Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1893-08-14
A MODEL MAID.

THAT simpering. fine lady, with the
useless white hands and shallow So
ciety taught Oh. Aunt Della, pack
my portmanteau and let me off on q
lecturing tour until Flora Lees visit
comes to an end"
Mrs Dove looked a little disap-
pointed. To tell the truth, she had
especially arranged this visit with
reference to her nephew, Eric.
"He's a fine young fellow" she
said to herself. with true feminine di-
plomacy, with an excellent parish
and fine prospe cts-and it's high time
he was settled in life with a wife.
And think Flora Lee would suit him
-exactlym
And here was the young man him.
self upsetting this charming castle in
the air with out the least scruple of
conscience, like the modern icono-
clast that he vas.
"Well, Eric said Mrs. Dove, de-
spairingly. I'll write to her not to
come. OF course 1 don't want to
put you out. just when you're so
busy, too, with that course of lee
but l really thought that Flora
would make the house lively"
"She's deal too artificial to suit
me-" said Eric Hale. ASK her to
come in June. when / shall be off to
Omaha and Nevada on that confer
ence business But as for q visitor,
l should much prefer little Polly
Peppercorn's big wax doll, with the
silky black hair and the startling
black eyes. that open and shut by
machinery"
So Mrs Dove, choking back the
tears OF disappointment (for she had
been nursing this pet scheme in
secret for a long whitley, sat down
and wrote letter to her friend
Miss Lee, postponing the proposed
sojourn at Cedarborough farm until
roses should be in bloom and straw
berries begin to ripen
"Adoniiah, said she to the hired
| man. .'take this letter to the post
| office"
"Yes, EN-" said Adonijah, and he
put the letter in his pocket and
straightway for got all about it
1t was dismal, rainy morning in
April. the yellow jonquils beaten to
the ground, the very wild violets
shutting their eyes as il in unmiti-
gated disgust at the unpromising
state of the weather. Overhead
racks of gray clouds scudded across
the heavens, and the little sheet of
silver lakelet under the hill was
dotted and dimpled all over with the
falling rain, a. if pierced with a
thousand tiny javelins!
.'lt's no use trying" said Mrs.
Dove plaintiveiy. The fates them.
selves have conspired against me-"
The carpets we're up, the pals Of
whitewash stood steaming in the
middle of the rarlor floor, and Mrs.
Dove nersen. with her gray curls
tied up in a yellow damask poke,
handkerchief, which her great-uncle
had brought from China half a cen
fury ago, sat crying on the lower
edge of a step-ladder. For Betsy
the help, had fallen down the cellar
steps and broken her leg, and Mrs
Mulroney, the charwoman, had sem
message that her son had JUS
broken out .wid the maisels, sure
speckeled over like shower of rec
pepper-an' sorra a bit of clanin
could she undertake for her until tn,
wake S over"
.'And these three days of all the
Others" sighed Mrs Dove. "whel
Eric has exchar ged pulpits with Mr.
Washburne. And he so dislike
housekeeping; and"-
Dear me, Mrs. Dove, what is tn,
matter?''
Mrs. Dove started to her feet will
a little scream for there, exactl,
as if she had rained down out of tn
gray. uncompro missing zenith. stoo'
Flora Lee herself. in trim brow
travelling dress, with a neat littl
handbag. gossamer waterproof
cloak and silk umbrella.
''Why, Flora " cried she. "hoy
came you here"
"By the tram, of course" sal
Miss Lee; land | walked from tn
station.
Il wrote to you not to come" sal
Mrs. Dove. in CONSERVATION.
''Dub never received any sue
letter." said Miss Lee '.Shall | g
away again?"
NO you darling, you shall d
nothing of the sort" said Mrs Dove
enthusiastically. 1t is only becaus
because we we house cleaning.
81 am not afraid of house clear
7 ing" said Flora. IL see how it is,
with comprehe nsive glance aroun
= the scene of confusion. land l al
going to help you through with it.
t "Youp" said Mrs. Dove.
Yes, L. replied Flora. "Wh
D notp just lend me one of Betsy
5 old dresses. Where is Betsy, by tn
S way?"
Her father has just carried he
e home in the wagon. She has broke
r her leg"
o ''And your charwOman?"
Y "Oh, dear, OIL. dear!" said Mr.
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