The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1888-02-10
1850 n Hiss crutehe,t's Plan.

ans III Mabel NernderS window, and
then turned every lingering drop to
diamonds. There had been yet an
other lingering shower at the same
time-the tears that welled suddenly
up from Mabe's heart and lett q sad
briliance in her eyes.
"lt's no use," said she. "His aunt
seima is right. ammo helpmate at all
tor Charley. l am nothing more than
drag upon him. And, oh, I've tried
so hard to help him."
OH" said old Miss Crutchett-
"what? And why should Charley he
helped? lie hasn't lost the use of
his limbs or anything. has he9"
No" unwilingly admitted Mabel.
She VAS just in that mood in which u
woman would rather make u martyr
OF herself than not. "But his salary
is SO small! And he has TO work so
hard,n'
Any harder than other people,"
questioned Miss Crutchett. "There's
car conductor lives OH our third
fat. He has to be up at O'Clock
every morning, and his last trip ends
at 1910 at night. And Philip Jones
is foreman OF n daily paper, and never
goes to bed till daylight"
''Oh, OF course, don't mean that"
said Mabel. "But l mean that he
has to work pretty steadily for u ri
aiculons salary"
S'Lsa, my DEAR" said Miss Crutchett,
''sala.ies OF any sort are to be respect.
ed now days. Ii Charley's place
was vacant, you would find score
OF men trying to get it. It's the natu.
raj consequence OF over-population in
our great cities"
"Yes," sighed Mabel, "but Horace
Fontain's wife earns quitea little sum
by doing crayon pictures. And Lucy
Weldon's novel sold for 5000. And
Nellie Ira von cmaroiders tapestry
for The Your. Womans Bureau
and Miss Copeiey gets So or 81 II week
by law-copying Tor her brothers firm.
Why couldn't do some such thing as
Chat"
docs Charley want youto?" asked
Miss Crutciett, the lenses OF her spec.
: tacles seeming to shine like inuuiring
eyes upon Mrs. Eerinder.
mo; but his Aunt Selma has been
saving such horrid, meddlesome
thit,ss about my being Il silly child,
and Charley having married TOO
early, and"
"liumph." said Miss Crutchett.
"Ihe troubles OF one-half the world
come from what the other hall saws"
"Ges, ! know" sand Mabel, queru.
lous'y; "but 1t would be so nice if {
you'd earn something myself. I
wouldn't care how little it was.
painted u lovely landscape OH old.
gold satin, last week, and sent it to
'he Fine Art Exchange, but there was
40 sale Tor it; and crotchel u beau
:iul carriage afghan, and it hung in
Bates window II month, and rot all
faded with sunshine and solled with
dust, and no one so much as asked
che price OF it. Ii only had some
sort of marketable Talent"
My dear" good Miss Crutchett
had begun; but here she suddenly
checked herself, and added: "Don':
SINE something burning in the kitch.
en-"
"nh dare say" said Mabel, spirit
'essly. "Christine is always searching
something or other. Our apple. com.
potc was ruined for dinner yesterday,
and the chicken pot.pie couldn't be
eaten OH Sunday. She DESTROYED u
whole baking OF bread on Friday,
and
But Mrs, Vcrinder broke short off
IN the middle OF her speech and fed
ITO Tie kitchen, where saucepan OF
!, CHESTER was bubbling on the stove,
! and Christine, the iaunty Swedish
thouse- maiden, was out in the area
watching the antics OF IL monkey who
"as;eha!neti to a hand nrnan
ITS too bad" erred Mabel excited.
y. "lts all burned to the bottom oil
she pan. And Charley is SO fond OF
lobster blsque, too. Oh, / could cry.
That Christine isn't worth her SAITH
"Iittle foxes spoil the grapes" alb.
stractedly quoted Miss Crut :hett
"What on earth DIRE you talking
about" said Mabel, starting at the
vid lady.
Nothing" said Miss Crutcllett.
This bisque is spoiled; so is the pan
it was stewed in"
"Dear! Dear" cried Mabel; "and it
is too late to mako another, and
haven't IL thing tor dinner in the
house. We must send to Nalighett:'s
Tor Il roast chicken and some apricot
tarts-that's ALL
40 the French restaurant on YES.
try place"
"Oh. yes" said Mabel, ndifferenty.
1--WE often do that"
"lIHnph." said Miss Crutchett.
"Wel., III 20 out and call that Swed-
ish damsel OF yours. What wages do
you pay he:, by the way"
'Fonrtrcn dollars u month";" said
Mabel, with troubled countennnce.
Just three times what she is worth"
''llumph" again remarked Miss
Crutr!lctt
"she'sso careless" said Mabel, plain.
lively. "She has clipped all
the beautiful china his Aunt
Selma gave NE for Il wedding present,
and she broke that exquisite
statuette OF Diana that stood on
the gilt tripod between the windows.
and she has let the moths get into the
p.I'ot wi pSt. OuC Vi SHEER neglect.
Oh she is such trail"
~ don't see why you keep such q
girl. " observed Miss Clutcheit.
They are alike" said Mabel. "a
miserable, shiltless set. If sent her
away l should in all probability get a
worse one iii her place"
"Humph." said Miss Crutchett.
The next day the good old lady
came cheeriully up to Mrs. Nerinder's
flat once more.
"Well, my dear" said she, awe
discovered a way for you to helpyour
husband"
Mabel flung down the book over
which she had been dreaming, her face
grew radiant.
Dear Miss Crutchett," said she, 81
shall always, always be grateful to
you? Is it literary labor?"
''N.no," said Miss Lrutchett, mot
exactly literary labor"
as it painting" urged Mabel.
''No, it isn't painting"
"Oh know" cried Mabel. "Type.
writing and stenosraphy! am sure
could learn them, ii. Only" she ad.
ded, with an apprehensive shadow
coming in her face, II shouldn't like
to undertake any occupation, Miss