Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-01-14

1
you know, and I'm bound 10 confess that neve
can nope 10 acquire that womans art OF whitening
people up 10 the same extent In sweet silence.
HOW Oh should you say she might be, Bald
Win? SAID, as she swept away that morning.
,ow Vel her manners says Baldwin. points
admlTation all gentlemen gives her suggest:
twenty-nOt more"
Where did she pick up all this housekeeping
herr" ~ " VIM e'
shes that kind OF a female" replied Baldwin
say run steam engine, would get right on and
=. Mienout any instruction, and with that SAINT
she Wa set e se oSy IN Ss sSu
ment that could get the patent lamp to work."
What II she was?" says l.
| Nothing" says he, gathering up his silver, "eH-
cept that she Is studying you silently Just as she
dld the lamp, and when you get 10 trying some Of
your lodges she'll Just manipulate you a little and
you'll settle down in your proper place In 1--WE
| minutes, like the lamp, and resume work with nc
more smoke or spluttering.r
| Deed! Mr. Baldwin, IL takes more than chit OF
agirl 20 manage me, says ], holly. "And before
two weeks are out she'll ind I'm not to be either
smiled or stared into doing anything don't want
'In which case, !" remarked Baldwin. smiling, "a
fancy she Will shoW you that your place is situated
on the outside OF this apartment and no latch key
| provided
ooh. you think SOY" said sarcastical
| 81 Know It, said he easily: consequently my
advice Is, don't go hunting about for grievances;
Just Jet things slide along easy"
| Wasn't that just Ike man? Let things slide
along easy!-easy! when IL was question OF
whether TO sit or be sat upon. rather thought I'd
show him was not quite 50 easy manage a
chance TO assert myself. Mrs. Wetmore kept on
that nasty imDerviOus smile and simply ignored
which red G bey y sr E minor
| duced one OF my trumps and played that, hoping
70 break up her stony calm: left the pots, pans,
all day. so as To destroy that air OF neatneSs so
| dear TO young matrons heart, This, felt sure,
would bring her out. Well they staid there three
even
/ looked al them till the fourth; then she said,
/! Cleaning your closets, Parker"
oh no, ma'am." said; Thursday is the day
you appointed for that. keep the things out be-
| canse 1t saves trouble to have them ready to my
| hand. You don't object, maan?"
She looked at me minute thoughtfully, and
then she smiled that everlasting smile OF hers
| ing, blandly: mot in the least, Parker. AS long
as everything is 50 exquiSltely clean, do not care
whether you keep the frying pans on the chairs or
| not IL must be nuisance TO put things away
each time in that horrld closet. never saw such
| a mean affair " She cried nonninc her head in it
with disguised air. Its disgrace TO the builder
and you are very sensible not TO use it-very SEN
| Sibie."
Now, do you know. the minute she said that /
felt violent liking for that closet and the minute
she left had my things back there in a Jlny.
What was the use OF making myself miserable IL
| she didn't care? But didn't understand why she
| didn't. She was the neatest woman ever lived
with; all her belongings was kept like wax; every
thing had a box, and every box had place, and,
! moreover, was kept in 1t. Besides, that speech
about keeping things where pleased, as long as
i kept them clean didn't sound right IN the mouth
| OF bride. Young hOuse-keeperS don't feel like
that they're forever fuSsing about with cute little
hooks to hang spoons on, and suggesting how nice
il would look il every plate on Tue dresser had a
cup and saucer In front of It, viii the blue bowls
| alternated Therefore kne,C that speech wasn't
| her own She had been put up 20 IL, as told
Baldwin. IL couldn't be accounted for unless her
| mother was teaching her on the sly.
| "Her mother died years ago, likewise his" said
Baldwin, $50 1 guess you'll have to lay it to in
| spiration, II you must rumple yourself up to ac-
count for 1t, though don't see the necessity.
A nv lnr hAr oil and bl
| high wages, light work, and a mistress who don't
object TO frying-pans on the chairs?"
temptuously. It's a question OF principle, not
| frying pans, as any one but a man would see."
