The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-12-10

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their cross barred muslin sacques were
certainly not in order to wear TO church
on Sunday.
II was rather tiresome, sitting In the
hot sun and waiting for the water 10
get warm enough TO commence opera
tions. Ellen's foot was now quite lame
and was marked by deep, red stripe
where the coal had fallen. she began 10
think her sister unkind, because she TOOK
no notice of IT, and was not inclined 10
fall into raptures about how aunt would
be surprised and convinced when they
showed her clothes nicely ironed, that
night. and what their mother would say
to their being so industrious. Amanda
position was anything but lady-iike, as
she sat embracing her knees with both
arms. You would have thought she had
assumed Nora's manners with Nora
work.
BY and bye she grew very impatient;
and though the fire burned so slowly
that the water was scarcely lukewarn'
she dipped out enough to commence with,
and, putting a large handful OF soap on
her green apron, she began 10 rub II
vigorously talking the while 10 Ellen,
who proceeded more cautiously.
Seems to me, ELY, they put clothes IN
soak. Yes I'm sure they do. So I'll put
them good stir. / wish l had a rubbing
board Nora always carries hers up TO
the house ! never shall get along with
out a rubbing board, shall you, Elem Oh,
dear. how hot the sun is! l wish | could
move this great, heavy bench into the
shade. believe my neck is all blistered.
Why don't you rub. Ellen? this is the
way" and so she ratified on TO Ellen's
mute mods. or weary. disheartened words.
At length, Sarah Brown was hailed once
more, and "washboard" borrowed from
her Their young neighbor was part.cu-
larly delighted at their proceedings, d
volunteered the information that 1T might
be new fashion. but she never see blue
ing put into suds before, and 'twasn't best
TO put soft soap into calicos."
Amanda vas not a little mortified about
the blueng. for she had informed her
sister that Indigo was quite necessary TO
clear the suds. She had watched Nora,
on Monday and she dipped the bag In
the water and then squeezed il. So"
The rubbing-board proved fatal to the
knuckles OF the young amateurs. What
with the strong soft soap. and the unac-
customed immersion in water for so long
a time, small blisters rapidly formed. and
the skin was bruised and discolored. SO.
after stirring the clothes about for
little while longer, the sisters concluded
they were clean enough to boil, and ac-
cordingly another liberal supply Of soap
was given to the different articles, and
they were placed in the kettle. To be
sure. they did not promise snowy white
ness, and Ellen was somewhat dsmayeG
at the appearance Of her blue cambria
frock. but Amanda said the boiling and
rinsing would do wonders. However, even
her buoyant spirits tagged as they once
more seated themselves 10 await the boil
ing that would not commence. and their
aching limbs as we'll as aching heads,
thrilled with pain.
The kettle would not boil There was an
end of IT, The sticks of wood were too
large. the chips too green. The flame
plunged dimly through huge volumes
OF smoke, and the suds did not even sim
mer. How long they would have waited
for IL, i cannot tell-but just then the
dinner-bell of the Parsonage rang loudly
and they started to their feet in dismay.
There was not a moment to loose, FOR
their hair was all in disorder, their faces
blackened, and with the indigo, blue
blackened, and the perspiration had made
a strange mingling of hues. And now was
a hard task TO empty the tubs, moving
them from the high wash-bench, and
carrying them TO the brook-side, for there
"
the dipper The clothes were squeezed,
not wrung, out Of the warm suds in which
they had been soaking, and fresh water
poured upon them but they were more
dingy than ever. But the wringing out
was task they had not calculated -or.
They succeeded very well in the lighter
pieces, but the night-dresses and skirts
bafiled their puny strength. They could
scarcely lift the heavy cloth, saturated
with water. Their arms were already
stiff, their hands aching II seemed as II
Ellen's head would burst with pain. She
longed TO sit down on the fiat stone. and
cry but she was afraid Amanda would
laugh at her, perhaps scold her; so the
toied on. She saw Sarah Brown come
down TO the brook-side and watch them.
She wished she would not look at her 80
strangely-and then her temples throbbed
more painfully, and the brook roared
louder and louder, the sky grew dark, and
everything reeled before her.
Poor Ellen! when consciousness re
turned, she was lying on the chintz lounge
in her aunt's parlor. all soiled and wet
as she was her face showing the stains
all the more for her great paleness and
strangs ringing in her ears, as If the
brook was flowing through them.
Her aunt was holding her, and several
gentlemen, evidently just from the dinner
table, were standing around. Poor Aman-
ds! for she was there, too, almost as pale
as her sister with fright, and looking
still more dirty and forlorn, with her hair
hanging about her eyes her skirt pinned
back as she had seen Nora do. and the
tears making blue channels down her
cheeks. They were both put to bed as
soon as possible. and Nora sent TO finish
their work, which the gooG-natured Sa-
rah Brown had already accomplished!
Ii was not until the next day that FL
len fully understood how she had tainted
through heat, and pain and fatigue, and
Sarah Brown ran for assistance and her
favorite. Mr. Poland. whose visit they had
lost, after such pleasant anticipations,
had carried her to the house In his arms.
And IL was sad sequel, when the new
green apron, and pretty cambria frock,
were found soaked almost white In the
strong soap-suds, completely ruined. How
ever, their mother told Mrs. Spencer af-
forwards that IL was a cheap lesson 20
Amanda, who began 10 be contented 10
do work suited to her. and not TO attempt
a fresh. impossible scheme every day in
the week.
Cows L. thr Alps
The cows in the Alps are generally very
large and fine Of a dark mouse color