The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1891-10-30
THAT CITY BOARDER-
Why the Mardons Are Glad They
Took Her for the Summer.

Took Her TOR the summer
1t would be hard to find prettier,
more coy home in the whole county
than the Mardon cottage on this bright
summer morning. The swaying
branches of the gnarled old apple tree,
beside the open kitchen door, held full
many a feathered warbler, whose Tnu-
sic. fresh and sweet, seemed calling all
to I joice.
But the mistress of the little home
heeGicd not the invitation. These sum-
ner mornings were very trying to her,
in more ways than one The kitchen,
although picturesque TO the beholder,
was decidedly warm and uncomforta-
bic; there was an ironing and some
baking TO attend TO, besides dinner to
prepare for the hungry harvestcrs-
.'Only one pair of hands to attend TO
all this: 40 wonder feel tired. Plenty
of men in the field, but no girl To help
in the house. If | were slrl again, |
believe"
\ loud shrek from baby Interrupted
her soiiioquy. and h- 'r Ela- ~ her
way t. tue sitting all- % -a jrial of
her pat.,.uc,. awaited her. ! he little
boy, on Weakening had grlsped the
tablcclotii IN order 10 gaia hls so:ne-
what unsteady feet, ana frightened
by the havoc he had made, screamed
Justify.
.-Oh dear. almost time to begin pre-
pairing dinner; viii this child never
stop cryilss?'
At last after many efforts on the
mothcr's part, Freddie co@~eI fretting,
and e,ta 5lIshing his bal,y asp on the
floor with 4 basket OF pi .X- i.l.s', Mrs
Mardon started for thv --f,-hcn and
was soon busily engaged IA tIe prosaic
work OF preparing Vegetables
'-MilIy, have a letter from Mr. Col
burn: he wishes to send his daughter
here for 4 few months lie viii pay
well for her board and we need the
money. / want to begin laying away
something to buy farm iOr steve; he
would be Il good deal stcaaier II he had
something OF the kind TO look forward
TO, j think"
\ look of impatience, blending into
sorrow, came into the wifc's face. To
her the prospect of a boardcr was any
thing but pleasant, and At the mention
of Steve her heart was filed with
sharp pang the keen sorrow which
mother feels as she realizes that the
hopes which have for years sustained
and useful place in the world, are TO be
dashed to the ground.
We'll, l had better write and tell
her to come. Her father says ahc didn't
want to go to the seaside svit!l-thc rest
of the family. She is pretty particular
and you better fix up the spare cham
ber guess
Il will do the best | can. but there
is so much work to do now IL seems
impossible for me to do more. But |
suppose we must take her to board -
why. of course, Milly; ready money
isn't SO plentiful that we can afford to
miss the chance of making a little ex-
ira when we can"
lie was soon on his way to the field.
Alone with her thoughts, Mrs. Mardon
indulped in some bitter reflections.
The prospect of fastidious young lady
boarder was anything but pleasant to
the weary, overworked wife and
mother.
Frank is so anxious to make money
he thinks of nothing else. If he hac
been different, more Icnient with
Steve's boyish pranks, IL would have
been better. Perhaps if / had spent
more time talking with him and en-
couraging him he would have been
steadicr: but I've always been too tired
10 take the time when my work was
done. and now the children seem grow
ing away from me. Meta Is detcrn incd
to keep up an intimacy with the Down
ings. ard Tom Downing is not the man
/ should want her to marry lam sorry
she went to learn a trade, for her work
takes her around too much, and need
her help at home
Light footsteps were now heard and
the subject of the mothers ref ctIons
ent red, Il fair-haired, laughing girl of
eighteen years
Dear! how warm this kitchen is
Do hurry with the dinner, mother.
Father is coming with the men from
the ii Id and I've got to get back as
soon as l can"
Dinner is ready, daughter. Can't
you help me little?'
81 have got to sew a ruffle in my
dress. Where is Lizzie? ] should think
she might help; she has nothing 70 do
but 90 to school, while i am at work
all the time"
Lizzie hasn't come from school yet
think l can get along now very well, ."
and the foolishly indulgent mother
hurriedly dished the food as the me n
entered the kltcnen-
Naturally selfish and indolent, Meta
shirlled all the household tasks possi-
bic. She was not utterly heartless but
so accustomed was she to seeing her
mother at work, that it seemed quite
the proper thing to have her assume all
the work and responsibility. 1t was
seldom that Mrs Mardon required any
service of her daughters, and when this
was the case, important duties usually
demanded their attention elsewhere.
To be sure she had entered feeble
protest when Meta wished to learn the
dressmaker's trade; told her she need
ed her help at home, but in the end the
girl carried her point 1t was natural
she should want to earn money to buy
the pretty dresses, the thousand and
one trifles in which young girl de-
lights. SO the mother reasoned.
The guest chamber was in readiness
for the expected occupant by the next
evening, and was as inviting as clean
liness and simple, dainty furnishing
could make it.
Meta was to go to the station for the
guest, an ergand which she performed
with alacrity-
1t was twilight when Desiree Colburn
TedchSu the idrnnousc anu, as snc
went directly to her room, the family
saw little of the stylish young lady
whom each confidently expected.
''She has beautiful travelling dress
and brought two trunks with her"
Meta announced when they Were alone.
''Hunph! stuck-up city girl likely,
who thinks country people are no
body" Steve retorted, as he started OF
his regular evening walk to the on,
store the place afforded. With a sigl
his mother looked after him.