Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1888-06-14

planning that the world was out OF joint
and in need of regulating.
so it is" thought Matte, nodding
assent rs heartily as if the writer had
been sitting thele in the leather-cov-
cred chair opposite her. AS she read.
her dark face flushed, and her breath
came more rapidly. Why. here was a
woman in desperate need of help. and
here was she. asking only the chance
to help her. and they were but twenty
miles apart! But then, perhaps the
letter was just made up, and put in the
paper; perhaps there was no Mrs. E. L.
Howe; and at the thought Matte threw
down the paper, and went to meet the
minister who was coming in at the
gate. He smiled at her Impotence.
and seated himself very amiably to
read the letter which would never have
attracted his notice. He smiled again
when he looked up at her, and quite
probably fiction of somebody's brain,
created to make forcible the undoubted
truth that there were scores of women.
with beautiful homes, whose wealth
brought them nothing but bondage. be-
cause of the impossibility of obtaining
the help of intelligent, dependable,
care-taking servants; while there was
a great multitude of women in need of
homes, and driven to all manner of
miserable make-shifts for a mere liveli-
hood, who might, if they would, sup
ply just this service, with mutual salts
faction and benefit. The problem was
to bring them together.
''But if the letter were genuine my
child" asked the minister, .'what
then?"
Then" said Matte. promptly, AZ
would write to the woman. and ask
her to let me try. should like nothing
better than to be her housekeeper. l
delight in housekeeping; I'm born
cook, and Dolly would be perfectly
happy with two babies TO cuddle and
sew for"
The minister looked at her doubt
fully.
az suspect it is only the rosy side of
her work that this letter writer de-
scribes; there must be a good many
disagreeable things about the position
of cook or nursery-maid."
"There are many disagreeable things
about our present position. began
Matte, but stopped abruptly.
Not even to the minister would she
have owned that they were actually
pinched sometimes for suitable food.
''Do you think" she asked, hesitat-
ingly. there would be any impro-
priety in my writing to this lady to
inquired"
mot in the least; 1 will forward
your letter with line to the editor.
Why not write here?" he continued.
And with the promptness of despera-
ton, Matte seized the venerable goose
quill, with which alone the minister
thought it possible to write his SER
mons. and penned upon a great, square
sheet brief, ladylike letter. The
minister's Endorsement was also brief.
to the effect that the writer was
sensible. practical, Christian girl.
tolerably we'll educated, and would. in
his estimation, be a benediction in q
family such as that described in the
communication signed Mrs. E. L.
Howe. While he thought it more
than probable that the case was a ficti-
tious one, he felt sure that there were
multitudes of women similarly situated,
and the editor would be doing IL good
Christian work if he would put this
young woman in communication with
some one of them.
The joint letter found its way in due
time to the sanctum of puzzled and
amused editor, who frowned and
laughed alternately over its contents.
half-disposed to toss it into the waste
basket. but finally put it in his pocket
with dozen other documents. 1t
might have remained there ind definitely,
for the editor was young man, and
had no personal interest in the dOmes-
tic problem, but, dining that day with
his sister. his serene enjoyment was
suddenly disturbed by a series of dull
thumps upon the stairs, followed by
piercing screams
There - said Mrs. Lattimer, rush
ing away. ''She's let the baby fall
down stairs; 1 always said she'd kill it |!
1 shall dismiss her the minute Fred
with tha baby. AZ never draw an easy
breath except when the children are
asleep"
''Oh. by the way. Florence. replied
her brother 1--WE got hold of n solu-
ton for all your domestic difficulties.
Never say I'm not practical again.
Here are two servants for you made to
order-a cook and a nursery-maid-
tives. sisters, capable, educated. war
ranted by the minister: what more
could you ask?"
Raymond. what on earth are you
talking about?"
ats all here. you can see for your
self. The fact is. I've been thinking a
good deal about this labor question;
and one evening I wrote q letter for