Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1888-04-05
A GOOD IDEA.
A Common Kind of Little Household
Fairy and a Household Angel.

face to meet the very CHEEKY one O
their next-door neighbor.
''Oh, she's great deal better, thanh
you, Mrs. Bright She's been helping
round good deal this morning. fol
we've sent Nora away. She's gone tt
lie down, but she'll be glad to see you
I known.
Don't disturb her, dear I'm sorry
she had to give up Nora so soon, bu
glad she got such good little
daughter to help her.
"Well, don't know" said Ruthie
rather dolefully IF I was bigger
suppose might be some good. but I'm
SO little"
IA willing mind helps out small
hands wonderfully. little grille
MAY be so, but I've been wishing
could have lived in fairy times, Mrs
Bright.
why, dearest?"
"Oh! just think how nice it would be
to have one come in all smiling and
with shining dress and long curling
hair, and give one wave of her COLDER
wand and have this kitchen all cleaned
up before you had time to turn
| round"
Ruthie laughed as she spoke, and
Mrs Bright laughed with her.
''But it seems to me-" said Mrs
Bright, ''that the people in those times
must have been rather lazy set
Don't you think yourself now, that il
| is great deal better to stir around
with bright face and a light heart
and quick little hand and set things
right in just the way God meant us to
do-hey. dearieP'
''Well. suppose you are right, Mrs.
Bright" said Ruthie, with an answer.
ing smile. ''But it's day after day. and
do get so tired of plodding over the
same things. It's dishes and kettles
and pans, and pans and kettles and
dishes"
'It's the spirit you put into the do.
ing that will make it pleasant, dear.
Try to look upon the kettles and pans
as SO many humble stepping-stones to
raise you into the atmosphere of low
ing service. 1t is in the little things OF
life that the Master has given most OF
us the power to do for Him. So 60 on,
dear. You can do far better than have
fairy to come and do for you. You
can be fairy yourself-a real house
hold fairy. and work wonders if you
try. Goodbye"
The CHEEKY face disappeared. leav-
ing it's reflection on Ruthie's as she
looked about her. The little conceit
exactly suited her fancy.
Il believe that's good idea," she
said to herself lam going to try how
many wonders can work before din
ner time. 1t will surely be wonder
to get this kitchen clean. I've q good
mind to go at it thoroughly, not to do
it just half way. 1t always feels mis-
cradle to do things by halves, think.
But where shall I beginP''
She soon found place to begin, and
was striving with all her might to work
a real transformation in the disorderly
room. Nora had done the scrubbing
and other heavy work before going
away, but there was plenty still to be
done in the large room which served
for both sitting-room and kitchen.
Ruthie paused in dismay as last of all
she opened corner cupboard.
lit hasn't been touched forweeks, :"
she said. ''and father and Ned have
tucked away every thing into it,
For moment she felt tempted to
give it hasty touch or two and leave
it for more leisurely day.
mo, I won't" she said, firmly.
s.Fairies never sighted their work, at
least any that have ever read of. Pm
going to get to the farthest corner.
But, there's baby!'
She softly stole into her mother's
room and brought out the curly-haired
darling, who seemed little inclined
to be fretful after his sleep. But she
petted and coaxed him until with a
crust in his hand he was quite content
to be tied into his chair and watch her
as she went into the farthest corner.
"Oh! here's your jumping-jack. ba-
by" And he crowed with delight as
she brought out the long buried treas
ure. "And here is Ned's skate-key
that he's been moaning about for weeks
and always had to borrow of the other
boys. And oh, oh. if here isn't my
story book that 1 only half read
through. How did it get in here, I
wonder! Well-there' nothing like
giving things a good going over once
in awhile. How long I've been hunting
for that!
Now, baby, if you'll only be good a
little while longer, I'll try to make some
biscuits for dinner, know exactly how
mother does them"
Whether it was the jumping-jack or
the brightness in Ruthie's face, no one
knows, for he never told. but baby be-
haved like jewel, as Ruthie made her
first venture on the biscuits.
a might have done it long ago, !"
che said, as a little more than half an
hour later she took from the oven a
pan of biscuits. light and nicely
Drowned. such as any cook might be
proud of. but there are plenty of
things might have done long ago. if
I had only thought SO. But wasn't
fairy Their"
20 mamma, here you are! Ruthie
looked proudly about the room as
mammals quick eye took in every de-
1