenkins came to US the day before
yesterday She told piteous tale Wegave
her five shillings."
Very good Of You," said the curate; "she
has large family-nine, think"
Eyes, but we are sorry now that we gave
the money. We ars sure she is not careful,
thrifty woman
The curate's eyes twinkled. He knew Ann
Jenkins well-too well.
Careful and thrifty people wouldn't want
your half-crowns. But how did you find out
her true characterr
Mr.. Mordle expected to hear mourpful &C
count Of domiciliary visit to Ann Jenkins,
and a dissertation upon the various and almost
original stages of untidiness in which his
friends had found her numerous progeny.
But the truth was better than he had bar
gained for.
1--WE walked behind her across the field this
morning." said Horace, with grave regret
when she got over the stile we saw she had
on two odd stockings, black one and gray
one-or blue and gray, l am not certain
which"
"Blue and gray" said Herbert, 81 noticed
; particularly"
Her tastes, like yours" said the curate,
"may be cultured enough to avoid Philistinic
uniformity"
"Oh dear, no." said Herbert, seriously.
ave argue in this way. The woman has two
pairs of stockings-"
81 doubt it," said the curate. "But never
mind-go on" His friends were surprising
themselves!
"She has two pairs-one gray, the other
blue or black. She has worn one stocking
into holes Instead of sitting down and
darning it, like . decent body, she simply
puts on one of the other pair"
"Why doesn't she put on the other pair
altogether asked Mr.. Modle.
Because" said Horace, triumphantly, lone
stocking of that pair is in the same dilapi-