Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1890-06-27
INSIDE OF FIVE MINUTES.

Jeffrey groaned as if all the sins OF Chicago
were loaded on his conscience. Presently
he remarked, in a calm voice, TO his pretty,
young v ifc, behind the teakettle:
Mr.. Jeifreys, those biscuits are sue
cess And when Nj. Jeffrey had said so
the last half of the seventh hot biscuit,
with its thick coat of butter, reached the
place where the groan had come from But
while stirring his fifth cup Of tea he said,
with another groan: That speech makes
me lose my appetite. You don't know how
fellow can be worried about his maiden
speech, Molly! You need not fret about
such things. That's a comfort, anyway
''You need not worry either, jeff. Ask
to be excused, if it botherS you. They
will invite somebody else to take your
place"
"Wont do Molly! 1 was rather pleased
when the committee asked me, and so |
promised right away. 1t would look bad
to back out now"
'Iook here, Will; suppose l write that
speech for you, and you deliver it,
ooh, Mol, would not think of such a
thing
"Why notl Why can't We hslp each
other in this, as in everything else' The
one OF us that finds thing easier ought to
do IT,"
'Its great deal harder than you
think"
II remember the time when l was Molly
Ross. I thought it a great deal easier to
dash off an Grafton than to bake a decent
loaf of bread. Well, shall 1 write it for
youl"
''No, thank you, Molly! 1t would never
do, l am afraid A fellow ought to stand
on his own ground. l am bound to do it
all by myself" He looked the picture of
proud independence
"All right, viii. Do just as you think
best She seemed little Inundated.
'Never mind, Molly! I believe in your
biscuits and ceffee and butter, and lots of
other things You are about as nice and
good little wife as any fellow could wish
for; but would not have you dabble in
political speeches. st. Paul don't approve
Oft either" he added, jocularly.
81 don't think st. Paul would object if
be could come back. So broad minded a
man as he would be sure to alter some of
his opinions for the use Of our times. Be-
sides, l offered to write in order to relieve
you, sir. A woman can write, and still
hold her tongue, and keep below the ros-
trum."
'All right; but you see, Molly, there is
another hitch. You can't argue that way,
if you tried ever so hard. l don't believe
a woman can say all she has to say in five
minutes. No speaker will be allowed
more than five minutes at the celebration.
Now, a woman meyer knows when to stop
She can't do it to save her life. Her tongue
will wag about things in general for half
an hour, and by that time she generally is
so excited you could not stop her any more
than you could stop watch that's wound
up for the day. You would have to bust it
or throw it in the water; nothing less VIC.
lent could stop it"
'Do stop, JEFF, you horrid mani There!
that's nice! And l. who thought l had
trained you well to think highly of me and
the rest of US womenl You will have to be
put through new and special course of
training, sir. And as for that speech, you
may sigh about it as much as you please,
for al | care. I would not write that
speech for you now if you went down on
your knees to ask me for it--no, sir; you
will have to write it by your own proud
sell, hubby"
The big bearded young hubby"
evidently thought her mock anger a good
joke.
"No, won't waste drop of ink ON it,
he said. 1--WE are just going to think it
over on the stoop, my pipe and [. l guess
can see through it before to morrow
morning
When the roosters awoke Mr.. Jeffrey
next morning he said:
molly, you ought to have heard my
speech! 1t went off like a rocket; the
people clapped like fury, and the fellows
the Fourth of July and my speech came
off first rate in four minutes and fifty-ive
seconds. | do wish it had not been
dream,'
Molly Ross had been a village school
teacher She was small, airy creature,
and still she understood how to wind the
biggest boys around her little finger. They
were tame enough in her presence, but be-
hind her back they were ready to fight for
the honor of carrying coal to her stove, and
the bliss of drawing water for her at the
well. There had never been so popular a
school -marn in that village. But at the
very height of her popularity Miss Ross
handed in her resignation to the trustees,
and disappeared from this world at the end
Of the month. AT that period she was last
seen entering village church, where a
simple marriage ceremony changed her
into Mrs. Jeffrey, the wife of young
struggling farmer from the neighborhood
Miss Molly Ross had worked five hours a
day, and rested on Saturdays, Sundays,
legal holidays and all summer; Mrs. Jeffrey
worked sixteen hours a day and knew of
no Saturday holidays, no Sunday rest, no
summer vacation. Miss Molly Ross had
cashed forty dollars. Mrs. Jeffrey cashed |
just forty dollars less. Still Mrs. Jeffrey |
was supremely happy even after year of
married life, and could not understand how |
in the world she could have gotten along !
as Molly Ross. What a difference love |
makes anyway! The young couple were !
doing well, but they had to work very |
hard. lie toiled in the fields and stable |
from sunrise till sunset, certain parts. of the |
year; she worked in the kitchen and dairy !
all day long, all the year round, and had |
breath enough 10 sing merrily at her work. |
And she had the loyeliest color in her
checks, not due to cosmetics, but manu-
featured by the old reliable firm, Youth, |
Health and Kitchen-fire.
1t was hay making time on the iarm-a
busy, warm time. The Fourth of July. the |
village celebration. and Mr. Jeffrey's |
maiden speech were drawing close Dinner
was over, and dish washing, too--and Mrs. |
Molly now proceeded to churn butter A
buggy stopped at the gate; an elderly |
gentleman. with gray whiskers and gold |
spectacles, came walking up to the house,
and shook Mrs. Jeffrey's outstretched hand |
on the door step, where the little lady, in |
her neat print dress and white apron, had |