Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-07-24
THOU ART THE MAN. /"

ITS the last straw that breaks the
cameIs back said Lucy, bursting into
tears
The pleasant June sunbeams came peep
ing into the cool, stone paved dairy, where
pans of milk and cream were ranged in
orderly array; great stone pots stood under
the shelves and hlue-painted churn was
already placed on the table for service
Mr Bellenden was Justly proud Of his
dairy. Not a chance guest came to the
house but was invited down to see it; Tot
2 housekeeper in the neighborhood but Sc
cretly enyied its many conyeniences and
exquisite neatness And It isn't the dairy
alone" triumphantly remarked Seth Bel
lenden. you may go all through the
house. from garnet to cellar, and you'll
never find a speck of dust There never
was such a housekeeper as my wife"
Mrs Bel lenden was young too-scarcely
three and twenty. She had been the
daughter of a retired army officer. deli
cately reared, and quite ignorant Of all the
machinery Of domestic life until she mar
RED Seth Bellenden. Us very strange"
Lucy had written % her father " the farm
strous Old buttonball trees, nor such superb
roses, aud the Strawberries shine like Jew
els on the hillsides. But nobody sketches
or reads. | don't think there is 4 copy of
TennysoB in the whole neighborhood, and
no one ever heard of Dorc or Millais. All
they think OF is how many eggs the hens
lay. and how many cheeses they can make
in q year. And the woman who has new
recipe for waifies, or q new pattern for a
horrible thing they call crazy quilts,
leads in society"
But presently young Mrs Bellenden her
self caught the fever, and became model
housewife Example is al-pOwerful, and
Lucy began 10 believe that the whole end
and aim IN life was domestic Thrill, money
saving, and the troadwin Of work Ny
dear" said seth ii you thought you
could get along without Hepsy, the maid,
might be able to afford that new reaper
before the oat crop comes in III try"
said Lucy
After this she rose before daybreal, and
worked later IN the night than ever.
What Is tho matter with your hands,
Lucy Yn Seth asked. one day. They are
not 81 white and beautiful as they used TO
be-" Lucy colored as she glanced down At
the members in question. Il suppose il IS
from starting fires" said She. And then
she too; 70 wearing old KID gloves at her
sweeping and busting, and digging out OF
the ashes.
My coat is getting shao5y," s th one
dav remarked Why don't yOu buy an
other one p asked his wife Seth laughed
short laugh. What do you think Mrs.
Higginbotham has done r said he she
has ripped up her husbands cid suit, and
cut a pattern hy il, and made a new one.
and saved him ten dollars :" l could do
that, sad bucy, with sparkling eyes; " I'll
try it," " Yoa could 10 anything, my
dear, said Mr. Bellenden. admiringly; and
Lucy felt that she had her rich reward.
Company began 10 conc as soon as
the bright weather set in All the atfec-
Tomato relations Of MT. Beileaden soon
discovered that The farm-h house Yves cool
and shady, that Lney's cooking was excel
lent and that the belru1ms we're neatness
itself Some OF them were even good
enough to invite their relations as well ;
and 50 The house was fIll from April 10
December All the clergymen made their
home at Brother BellendeR's when they
came to Sylvan Bridge fer ecclesiastical
conventions ali the agenis for uuhearts OF
articles discovered that they knew some
body who was acquainted with the Belen-
dens, aud brought their carpetbags and
valises with that faith n human hospital
itv which is one Of life's best git g.
Mrs BellenAen fame wentahrosd among
the Decreases of the neiebberhDod in the
matter of butter ana cheese she took the
prize in the domestic department OF all
the agricultural fairs, and the adjoining
housewives took no tranble to make things
that they could borrow of Mrs Bellenden.
And one day when Door Lucy, under
the blightning influence Of 4 horrible sick
headache, was endeayoring TO strain three
or four gallons Of milk into the shining
pans, the news arrived that Uncle Paul
was coming to the farm. Another
guest, said Lucy. despairingly. And then
She uttered the proyerb that heads our
sketch.
Oh, it's only Uncle Paul" said Mr.
Bellenden. D0n't fret, I.ucy; he's tho
most peaceable old gentleman IN the world
He'll make no more trouble than a cricket
Johns wife thought she could not have him
because she had no hired girl just now.
4" Neither have /. said Lucy, Tebslliously
And Sarah Eliza don; like company
And am supposed to be fond ofitl r. OBJ
served Lucy, bitterly. And Reuben /
girls don't want cid folks staying there; its
too much trouble, added Seth.
Lucy bit her sips 70 keep back the words
she might have said instead. Where is
he 10 sleep2 The Belfords have the from;
room aud your cousin Susie occupies the
back. and the four Miss Pattersons sleep in
the two hall chambers, aud the hired men
have the garnet room She might have
added that she and her husband and the
baby had slept in hot little den opening
from the kitchen for four weeks, vainly ex-
pecting Mr.. and Mrs. Bedford to depart
and that she had never yet a chance to in
vite her father to the farm in pleasant
weather. But she was magnanimous and
held her peace.
"Oh, you can and some place for him y
said her husband. lightly. . There's that
little room at the end of the hall where
the spinning wheel is" " Bot it ism,
furnished, pleaded Lucy. You can
easily sew carpet together out of those
old pieces from the Belforsis' room. and its
no trouble TO put up muslin curtain tc
the window, and lift in cot bed. There
are plenty of good. sweet husks in the
courthouse, and You can just tack mat
tress together and whitewash the ceiling
and - What's that, Beniah The COWS
ia the1ye LOTT Dear me- Everything goes