The Rugby news. (Rugby, Morgan County, Tenn.) 1890-189?, 1891-02-07

you would only wait for little dirt to
show itself! Oh have been so exas-
perated to see you sweep, sweep, saceep;
and now l am going to say all want
to, having begun so fluently," she
laughed a little, but continued earnest
ly, lit always gives you nervous head
ache after sweeping, for you are not
content with stirring up one room, but
you go through all the rooms that you
USE"
''Bpt Aunt Martha looked as if she
thought l was a very shiftless house
keeper"
sob, Aunt Martha! yes, she is one of
| that kind of women who polish their
! stoves until you can see your face in it.
| don't believe in the old-fashioned way
of housekeeping, neither do you, but
you haven't quite the moral courage to
defy gossip. And your sewing, Mamie!
Again, you dress the baby as if it We're
little princess, and it is not in good taste.
Children ought to wear very simple
frocks instead of tucks and founces and
insertions. And your own gowns might
bemade with fewer stitches; and instead
OF hemming your sheets and pillow
cases by hand, you might use your ma
chine''
"Oh, no." protested Mrs. Mamie, in
dismay.
swell, if you keep on this way, by
the time you are ten years older, and
you ought to be a young, fresh, healthy
woman at thirty-fve, instead of which
you will be thin and tired and sallow,
with chronic head and backache, al
ways staying in the house, unable to
walk or enjoy any thing out of doors;
never reading, but engrossed and wor-
ried for fear you are not as good a
housekeeper as Mrs. Winslow; your
horizon bounded by dishcloth, a
broom and needle! Oh, Nannie you
are too good and sweet and clever to
become mere machine!"
There was little silence; then Mrs.
Mamie spoke, and her voice was a little
husky, yet there was new ring in
it, as if she would look beyond her
world that was growing so narrow.
"What would you have me do? There
is no library in town-this is only a
little New England village-and l don't
believe there are women enough here
| who swould ta71eas Interest enough to
form a magazine club"
"Have you ever tried?" asked Ger
trude.
No" Mrs Mamie hesitated.
'Well, | have plan. At the end of
the week / will tell it to you, if it sue
ceeds, and you must agree to the con-
ditions?"
And so the matter was left.
When Saturday night came and the
work had all been done, and baby May
was sound asleep, Gertrude drew Mrs.
Mamie down on the sofa beside her,
took a paper from her pocket and said:
GLOW would you like a reading-room?"
Mrs. Nannie's eyes grew bright
'Well, you may have one. Ihave hired
that room over Mr.. Browns store. 1t
used to be Mrs. Jackson's dress-mal1ing'
rooms. Well, have hired it for year
that is my share. Oh, never mind, it
wasn't much. Well, here are nearly
fifty names; they represent twenty
families, and each person pledges only
one dollar apiece, which makes fifty
dollars, for papers and periodicals..
You can select what you wish-prob-
ably daily or two; the leading maga-
zines-an art magazine, book review,
juveniles for the young, and whatever
else you wish, for there will be few
more dollars added yet l have been to
DR.. Moore, and he has kindly offered to
have the floor painted. Mrs. Williams
has given her old drugget for large
rug; Mr. Barnes has sent over several
pictures, and some of the young people
are going to put up red Canton flannel
draperies at the windows, and others
are to donate chairs and tables. The
room will be very cozy and attractive
E--sry thing will be in working order
by the first of October"
"This is like fairy story! You are
a WITCH / believe. No one else could
have ever opened these purses"
"Peopfe seemed very willing, after
the first hesitation, of course. It all
will not cost them more tn an two dol
lars apiece for the year-wcod and
lights, you know, included. Any way,
it is good experiment to try. l should
advise you to form club, and meet at
least once week; then the library can
be kept open two or three hcurs each
afternoon and evening. You can all
take turns, you know, if it is necessary
to have some one there"
'It is perfectly lovelyp' exclaimed
Mrs. Mamie, unable to say more.
The next summer Gertrude came to
visit her cousin, and though, of course,
she had heard about the success of her
little literary undertaking, she was
glad to see for herself how much good
had been done.
"We could not get along without it!'
said Mrs. Mamie. 'Why, we have
| SOmathipU to tbinlr about bacidac orr-