Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1886-09-15

picking the chickens for dinner. Yes, I
know the house looks forlorn," as the
lady glanced obviously around, "but it's
blue Monday and everything is in tan
gle. This is my room; yours is all drip
ping, from the leaky roof. My bed isn't
made and the dear children's clothes are
all over the floor; but you'll excuse all
deficiencies, Aunt Pamela, until Leander
comes back. Good gracious! if there
isn't the bell again! l do believe it Is
bcwtched to-day! But you will take off
your things, and presently l'll bring you
up one of my big gingham aprons, and
tell you what is to be done first"
Down she hustled to the door for the
third time. A grimy-faced parsonage
stood there in an attitude of utter indif-
ference.
"Who are you'" said Mrs. Crayfsh.
"Plummer's man, mum. Mr.. Crayfsh,
he"
"But why didn't you come when the
other young man didl' irritably de.
manded the lady.
"Aint no other young man, num-"
"Ycs, there IS, tool" said Mrs. Cray
fish. "And he's at work down in the
kitchen now"
"Well, if you've got some one to work
on the job you don't want me-" said the
independent citizen, shouldering his bag
oftools.
"Ycs, I do" said Mrs. Crayfsh. 81
want all the plumbers I can get. Make
haste down stairs and expedite the other
man all you can. Why, Mrs. Ponson.
by" as smiling matron skipped out of
a coupe and hurried upthc steps, 'it
can't be possible that this is you"
Mrs. ponsonby, the president of
"Thc Social Circle for the Elevation OF
Women" shook the rain drops from her
bonnct-plumc and smiled graciously.
81 am so sorry to take you by sur
prise, dcar" said she.
"Oh, rot at all" interjcctcd Mrs.
Crayfsn.
"But Mr.. Ponsonby's mother is very
ill.," added the president of the Social
! Circle for the Elevation of Women; $50
of course could not receive company.
And l knew you would be so glad to
welcome Lord Earnest Elbcron, anu to
answer Mrs. Edycworths inquiries on the
subject of French Amelioraton."
"Eh" said Mrs. Craytish.
"Wherc arc they ?" asked Mrs. Pom
sonby, looking around her.
"Whcrc arc who ?" gaspcd Mrs. Cray
fish.
"Lord Ernest, to-bc sure" said Mrs.
Ponsonby, "and Mrs. Edgeworthm
Mrs. Croyfsh gave little shrek of
dsmay as the full truth broke in upon
her mind. She seized Mrs. Ponsonby's
arm, as a drowning woman might grasp
at straw.
81 will tell you where they arcl" said
she, with the stony calmncss of despair
81 pushed Lord Ernest down stairs be-
fore me, and set him to pulling the kitch-
en- range to pieces. And Mrs. Edge
worth is at this moment sitting up stairs
in probably the dirticst and most untidy
bedroom in Philadelphia.
twas some time before Mrs. Ponsonby
could be brought to quite understand the
position of affairs. But when she did,
she was even more pcrlurbed than Mrs.
Crayfish had been.
Let us go up stairs-I mean down
stairs-at oncc' she cried. ooh, how
could any one possibly have made such
blundcr2 Oh, what will Lord Ernest
think2 And what sort of account of us
will Mrs. Z lgcworth put into her hus-
bands Chicago newspaper ~
Lord Ernest Elbcron, sitting on the
edge of the wash trays, was mcditatively
watching the operations Of the plumber,
when they came down.
Gle wanted to fight me at first" OBJ,
served the sprig of English aristocracY.
"Bat he was quite peaceable when l con-
vinccd him that did not come from an
opposition establishment; and really he
seems quite an ingcn Gus sort of fellow.
An there is more complication in one of
those baking and roasting concerns than
had any i,lca of. Pray, ladies, make
no apologies. 1t was the most natural
mistake in the wcrld. And assure you
Ircgarl it as a capital joke"
Mrs. Edgeworth of Chicago, however,
was not so pacablc.
They found her sitting in the middle
of Mrs. Crayfish's rather disorganized
bedroom, with face like that OF the
Sphinx; and nothing but an introduce
tion to Lord Ernest Elbcron paciied her
in the least degree.
Mrs. Ponsonby carried off the whole
party, Mrs. Crayfsh included, in her
coupe, to lunch at Damorette's.
And when the lucklcss housckeepcr
reached home again, the plumber was
gone, Aunt Pamela had arrived, and had
Strengthened up" everything, good
dinner smoked on the board, and Mr..
Craytish welcomed her with broad
smile.
"It's all right, Carry" he said. "Blue
Monday has COM to an end at lastm
81 should think it might" said Mrs.
Crayiish, Historically. "With an Eng
lsh lord in my kitchen, Chicago re.
former in my bedroom, and nobody
knows what else! declare, Pm sick of
the Soi 'ty for the Elevation of Woman,
and everything that belongs to it!"-
Hlen Forrest Gyares.
A Saratoga barber has made quite q
reputation as n performer on the
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