Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1893-09-20

I slOryF demanded Clare.
Her face was very pale, but there was
! not tremor of the childish lips tc
show how cruelty she was wounded.
"Why, Sarah Ann Jewel heered him
tell her brother So"
"Eavesdroppingp' scornfully.
"More'n likely. Sarah AIMS
spick and span housekeeper, We know,
and they do say she'd have been Mrs.
Millett if it hadn't been for you. jest
| thought soon as she told me I'd come
over and tell We, and it might save we
trouble, for we do like to gad about and
read them trashy novels and sich like
when ye'da sight better be doing your
work, and there amt no man going to
stand it long without saying something,
and | thought that
Clare was on her feet and holding
the door opened.
''Miss Bigelow," she said, in clear
low voice, ''will you kindly go home
and not come to my house again until
invite your"
Aunt James face was very red as she
fiounced through the door, stopping
long enough to say:
81 guess your poor husband has
more to bear than he told Tom Jewel"
She was gone, and Clare sank in a
heap on the floor, sobbing:
"Oh, Jack, Jack, how could you?"
a woman cannot cry forever, and
presently her innate common sense as
serted itself. She sat up and began
thinking more earnestly than she had
ever thought before in her twenty years
of life. At length her face showed that
| she had made some resolution which was
speedily acted upon. Springing to her
feet, she hastily opened every window
in the cottage, letting the September
sun stream in upon the dusty carpets.
She paused in every room to look
around. The prospect was not pleas
ing; dust on the furniture, litter on the
floor cobwebs in the corners, fly specks
on the windows, dirty dishes in the
pantry and kitchen.
Clare shuddered.
Il must have been blind. This
house shall be cleaned before Jack gets
home, but 1 have not time to do it
alone"
Ten minutes later, Mrs. Millett was
knocking at the door of Meg Riley,
who, with her stout daughter went out
scrubbing.
"Oh, Mrs. Riley" said Clare, out of
/ breath III her haste, "can you and Bet
come and help me clean house to-day?
want to get it all done by night
There are only five rooms, and all on
one floor"
''Do the carpets come up, menu"
''Oh, dear, mol Just to sweep and
wash windows and woodwork, you
know
Mrs. Riley said she and Bet would
come. So it happened that an hour
later Aunt Jane, peering through the
morning glory vines around her back
porch. saw Mrs. Millett's house-clean-
! ing in progress, and remarked to the
cat:
"Seems't I did her good if 1 did
make her mad"
The women were gone by five o'clock,
leaving the cottage delightfully."- clean.
By six, Clare had prepared the incest
dinner that her own wit and the wisdom
of the cook book could evolve. Then
there was just time enough to slip on a
pretty dress, smooth her hair, and meet
Jack at the door with smile that cover
ed a woeful heartache. He bent to kiss
the pretty face lifted to his, but before he
could put into words his regret for the
harshness of the morning, Clare, who
had plenty of tact when she cared to use
it, was speeding away to the kitchen, call
ing back as she went:
DINNER is ready when you are"
Mr.. Millet went to his room. Every
thing was in perfect order there as else
where. Fresh towels and cool water
were ready, and the mystified Jack
marvelled, having been in the habit of
filling the pitcher at thep umpand hunt
ing up a towel before making himself
ready for dinner.
Clare was strangely silent when they
sat down to the table. She was very
tired, and the more she thought of what
Jack had said to Sarah Ann Jewel the
more it hurt her.
1.-The house looks like new one"
Mr.. Millett remarked between mouth
fuls of rare beef. What have you done
to it?"
"Oh, swept and busted little, " non
chalantly. "Don't you think it was
needed 2"
Il guess it was" he rejoined, add
ing, II have not had dinner like this
for six months"
Mrs. Millet's face flushed.
"I'll try to give you another as good
tomorrow" she replied brightly, but
then was apitiful quiver in her voice at the
last.
Jack rose suddenly and went around
the table
"Clare dearest, 1 was brute this
morning. Forgive me-"
The little woman laid her head on his
shoulder as he knelt by her, and sobbed
hysterically:
ooh, Jack, it isn't that deserved
that-but how-how could you say such
a thing to Tom JewefY'
CAS- what?" wonderingly.
"That-that you wouldn't have mar
ried me if you had known 1 hated
housework."
The young mans face darkened.
"Who told you such a preposterous
lie"
Miss Bigelow."
''And where did that old meddler get
it?''
''She-she said that Sarah Ann over
heard you"
Jack thought a minute, then he
laughed.
Darling, didn't say that about you.
1t has hurt me because you neglected
your work little and didn't seem to con-
suit my wishes; but wouldn't have said
that to an outsider, as you ought to
know. That remark was one Hal Har-
low made to me once. You remember
she was such tlyaway sort of a wom-