Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1888-02-07

| could ma more occupied. Aunt CnaiIotte
sut,restcd that if were very anxious to ask
Helen ANYTHING, should join her SUNDAY
school class. that being composed OF boys OF
MI aces. whom Helen encouraged i'll CONVEX
sation. ,,
Three months brought no answer to my
question. We lived in a perfect Juhlpie Oh
IDEAS; door bell always ringing, parlor az
WAYS full of strange people, all KINDS "i ciuos
meeting in the library, all kinds OF thihgs
given in the house-hazars, readings, con
ccrts, chalades operettas. cooking class, sun
day school teachers meetings art exhibitions,
loan exhibitions. auctions of club books ana
comedies and tragedies in foreign tongues
rho maids in the kitchen joined in this ihtei-
ctual dissipation. Aunt Charlotte, teach
ing Elisabeth Stubhs few geographical no
tions. was told three times i'll one c'eflhB
| that Cane Horn was the capital of Brazil.
nv way OF explanation Elisabeth added that
/ her mind was on her Sunday school lesson;
thnt she had the whole book of Daniel TO
learn. and that next week she should have all
| of Corinthians and Axesl Jane did not aspire
to books but, having lost a distant relative
INDUCED in the elegance Of black Grape bon
net. without which she would not even ven
ture as far as the corner lette. box. Neither
would She use her Christmas present, nee
brown silk umbrella. Being in mourning,
now could shel TO keep things pleasant, we
yave her black silk one
And Aunt Charlotte and ], in our narrow
sphere, grew dizzy and tired and worried.
One day at lunch came the beginning
Of crisis; something queer about Helens
head caught my attention. Either her
bonnet was growing smaller or her
head bigger, or both. Aunt Charlotte
also noticed it; she put on her glasses, and
,aid, "lIelen, some one has certainly cut OH
the front of your bonnet; it is the smallest
hing ever saw on a womans head"
Helen replied that her bonnet was just the
anne as it always had been, and il we were
| coming to the japanese tea, we had better
come between and G. as then the lanterns
would be lighted, and that was the pleasant
est time for meeting people.
BY means of Japanese screens, umbrellas,
rugs, divans, fans and fancies, the first floor
IF an old fashioned mansion was transformed
into a japanese tea house 1t was place Of
fascinating color, brilliant with lanterns, and
mysterious with hidden perfume. Japan
sse page opened the door, Japanese maidens
| received the American money, and the be-
'ildered guest passed from sunlight into
lantern light More fair maidens i'll beautiful
japanese dress greeted him, japanese tea
was served in Japenese cups on Japanese
trays, accompanied by sugar in japanese
bowls, and, to make the charm greater,
the wearers of the rich foreign dresses
moved and talked and smiled with irresist.
ible American grace. Aunt Charlotte and
|, very much impressed came home
to a more substantial tea by our New
England fireside. Helen was always careful
to give us something particularly nice Oh
those occasions when she could not give us
Ter society. OF late she had been so much
occupied that her little surprises had taken
the form of canned goods This evening we
had canned opricots; IA pot of white primroses
stood on the table Elisabeth Stubs re-
narked Miss Helen said if l forgot every
hing else was to remember the flowers, it
being Mr. Harry's birthday" There was also
l very shining brass lion in repousse work on
he mantel, with card bearing MANY happy
returns of the day"
"lts very effective, don't you think so,
ieafl' said my aunt, "only do not approve
If Helen's doing such things. 1t seems as il
lnmmeriug must hurt the head She hasn't
he proper kind of hammer, believe. 1t is
hammers down cellar Don't YOU think il
Gather hard work for woman, Harry"
said it seemed to me about as hard as
hammering board fence together.
Il know you think Helen does too many
things," said Aunt Charlotte. "but you need
not speak in that Tone especially after she has
been so thoughtful about your birthday.
And she has so much on her mind, Door
| Il, No, hoo, . y
amt help worrying about her How much
10 You think woman can bear?n
said, judging from Helen, | should SUP
pose woman's power of endurance was
mitess.
Aunt Charlotte gave me a look of reproacb
Harry" she said, "don't you think that sis
ters of charity live good life?"
This was an unexpected turn of converse
ion. said did not see the connection; that
thought they were foolish women.
"Fhey are not considered so in the Roman
Catholic church" replied my aunt with DIG.
nifty, "and am sure your sister leads a fan
more self sacrificing and higher life than ever
a Carmelite num-
said hoped she did-which comment my
aunt left unnoticed, and continued, musinrly
The nuns do everything by the hour-twc
| AFulo liNhlbdtlOi, bNO HOUIS PRAYER, Two
hours lying on a wooden bed two hours
this and two hours that-and all for the sal
walton of their own souls; whereas your sis
ter also does everything by the hour, but sh,
works for the Whole world"
Excluding the family said. and fea,
said 1t III very unpleasant way. The bras.
ION looked ready to tear off my head and my
aunt seemed so deeply distressed that recon
sidered and modified my Judgment. Elisabeth
Stubs came in for the dishes. Aunt Charlott,
took out her silk rug and | opened my books
"Do you belong to any mems clubs, where
they write papers" asked my aunt.
81 a. did not belong to anything but til,
church choir"
"Ihcn you don't know what men writ,
about. | notice, in Helen's club, the ladie
always write about things that happened sew
eral thousand years before Christ. 1t seems
a lang time ago"
The fire blazed merrily on the hearth, tn,
brass hon took on a more friendly expression
our little family alteration had left us feel
IL, perhaps more at peace with each othel
than an amiable dish of family sweet,neats
In my heart | thought there never was ,
sweeter, dearer girl than my sister Helen
The primrose smiled on the table. Il beley,
the German name for primrose means Key O
heaven, said my aunt, as she shipped an ole
black neck ribbon into inch pieces.
1t was at this peaceful moment that ,
sound came through the house-a sound tina
can mean so much, and so ltte-life, death
. fortune valentine, OF beggar-the ring
ing of the street bell.
III You please, Mr.. Harry" said Elisabeth
coming IN very much out. of breath, at
Miss Helen coming home. and something la
happened to her.