The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1893-05-25
PIOCHE, NEVADA, THURSDAY, MAY rs. 1898

antly economical.
The family had left off complaining
now. Apparently they were resigned to
their doom. But there were some things
that Mr.. Chesney could not explain at all.
A new rug frightened up the dismal
lues OF the parlor .arpet; Rosie had q
crimson merino dress, trimmed with
black velvet bars; Elmas fall jacket
was edged with substantial black fur,
and-grand climax of extravaganza
Mrs. Chesney had new shawl III place
of the old garment which had been her
mothers before her.
He looked at the housekeeping books
with renewed vigilance. He consulted
the stubs of his checkbook with notice
that nothing could escape.
"I-don't-know-how - they man
age it, J" said he, scratching his nose with
a lead pencil that he always carried. 81
hate mysteries, and l mean to be at the
bottom Of this before am an hour older.
Abigail" said he. ''how is this? I've
given you no money; you've long left off
asking for money. How have you man
aged to smarter yourself and the chill
dren up so? won't be cheated by my
own wife"
Elma sat down the pitcher which she
was wiping and came and stood before
her father with glittering eyes and cheeks
stained with crimson, like flag of battle.
"Papa," she said, "you must not speak
to mamma 30. Mamma would not cheat
you nor nobody else. It's money we've
earned ourselves"
Mr.. Chesney stared at the girl with In
credulous eyes.
"And if you don't believe it come and
see how" said Elma, finging down her
towel. MARY Penn showed us. She
told US everything and gave us the first
swarm of bees. There are IA swarms
down there under the south wall. Spen-
Ger sold the honey for us. And we plant
ed all the nice flowers that grow down
in the meadow that you said was too
stony and barren for the sheep to pasture
upon, and Will dug and hoed around
them after all the chores were done, and
we sent boxes and bouquets of lilies and
verbenas to the city every day by Mr..
Penn's wagon. And we gathered wild
Strawberries before the sun was up and
got cherries out of the old lane. And the
money is ours-every cent of it,"
"Honey, ehY said Mr.. Chesney, star
ing at the row Of hives, for Elma had
dragged him out into the November
moonlight to the scene Of action. "Well,
I've seen these many a time, but I always
s'posed they belonged to Squire Penn's
folks. And flowers and wild berriesi
Didn't think there was 80 much money
in 'em. Guess I'll try the business my.
self next year. Queer that the women
folks should havegot the start of me-"
After that he regarded his family with
more respect. The mere fact that they
could earn money had elevated them i'm
mensely in his sight.
But when spring came he lost his able
coadjutor. Miss Elma incidentally an
nounced to him one day that she was 60
ing to be married to Walter Penn the
next week.
"And mamma is coming to live with
us" added Elma. ''She can't stand the
damp house and this hard work any
| longer"
But Mrs. Chesney did not go to the
Penn farm. Mr.. Chesney hired a stout
serving maid and laid drain pipes undel
the kitchen stoop. If his wife really
understood her business SO well, it wal
worth while to keep her well and active
he considered.
81 couldn't leave papa, you know,
said Mrs. Chesney to Elma. HE mean'
well, and now that Rebecca Beckel il
coming here and the kitchen is dry WI
shall get along nicely. wouldn't g
back to the city for anything now"
"Nor I either" said Elma. ''And, oh
mamma, shall always love those bee
hives under the hollyhocks, for it wa
there that Walter asked me to be hi
wife"
Mrs. Chesney tearfully kissed he
daughter. She, too, had been happy onc'
and had her dreams. It was to be hopet
that Walter Penn was made of differen
metal from George Chesney.-Woman'
Magazine