"Well, being man, it's natural TO talk like one, ;"
/ replied Baldwin. "And as I'm man who know a
| good thing when he sees It, 1 mean to keep my
situation, and have another Of your very delicate
And that was all got out OF him But for all
! that discovered where Mrs. Wetmore's iuspira-
| ton came from. And where do you suppose she
| mouchor case | found 1t, The Young Housekeep-
| er's Manual, with the page turned down at "Hints
| on the Management OF Servants;" and down
| sat to read IL, and very interesting 1t was,
| making Inc think OF the proyerb about ..old
maids children, IL was so scientifically and per-
| fecty unsuitable for every day use, though read
| ing delightfully."-. The chapter on servants was
| specially soothing. The mistress was advised to
remember that We were human beings like herself
! a JudiciouS mixture OF f1rmness and Kindness
coupled with study OF our characters and due al
i l0Wdnce Tor our idlOtsyncruSies. When reached
that flew into the parlOr, where Baldwin was
| taking his ease, the family being at the OPERA
There" l cried. waving the book at him-"theres
your paragons inspiration! Andoh, my, Baldwin,
! amt IL fne 10 have young lady making a study
\ OF your character and allowances for your IDIOT
ioa For my part knew had any,
| 81 expect you've always heard them called tan
| trums," he said dryly.
| head up, ''I'll give her new variety. She'll ind
| she can't match a live girl with a book"
MAYBE she wont c3hnne herself TO her printed
| you-exactly as she made Mr.. WetmOre take her TO
| the theater Tonight"
"Well, I'm sure that couldn't have been hard
says l. '.for when handed you the soutie the shoe
was on the other root-she didn't want TO go, nd
| he was set on It."
.'Of course" says Baldwin, slapping his knee.
'that's where her cuteness came in, Parker for
Mr. W. came home cold and tired, and before he had
his soup, SAID the opera was out OF the question:
such a beastly night
"And how did She bring him around?" says L,
real curious. Ibid she cry? Brides mostly do"
"Cry!' returned Baldwin, contemptuOusly-.'she
| cry, Not much; nor pout, nor sulk nor coax
don't know exactly how she did IL, but she PLAYED
on him like he piano. First she agreed viii n
him; then she raised his curiosity by quoting bits
| from the papers about the opera; then she made
him laugh, taking on the prima donna; and the
| laboring under the delusion that he was the one
that wanted TO go, and she was very sweet to ac-
company him. IL was beautiful" he cried, ssbeau-
tiful, TO see her bring him around"
beautiful! call it hypocritlcal," said, tired
| OF his nonsense; land III wanted my husband 10
do anything, and he wouldn't do 1t, wouldn't act
a lot OF lies; I'd"
"You'd just hit him on the head with a rolling
pin, broke in Baldwin, land he'd Just give you a
black eye and spend his evening at the club " hich
would be a great deal better than Mrs. WetmOre'S
| style-wouldnt 1t Parker"
never could tell whether Baldwin was In earnest
or not, so i dropped the subject, and he read me
the society notes till the WeJmOreS came hack IN
supper with lot OF friends.
AS II happened, the next day was the first OF
the month, and right after breakfast Baldwin in
formed me was TO go 10 the library; Mrs.. Wet
more wanted me. Naturally / suspected some
thing was wrong; for, following her manual her
habit was TO give her orders In the kitchen, and
sort OF snOop around the closets every morning;
her as good she gave, though Outwardly was
as decorous as a clean piow-sham. / found her
writing In her everlasting account book dressed
TO xiii in a lovely gown, little bunch OF KEYS
at her belt, her pOcket-boOk and letters on her
desk. all very comfortable, quite the model house.
keeper.
s'6iOod morning, Parker" says she, looking I'D
very affably. do you recOllect the directions /
gave you In regard To ordering goods from The
trades peOpie?"
certainly, ma'am."
happens they were contracted" she said handing
me a small bundle OF order checks. ''YOu will see
they amount 10 about 81. Did you order Them or
has the grocer made q mistaken"
All this time she was smiling and staring az me
perfectly uneInDarras,ed, though ielt FAR from
easy.
$50 far az I can remember ma am said. planc.
ing at the items and trying 70 Initiate her cool.
ness IL did order all these things. You see, they
II