The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1890-11-20
SELECTED.
SiLAS PETERS AND HIS WIFE IN
STiTuIE LOVING REFORM.


al guess l wont go 10 church th,'
morning, Silas, SAID Mrs. refers whii'
setting at the breakfast table one lovely
Sabbath in June.
why, Mandy thought you wanted
to hear the sermon. You know Elder
Bishop is going to preach Today.
81 know all about that replied Mrs
Peters with sigh" but lts o'cioct
now, and with all | have to 90 can
possibly get ready to. start by hall pas
ten"
Let me help you Mandy can wasf
the dishes; yes. and sweep, 700, He auu
ed triumphantly.
Yes, end probably you can make al
the beds and get the children really lo'
Sunday school, and clean on the stove
and skim the milk, and wash the pans
and peel tie potatoes for dinner, and seI
the meat cut and In the spluer'ana lay III.
fire ready TO light when we get nome
| replied Mrs. Peters scornfuIly
Now, Mandy said by this time crest
fallen Mr.. Peters, VI meant all rlShI
Can't you let the sweeping ana eiean'hl
20 for this time and we can do Wlthou
potatoes Tor once. 1t VIII make chahee
he added drily.
"Change! Yes, l guess 50. Ii You wan
A change so bad You had better go ant
board with Mrs. RnsSeii' you'll &c
change there, reckon, ard She smiled
5rimly. why, when went over lher'
he other morning to borrow a little 'nl
they had just ilnished breakfast; ans
such breakfast!
WHY, what was 1t Mandy ASKED
Silas, With his curiosity aroused.
Wtal was ~ You had better say VIVA
wasn't it. That was Just exactly 1t
ihere wasn't SINGLE oil OF PIE on Una
table, nor pickles, NOR cheese, nor Jely
bor anything
"Well, they had somelhlng TO eat
didn't they" queried Mr. Peters.
Yes, they had bread and butter, an'
mashed potatoes and STEAK oatmeal ant
cream and coffee and cookies win sun
| of scorni ''hut not even one snltcu o
| pie"
'Well, she's good COOK ANYWAY, 10
I've eaten there" sad Sllas, declueuiy
And | don't see hut what they hau d
good meal as we've got, Mandy.
"liump! Guess you better BOARD ther
awhile, Silas Peters, ana MIS-. feter
rose from the breakfast table
Anyway SAID olias 10 hiihseii' AZ n
was Harvesting his morse lot church. I
rather cat bread and mix LOT dinner Il
Mandy would only go Win NE once Ill
while. Yes, and for breakfast and sup
per too" he added, herolcaiiy' mere
goes Tom russell now Win MS "i,c anv
baby. How happy he looks! And vel
he may, for he's got his VIE. she goes
most everywhere with him. do wisl
Mandy would go with me. III seems kihu
er lonesome he unused, gettlns INTO INT
buggy with his two furbelowed chiiurel
and chirpng to the old horse.
The women OF the little hamlet OF ASH
vile had followed strictly IN lheir lore
fathers Cor rather ioremothers } ioot
steps-tables crowded win everything
set promiscuously, pickles, cheese ana
pie for breakfast; PIE, cheese anu pichle'
LOT uihher' anu eheese, pi'hiea an p'o
for supper. And at each society or yea
party that was held, each Iaay tr'eu u
out do the one before her. II MIS- "A
had three kinds OF cake and Two Oh PIE
Mrs. B--would nave iour OF nSe hlhus
of cake and three of pie, with perhaps
tarts as an addition; while MIS-
would by no means dlInlhish lhe qnanli9
of pie and cake, but would also ada dried
beef, jelly, cheese, etc
Elder Bishops sermon that morning
was excellent; so thought everyonei viii
perhaps the exception OF Sllas refers
He sat in his pew with his two children
but his eyes kept wandering 10 the Rus
sells pew.
"She's most as old as Mandy muSeu
he. "Mandy's little past thirty, and
NJ s. Russell, 30 jim Snyder's wife said
is twenty-eight, She doesn't look ~or
ried no wrinkles or lints. Poor NANCY
May be haven't helped her much as
might. Mrs Russell looks so happy an.
contented Wonder If she had as muci
to do as Mandy this morning. as SUD
den thought struck him.
After service, he returned home to hne
clean house, beautifully shining stove
and delicious dinner out "oi' II" "''
irritable wife.
'It's been 80 warm, she sala III 'lreu
me all out cleaning up. l haven't sal
down minute since you've been gone
with the air of martyr who faces duty
at whatever cost.
MANDY, why don't you let something
go once in Il while aud rest little: lhl7
dirt fight will wear you out"
| Rest. Me With all this WORK. Leave
| some Cleanliness is next to Goodness
Silas Peters,
"Yes, Mandy, next TO goodness 1t
eodliness comes first, dear hesitatlngly'
Mandy look quickly up, pink iluSh on
her face. When had he called her dear
before! Not since their old sweet court
ing days. 1t touched a tender spot III
her heart, and after the dinner work was
done up, as Silas sat thoughtfuliy on the
porch in the shade, she said, softly;
"Silas, wouldn't you Ike TO take me t'
church tonight as you used TO"
He looked up quickly,
Like to? Why Mandy, you know I've
wanted to ever so long, but you are al
ways so busy or tired. WIN you GO
Mandy" with an eager light In ms eyes,
"If you take me- she said, half smli
ing.
He looked at her moment aud them
said abruptly:
"How pretty you look, Mandy why
what makes your cheeks so pink! You
look almost as iyou used to eight years
ago. Then with sudden da,ing loos
In his eyes: Have you heard how Tom
Russell uses his wifeT