The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-07-04
THE LITTLE OLD LADY.

heard in all your born days, had told her
she was no lady, and had founced away
with her bandbox in her hand, shaking
her fist on the corner and anathemizinS
the humble cottage from the back plat
form of the car as a place not tit for
decent gurrel to stoop to live in. Conse-
quently Mrs Quiverfull had executed
her own washing, performed her own
cooking, accomplished her own dish
washing and velocipeded her own baby to
the accompaniment of what she described
as a raving headache, and was not in the
humor to greet her lord and master with
the beaming smile recommended in
"Guides to Young Matrons," and other
excellent works written for the improve
ment of those who are married, princi-
pally by these who never were.
Indeed, not only did she fail to smile,
but she positively frowned when Mr..
Quiverfull jokingly tickled her under
her chin and cried: "Well, wifelet, how
has the world been going with you to-
day?' and answered:
''Going, indeed!' with a tragic express
sion and appropriate gesture, as of cast
ing all earthly things-Mr. Quiverfull
included-away in despair.
''Girl gomez" asked that gentleman, as
Stunning serious demeanor and pulling
his feeble red mutton chop whiskers
softly.
He was one of the few who still cling
with tenacity to those curious outgrowths
of the masculine cheek, and are rather
proud of them.
"Words cannot describe how she went,
or the filth of the Kitchen" said Mrs.
Quiverfull. "rve been crawling over it
on my hands and knees to scrub it, and
there is nest of rats in the dresser
drawer and a curtain of spider webs
over the window, and her three Saratoga
trunks right in the middle of the entry,
not sent for yet. And she has left he1
hairbrrlsh in the refrigerator and her
pot Of pomade in the meat safe"
'Dear, dear, dear!' sighed Mr.. Culver.
full. 'Now what shall do for you!
How can help?"
''Take those children from under my
heels" said his lady, eff you want any
dinner"
"Well," said Mr.. Quiverfull, who had
eaten slice of bread and a cold boiled
egg at noon, and had had a long journey
from his Office to his suburban cottage
and was desperately hungry, 'wen wife
let, just bite of something when it is
ready"
"Oh, I've no doubt. Nothing disturbs
mans appetite" replied wifelet, who
was head taller than her spouse and
weighed considerably more. eff We're
at deaths door you could gobble."
Whereupon she founced into the Htch-
en-, and Mr.. Quiverfull, somewhat in
jured as to his tenderest feelings, for his
wifelet had never used him thus before,
formed the five small specimens of young
America, who were rolling about the
floor, together into line, headed them
with the baby on his shoulder and
marched them into the garden, where he
played with them until his wifelet thrust
her head out of the window and re-
marked:
'After all my toll and trouble he in.
tends to let the meat get cold before he
carves it."
Certainly" said Quiverfull to him.
self, "Amelia is upset today"
But all he did was to marshal his host
in doors and help to incase each in blue
check eating apron, and he tried to b.
cheerful, poor man! and he praised the
dinner, and he told funny story tina
Stibbs had told him, and he helped t.
wipe the dishes afterward; but nothing
soothed his wifelet or restored her to he
usual condition of mind. She had mad
up her mind that her lot was hard, tina
she had made mistake in marrying
small clerk in small drug store, tina
fate had afflicted her in bestowing fv,
boys upon her and in recently adding {
girl baby. All day she had been envy
ing maiden lady opposite, who sat il
her luxurious apartment tanning hersel
and reading. What happy fate wa.
hers! She had an immense income. She
boarded, she wore diamonds, she wa
driven out every afternoon; she had NJ
cares and responsibilities.
Later. when she had retired, the baby
asleep in her arms, and the five it'll
Quiverfulls in their cots and cribs in tn
next room, she listened to her husband
small, peculiar snore, like the purr of
contented kitten, and scornfully curle'
her nose in the darkness.
''Why couldn't l have waited for
good MATCH" she said. "Why must
marry red headed little man like that
Iwish was Miss Stickleback."
eff you really wish it, you can be,
said little voice at her elbow, and open
ing her eyes widely, Mrs. Quiverfull say
little old lady perched upon the pi
cushion in her work basket.
She was very little old lady indeed
not more than two feet high, and wore
Vatican dress and powdered hair. Sh
was tanning herself with fan made @
humming birds feathers, and she laughed
rs Mrs. Quiverfull prepared to cover L i
face with the sheet.
"You need not be afraid of me-" sh,
said. Il am your well wisher. You
have never believed in fairies, suppose
Well, now you see one. am fairy.
heard you bemoaning yourself little
while ago-regretting that you were moi
Miss Stickleback, and wishing yourself
rid of your little red haired husband
with small salary, your five big boy
and your squalling infant. can't blam,
you, either, pretty woman like you
You weren't made for dish washing ant
dinner getting. Miss Stickleback doe