The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-09-03

lD1 { i +: Il: -: i: !:
tE1S least, I have
=saS never bee n
able to Fl n
out when Mrs. Snively began to keel
boarding house. Though she had a
house full of dodgers who paid well,
she was always poor and did all of the
work. cooking, sweeping and the rest OF
1t. / have heard guesses concerning a
departed Mr.. Snively. who did not
carry his debts with him, but that's
neither here nor there.
The night before Mrs. Grant had told
her that she proposed to spend the next
day with her daughter in a neigh boring
village, and would Mrs. Snively have
an early breakfast SO that she nigh
catch the train? THE train left at
nine, but Mrs. Grant was nervous).
Strangely enough, old Mr.. Grumpy had
informed her that he also would be
to dine with friend, and would she
feed his parrot in his absence, precisely
at noon?
Then at breakfast, early bre akfast,
young Mr.. Lovelace had said in very
hesitating way with rising color, that
he had an engagement, oh!-Sr-that
he would not be there at dinner, would
be elsewhere, that is, in fact. Fur
thermore, Mr.. and Mrs. Gowell and
their three children were observed
making preparation for departure
about ten o'clock and when Mrs Snlve-
ly ventured to ask them their plans
she learned that they proposed to drop
in on the minister's family at dinner.
And wouldn't they be surprised!
That left no one in the house but old
Miss LIE Croix, and she was confined to
her room with rheumatism, SO that
Mrs Snivcly washed up the breakfast
dishes with strange feeling of leisure.
Thus she soliloquized:
Lets see. What's to-day? Day be-
fore yesterday / made bread. Or was
it yesterday? Yesterday. So to-day's
Saturday and to-morrow's Sunday.
Let's see. Last March a year ago, it's
fourteen lasting months since I've
been inside a church. (The hard
working little womans memory was
not good, but this was undoubtedly
true.) How good it would be to. hear
the benediction again, Now unto
him who is able to keep and to see
them take up the collection, so pleas
ant like. And let's see. How does
Coronation start?'' and the cracked
voice quavered through the grand old
tune, as the dish-wiper polished the
chinaware.
''Ill go to church tomorrow, Provi-
dence permitting and nothing hinder
ing. Now, for the first time in four
teen months, have a chance to get a
days work ahead. We can have cod
fish dinner tomorrow. How can man
age NOW? Chicken / can warm up in a
minute. And pie, too" Here Mrs.
Snively's meditations entered a sacred
realm into which do not dare follow
her.
What busy hours succeeded, prepar-
ing for the expected church-going on
the morrow! She swept and busted
and tidied up the house for Sunday, be-
cause 1.-The folks wouldn't be back till
too late to muss things up again, thanks
be to goodness People in passing
looked at her very queerly as she beat
her rugs out of doors and washed the
parlor windows. Il suppose l am a
down on an indescribable housekeeping
uniform.
There were not quite enough potatoes
for Sundays dinner, so she went out to
a large garden back of the house-a
garden in which the thrifty woman did
most of the work-and dug a peck of
her very best. Didn't folks ever see
a woman handle hoe before?" she in
dignantly soliloquized, observing how
people in the street stared at her and
turned around to look back at her,
laughing rudely. Mrs. Snively felt
lonely and ill-used as she tugged the
basket back to the house and began to
prepare the Sunday potatoes.
She took up her dinner on neat tray
to rheumatic old Miss LIE Croix, who
must have felt particularly cross just
then, for she snapped out: who's been
making all that racket about the house
this morning."
The folks were all away, and I've
taken the opportunity to get little
ahead in my work" faltered forth
meek Mrs. Snively. I'm sorry dis
turbed you
Huh! You'd better make your apol-
ogies to the Lord" grunted Miss lie
Croix, taking up the prayer book which
lay beside her reclining chair, and in
which she always read before eating
Mrs. Snively thought that a queer re-
mark from Miss LIE Croix, but bowed
herself confusedly out of the room, car
rying Miss LIE Croix's vase to fill it with
fresh flowers. When this was done.
and Mr.. Grumpy's parrot fed, Now"
said Mrs. Snlvely, "I'll do my market
ing for Sunday, and then cook what
can ali ready for tomorrow
So she put on her marketing garb, a
uniform only less wonderful than her
housekeeping attire, and with an i'm
mense basket on her arm, sailed forth.
1t was beautiful summer day, and
strangely quiet. How pleasant il is, -
chirped Mrs SuIvely to herself. and
how every one smiles Al me This is
CHEEKY world after all, if I am for
lorn old woman in it. How finely peo-
pie are getting 20 dress. I'm sure l
don't see how they afford it" muttered
she, as a group OF young ladies passed
her in beautiful gowns OF shimmering
summer goods. And then She thought
of her Sunday silk, lying undisturbed
for folIrteap months in the --r,y,L- AT