St. Paul daily globe., 1893-07-12

There are certain women who seem
born TO take up the stitches that other
people drop, or do all the tasks that
other people shirk. She seldom has
time to think of herself. indeed her own
affairs never seem to need considering,
so cleverly does she manage them. We
have all met her. but only the New
York Times has eulogized her thus:
By special dispenSation of Provi-
dence there is one such in every COM
munity, and, better yet, at every sum-
mer hotel and boarding house through
out the length and breadth of the land.
The humane society, individually and
collectively, know her and her services,
but they award her no medal, though
she is life saver and benefactor to
countless thousands. In addition to the
actual service rendered. she teaches
many lesson to the inexperienced, who
pass il on until some things become the
heritage of the race.
She may be lonely old maid, whose
chief possession is good health. which
she guards by means of preventives
and simple remedies. For instance, she
has a hot-water bag, which she uses as
warming Pan" for damp sheets on
cold nights by the sea. She carries a
spirit lamp, which she lends more often
than she uses; mustard leaves, which
she invariably gives away: brandy,
which some stranger always finds
handy; nails and hammer, which she
will use for the benefit of the hookless.
She has novels that suit all tastes, per
feet crochet needles, odds and ends of
canvas with which she shows the latest
patterns to those interested.
Or, she may be the mother of some
sturdy boys and girls, who are provided
with old jackets and stout boots, and
therefore do not worry her life out bv
slipping out in pelting storm 10 see
whether the old hen has laid an egg in
the haymow, or the sea has washed up
another treasure.
She has arnica for Sprained ankles
and essence of ginger for "such pain"
IL she does hot own one of the neat little
medicine cases such as are everywhere
displayed this year, and which will fill a
long-felt want, her bottles, including
some special prescription that she has
found never failing, are packed in old
muslin and linen. valuable OH their own
account for the probable cut fingers and
sore toes. These bottles were put into
tin box, or old basket, and wedged so
tightly that Scatter-b Drained Tom carried
them all the way with "never a SPILL;
She has pieces of cloth like all the
trocks and all the trousers, bag of
buttons, shoe laces galore. pins and
hairpinS, and good black darning wool,
which experience has taught her can
never be found anywhere except lust
around the corner" from her own
house.
And with all these things, and sup
ply of underwear which nearly bursts
the corners of the shabby old trunk that
so many eyed suspicOusly when it was
first deposited on the piazza, she found
room for some cards for solitaire. a box
of dominoeS and game of backgammon
or halma for the older children. The
"middling-siZed" youngsters are pro-
yided with slate and pencils, which
latter she deals out ''iudgmahcally," ,"
one at a time. For the fve-vear-old she
carried box of beads. while the baby
crowed with delight to see his dear dog
with the chewed ear leap into his arms
when the trunk was unpacked.
Books she had none until the littl e
ten-year-old invalid pleaded for her
fairy tales and the bedtime Uncle Re-
mus. The mother had no time to read
novels, and her fancy work she declares
consists entirely of the darning stitch.
This woman, be she maid or matron,
is benedictlon TO the forlorn misan-
thrOpeS who bcwail days imprison-
ment in hotel parlors, ,reiterating in dull
monotones that they "never dreamed
of such weather."
She can talk servants or science,
pastry or politics, and, best of all, is a
good listener. She soon becomes al
authority. and when she waves fare.
well to those on the hotel piazza. there
is but one comment: "She was nice
woman"
Why? Because she knew what tc
put into trunk.
1t is lesson worth acquiring.