Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1893-05-15

Hercules's sweeping the Augean stables in
one day2 They contained three thou-
sand head of cattle, which hadn't had
any clean straw for thirty years. Well,
| dare say he began with his mothers
parlor, and trained his muscles thus"
caught the broom and performed a series
of g, mnastic5, throwing it back OF my
head, and twisting my neck in and out
of the loop, till the shade Of the student
lamp began to tremble.
My aunt yielded with many cautions.
"Don't break anything, but move out
the furniture, aud sweep the corners,
and shake the table cover and the rug;
and don't lift tho broom high so as to
make big dust"
Enough, madam, my aunt. You
will soon see how accomplished in such
matters am. Wait minute. Even at
such trying time, aesthetics must not
be forgotten"
ran up stairs and reappeared with
my hair done up in a white null fichu,
fastened at the side with q bunch OF
mignonette; my dress skirt pinned back,
and covered with large spron, trimmed
with red bows.
"Beauty and the Broom" said I, as 1
saw my black eyes and dark cheeks un-
der the soft white turban, in the small
mirror. "Grace Brown, have seen you
with less becoming surroundings. Now,
aunt, exit please. The curtain rises
upon the first act"
My aunt we'll knew that rambling in
the woods after flowers and insects was
my delight, and that regarded house u.
work as necessary evil, which, Ike
duties in a custom house, let those shirk
who might. 1 spent weeks in this
charming country home every summer,
in preference to visiting any OF the fash
ionable resorts, simply because 1 lad
enough of fashion the rest of the year
and because | was, with all my short
ings, Aunt Kitty's favorite niece. Father
and l lived all alone; or, rather, he
lived with his grain elevators. He was
very good to me. 1 might go anywhere
liked, or stay at home and invite CON-
pany. So joined a Shakespeare Club to
improve my mind, and took lessons in
free hand drawing. Or course, had to
go great deal to the dressmaker's, for
a city girls wardrobe takes time and at
tention. had dog cart and pony,
and took one of the girls every pleas
ant day to drive in Central Park.
As for housekeeping, we had the best
OF servants, and l only had to decide
whether it should be beef or mutton for
n Jol
this freak as new and startling de-
velopment of my character. But she
| left me with:
"Don't sweep the dust into the hall,
but to the hearth, and"
actually kissed her and pushed the
dear soul out of the room, and shut the
door in her face.
Now l threw open all the windows
and blinds. A flood of beautiful sun.
shine came in. Dark rooms are an in
vention of the Prince of Darkness-but
then folks in the country are awfully at
tached to them. Never mind, l have all
out doors to live. How lovely those
roses are this morning! l climb over the
sill to the veranda, and pick a large
bunch of Baltimore Bellies, which pin
to my throat. A sparrow has her nest
in that honeysuckle vine. Oh, she is
sitting, and l will not disturb her. |
almost wish l had gone for walk.
"But, Grace Brown, you shall not
be tickle. You are going to sweep
this room; SO climb in again. This
small round table shall be the starting
point. "A good beginning Is work half
done. )" The carpet is a modest tapestry.
| will take it, one breadth at tine,
narrowing ever the horizon Of dust and
dirt, the hearth my radiatirg point, en-.
larging the area of brightness, till all is
clean-when, Enter Dust Pan, and per-
form thy menal but useful ofiicel
The table is pretty and quaint, COW
cred with an embroidered cloth that |
worked and sent last Christmas. Ga it
lie handsome piece of coral under
glass, some rare and beautiful shells,
aud an illustrated book, Poems of the
Sea-"
Well do know the sad story en-
shrined here. Fifteen years ago, Arnold
Wood sailed on his last voyage. He was
Aunt Alttys lover, and hue seaman.
But Aunt Kitty would have no sailor for
n husband, and he agreed that after one
more voyage-hc had just been pro-
noted to be second mate-be would
settle down to farming. She could not
bear that he should go, but
he was jubilant. New lands
to sec-rare and pretty things
to bring back to the prettiest bride in
town-it was but right that ne should
have one more taste of the wild, free
life; and sadly she let him go. For
several weeks letters came regularly.
The last was from Calcutta. No one ever
heard of that ship again. As months
passed, Aunt Kitty grew pale and silent,
, with wistfpl LOOK on hog face, People