The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1886-08-12
JANET AT WORK.

JANET AT WORK.
'.You couldn't spare me very little
money, could you, father?'' Janet
leaned over him as he counted some
bills.
If it is for something absolutely
necessary, my daughter"
II can't say ii is exactly that, but 1
mover get a cent of pocket money now,
father"
He sighed as he answered, Il know il,
and am sorry, but the pressure seems
harder every year. Wants seem to in
crease faster than the means of supply
ing them. Hand this to your mother,
Janet"
''Forgive me for worrying you, dear
father. I ought to be earning my own
spending money, but there are SO few
ways of doing that unless l 60 away
from home.''
1--WE can't let you do that. There's
enough for all if we are careful"
take it out to Bridget" said her
mother, as Janet gave her the money
from her father.
"Twelve dollars. Dear me!' said
Janet to herself, rather fretfully, as she
slowly walked toward the kitchen.
"Bridget has earned it and 1 don't
grudge it to her, but 1 wish Icould earn
twelve dollars"
''Wirra, wirra!' Bridget sat on the
floor holding an open letter, and rock
ing kherself backward and forward
with dismal groans. Pots, pans and
kettles were around in their usua con-
fusion. ''It's mesilf must be lawn yez,
the day, Miss JANET
Servants were hard to find, and, ia
nets face wore the accustomed express
sion of dismay with which such notices
are always received. as she asked,
What's the matter, Bridget"
'.It's me sisters got faver bad. an
it's mesilf must be goin' to her; an
it's six weeks intirely I'll be sthayin'
when it's so far to be goin'.'
AS Janet handed her the money, a
sudden thought came to her.
IL am sorry for you, Bridget. Of
course you must go, if you must. Per
haps we can get along without you I'M
til you are ready to come back
''Mother," she said, returning to her,
''Bridget's going away for few
weeks Mothers face grew as dis.
mayed as Janet's had, for she was not
! strong. and there were four boys.
"An' phase ye, ma'am, it's after
comm to try to get the place am
''What do you mean, Janet?" said
her mother, laughing, as the girl cour-
tested low.
Il mean, mother, will you pay me
the the. same same S you pay Bridget if l will do
"You can't do it all, JANET
'What can't do I'll hire. l want
to do something. [ want to get some
money can feel is my own, and that
] have a ri ght to spend if want new
book or bit of music, or anything
else. can t get a scho0l-there arc
40 applicants where there is one vacany.
can't get more than two music schol-
ars. can't dispose Of fancy work OF
painting, and if I could mi ht dabble
over them for a month, and not clear
more than Bridget does in a week
there arc so many doing that kind oil
work. Kitchen work is the only work
there seems to be plenty of for girls. -
"You may try it, but I think you'll
get very tired of it,
Janet spent q good part of her first
weeks wages in buying gingham
aprons, rubber gloves, and paying a
stout woman to come and scrub and
scour until the last traces of good-na.
tured, slovenly Bridget's presence
were removed. Then with clean kitch.
en-, clean utensils and clean towels
Janet took hold of her work with a
right good will.
I'VE II all cooperate said her ia
Their. when he heard of her intention.
well cooperate cried the boys
and they kept their word we'll in bring
ing of the wood and water, and sweep
ing the walks. And after the frs
morning she found that Tom had mad,
the fire and ground the coffee before
she came down.
''There's great satisfaction in doins
things thoroughly" said Janet to he1
mother, after the first day or two. "Be
fore when We have been without cir
always hated it, because I tried how
little could get along with doing. ant
how much l could shove out of the way
And, mother, you would be astonishe.
to SEQ how little cleaning there is to b.
done when nobody makes any unnecess
ary dirt, and how much work can b,
saved by using your wits to save it,
She never told her mother how he
back ached during those first days o
unusual exercise. This wore off a
she became accustomed to it. Ever,
day she learned more and more to sim
pity her work. A few minutes in tn
kitchen just before bed time arranged
things so exactly to her hand that Their
was no hurry or crowding at the bns,
time in the morning. Careful hand
ling of table linen and other thing
made the wash smaller. so that tn
stout women could do two weeks wasl
in one. Janet found there were few
days in which she could not sit dow
when the dinner was over. Other sur
prising things came to light.
"What's the matter that you dom
burn any wood nowadays?' said Tom
II have so little splitting to do"
Bridget, like so many of her sister
hood, had always seemed to conside
it her duty to keep roaring fire al
day. regardless of whether it was need
ed or not, and father always looke'
blank over the fuel bills. One-half tn
quantity was now amply sufficient, AM
and difference was soon apparent il
many other things. The food for on
person is alwaya noticeable in small
family, where q rigid hand must b