Beverly banner. [volume] (Beverly, N.J.) 1877-1964, 1890-01-11

nip them out, hatle, sad Alice
"and can drape it for you in a few
moments, if you will let me-"
"Now did you everp' exclaimed
Mrs. Drake, as, under Alice's def fin
gers, few graceful loopings took the
place of the puffs. Then with direc-
tions for a little pressing, she said good
bye, amid a shower of admiring thanks
from mother and daughter
Alice took her way to the house OF
young Mrs. Garde, who was one of her
good friends.
eyes, I'll take the book around the
FEreside. I'd take a dozen books if
they would show me any way to make
things a. little smoother around my
Preside. My hands are so tied with
these two children that have no time
to see to things in the kitchen; and if
had, 1 don't believe things would be
much better. We're living the for
lornest kind of a life. Frank is half
sick most of the time, and Pm begin
ming to think it's the wretched cook
ing. How can a man live on poor
bread all the time and be well? It's
sour one week and heavy the next !;
and that's about all the variety we
have"
"Too bad!" said Alice. 81 wish with
all my heart l could get you good
girl"
"You can't. I've searched the en-
tire country. Mother has sent two or
three out from the city, but they al
ways get homesick and go back. [ see
nothing but to resign ourselves to the
prospect of being hopeless dyspeptics.
1t makes me feel so good-for-nothing,
too. You will never make, such a
failure when you come to the duties of
life"
Don't talk so," said Alice, shaking
her head. "Why, l was Just making
up my mind that 1 am good for moth
ing. l can do plenty of things, but
they're not the kind that l can earn
my living by, unless l go regularly
and hire out, and don't want to do
that so long as l have good home"
"Of course not. 1t seems a pity"
said Mrs Garde, with sigh, chat just
such abilities as yours couldn't be fitted
in somehow to places where they are
needed"
ooh, don't put book at me-" said
the mistress of the next house at which
Alice called.
"Why, Mrs. Warner, what is the
matter? p asked Alice in concern as
that lady, after placing a chair for, sat
down and burst into tears.
ooh, it's my eyes troubling me
again. Your book would do me no
good unless you came and read it to
me. And books are not the worst part
of it, although its hard enough not to
be able to read. But look at that
mending- basket, piled up with two
weeks mending [ try to do little
bit at a time, but it hurts my eyes so |
can't go on, and the doctor says they
will never get well unless | give them
perfect rest. why" she said, half
laughing, 81 had to pin the ehildren's
clothes on this morning where the but
tons were off,
"Never mind the pins, but do take
care of your eyes" said Alice. at is
real trouble, and am so sorry for you.
Let me read you one Of the stories. Or
perhaps you would rather | did some
of this mending. Do let me help you
a little. 1t wouldn't take me very long
to do that whole pile"
"Of course it wouldn't, you are so
quick and handy. How fortunate you
are, Alice-eyes and strength, and so
bright and smart. You can do any
thing you want to do. Yes, you may
do tiff you will let me pay you for it.
And you don't know what blessed help
it will be. No, you shan't touch them
unless you'll agree to do it."
at is lust the kind of work you
can't get anybody to do" continued
Mrs. Warner Alice laughingly con-
sented, and settled at work. 81 sent
for Sarah Crandall, the other day, to
come and do up odds and ends for me
that's what | must get somebody to
do for awhile now. And she sent word
that she'd come in three weeks. She's
always engaged ahead. What is the
reason, | wonder, that you can't find
folks to do the little useful things just
when you need them most?"
Alice walked home with some new
ideas in her brain.
81 haven't made up my book club,
but / wonder if | haven't done better
than that. / believe it's just as they
say, there's enough to do of what / can
do if it only could be fitted in. I'm
going to try if l can't fit myself in
somehow
A week later she said -
"Mother, I'm going to work"
Il suppose so. You are always at
work"
"But l mean I'm going to earn my
own living"
mot away from homer"
"Well, partly"
"Alice, you can't. Haven't often
said you shouldn't go away as long as
there is a home for you ?"
Don't be frightened, mother" said
Alice, laughing. my goings won't be
serious. Pm going two days in the
week to Mrs. Garde's to bake and to
wind up her housekeeping so that it
will run smoothly between whites. I'm
going one day every week to Mrs.
Warmers to mend her up, and half a
day to Mrs. brakes whenever she
wants me to be hat-trimmer, dress-dra-
per, and toucher-up in general. Do
you think what | can do at home the
rest of the time will pay for my board
and lodging p,
II think it will"
"What | earn outside will clothe me
and good deal more. So | am self
Il i.