Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1888-05-18
THE H0USE.CLEANING.
BY HELEN FOREST GRAVES.

BY HELEN FOREST GRAVES.
"Leah-Leah are you most
through whitewashing the cellar
wall? TIE baby is so cross, and
Johnny has just fallen down the front
steps and knocked out two of bis
teeth, and your father and two hired
men are clamoring for their supper.
and Pm SO tired out, l don't know
which way to turn!"
Leah Falkirk stopped with the
whitewash brush still elevated in air,
and listened.
"Where's JEANNE, mother?" said
she.
"She won't leave her book" re-
turned the nasal, melancholy voice of
Mrs. Falkirk. "She says the chill
dren are no business of hers"
"Very well, mother; I'll come. AL
though" Leah added, in sort of So
lilouuy, IL should have liked to finish
this place tonight. Of course it will
a II dry in streaks, and shall have
the whole thing to do over to-mor-
row. Oh. dear! / don't suppose
there was ever anyone who toiled
from morning till night as l do"
She united the coarse crash apron
that enveloped her from head to foot.
loosened her curley red brown hair
from the folds of a red cotton pocket
handkerchief that she had tied turban-
wise over her head, washed her hands
in a tin basin by the aid of bar of
yellow soap, and ran up the cellar
steps to the kirchen, where kerosene
lamp had just been lighted to reveal a
most uninviting repast.
Mrs. Falkirk had been house clean
ing all day long. Unfortunately for
family, che was one of those notable
housewives who cannot clean one
room in the house without throwing
all the rest into hopeless confusion.
The rag Carpet was taken up, the
paper stripped half off the walls, and
half of it hanging in futtering pen
nants, and the "overhow" from the
neighboring rooms was piled up in
all directions, with step ladder and
two or three brooms balanced against
it.
The table was set for supper in the
least occupied portion of the room /;
the fire sulked and smoked as fires
will when an east wind storm sets 10
during the latter part of May; the
lamp persisted in sending up spurts
of fame on one side of the wick The
men, who had just come in from the
fields, radiated sort of misty atmos-
phcre OF disagreeable damp as they
stood around the stove, looking hope
lessly about them. In his mothers
arms, Johnny was bewailing himself.
and the baby kept up melancholy
monotone to his neglected cradle,
while two other children furtively
dipped their fingers in dish of apple
sauce, and stole a ginger cookey or 80
whenever they could.
Leah and JEANNE Falkirk were the
two daughters of the farmer by his
first vie. The present Mrs. Falkirk
was the mother of the unruly flock
who at present reigned in the nursery,
and she had a hard time of it, more
especially as Jennie the younger and
prettier of the two step daughters,
absolutely rebelled against her step
mothers rules.
II am not paid servant" she was
wont haughtily to remark, when pool
Mrs. Falkirk appealed to her for aie
and comfort. II can't endure chill
dren, and l don't owe any duty to I
woman who is not my dear mamma. VI
Which was, perhaps, very pretty
and sentimental of JEANNE, but came
gather hard on Leah.
But" said Leah. cheerfully, "1'u
not beauty like Jeannie. Beauties
are always sensitive"
So that she was not surprised q
Jeannie's Withdrawing herself int
the easiest chair in the room, by al
especial lamp, to read a new novel
while Mrs. Falkirk, pale haired
watery eyed little woman. calle'
plaintively to her Leah) for assist
ance in this emergency.
Just then a tall, ovcr-grown lad
the eldest and probably the most IN
gainly of the second flock of Falkirk
rushed headlong into the room.
Mother" he shouted, "there'
: been a load o. hay overturned jus
. front Of our house, and the teamster
! they say they can't get no further to
/ night. and can you keep 'em till tc
morrow morning-say?" ~'
Sorry to intrude, ma'am." said
tall, rather pleasant-voiced maj
4 whose face was concealed by his rul
t her coat and cape: "but our horses al
|. deadbeat. and 30 gre we, and the loa
of hay has settled the question by tur
ing itself over-so l don't see no
we can avoid becoming pensioners o
= your kindness"
Mrs. Falkirk looked nervousl
around.
r ooh, dear! said she, II know wh'
II the Bible says about entertainir
angels unawares, but we're hou
cleanin', and'-
ID "And," added JEANNE, in shar
ly incisive accents, "it's perfect irnpo
ID ition for people to come here in tn
BY sort of way. Exactly as if pa kept
as tavern"
Folks is welcome" said Abel +
re kirk. slowly-"kindly welcome,
they can put up with the sort of ia
I" and accommodation my wife can gi
- 'em at house cleaning time
| "Is it far to the next house of {
tertainment?" the smaller OF the T.
strangers questioned. REALLY Jon
', / feel that we are intruding UNIV
En- rantably-".
: No, ye amt! no, ye ain',!" 81
= Mr.. Falkirk. "Set down, strange
}. Lewis, put on another dry stick, q
ST. zee if ye can't stop this everlast
ms. MS smokin'. Leah, my lass. see WI
Es- you can do for bite o. supper.