The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1895-03-16

4
well to his back hair 1t is hard to be
reminded of It, The day wore on. He
hardly knew why he did not fling of
the yoke and go downtown as usual,
but some logged perversity in his ma
ture kept him ut his post, and, to his
own grim amusement, Hannah's de-
light and the children's astonishment,
he did his best to take up all his wife's
forsaken duties. She had not exag-
gerated when she said that her house
was full, and that she had not time to
think of herself. A thousand and one
little tasks sprang up on every side.
Housework seemed to him many
headed hydra, and one being knocked
off. another instantly appeared In its
place to distrust and bewilder. Late
in the afternoon, as he sat down for a
moment to rest, seeing spare quarter
Of an hour before 1t was time to lay
the table for supper, loud cutlery
arose below stairs, and the twins APP
peared, bearing poor little Mabel be-
tween them, damp, doleful object,
covered from head to foot with mud.
The children talked all together, and at
the top of their lungs, trying to ex-
plain how Harry had playfully poked
his sister, and how she had lost her
balance and had fallen headforemost
into the gutter, ''in the very gutterest
place, papa" and the poor man tore
his few remaining locks as he bore his
daughter off to the bathroom for o
complete change of clothes, involving
the intricacies of buttons, strings and
pins all over again.
At $50 Mrs. Fenton returned. A day
spent principally in the open air had
proved veritable tonic, and she was a
pleasant sight to see, with becoming
color in her cheeks, and eyes unwonted-
ly bright, as she tripped upstairs lightly,
In spite Of her forty years; bursting
into the nursery in such a hustle and
stir of good spirits that it grated upon
the nerves of her husband, PROSTATE
upon the sofa after the exhausting pro-
gramme of his housekeeping.
The fun died out Of her voice, though
not from her glance, as she bent over
him, saying, softly: Poor, dear James!
Still in your morning dress? What does
this mean? l am afraid You are get
ting into untidy ways"
Mr.. Fenton groaned by way of reply.
MARY" he murmured, feebly, after
a moment, Twill you accept an hum
bled mans apology? / never dreamed
before what a never-ending round of
work a woman's life could be. I'm a
perfect wreck-but speak for myself.
You will never hear another word of
criticism from me If you look like a
rag bag"
Mary dropped kiss on his fevered
brow. 1t was the seal of her forgive
ness. A quick look about the room
showed her it's disorder, but she kept
her amusement to herself.
81 have had u busy day too she pur-
sued brightly. taking off her bonnet.
First your bills. The people who
owed them were so astonished when a
woman walked in to collect that they
handed over the money without a
word, and before eleven o'clock my
pocketbook was full. That was the end
of my duty. Business is rather anus
ing, James, think, and not too excit-
ing, for it left me good many hours,
you see, before it came time to come
home, so went to Cousin Lizzie's."
James gave start. Cousin Lizzie
was butterfly of fashion, for whom
Mary's tongue was usually lash of
scorn.
YES, Cousin Lizzie. And l said: Liz
zie, l am not well dressed That's
no news, says Lizzie. No, but want
to be-, saysI. That's good news says
Lizzie. Put on your things says /,
and take me to your tailor So she
did, and I've ordered very smart
gown, my dear, which is quite equal to
anything of any neighbours, anew boz
net and cape, gloves and boots and so
on. And l have had some corsets sent
home from Mrs. Van Dusen's own wom-
an. You shall never have occasion to
complain of me again, James Well
groomed.' thank thee, Jim, for teach
ing me that word"
away her wraps, she stole glance at
her husband II found him in a state
of collapse, and in the remote depths
Of that closet she broke into little
furry of laughter only to be heard by
the moth balls among the furs.
Just then the supper bell tinkled.
GOMEZ" called Mrs. Fenton, gayly,
pulling her husband up from the sofa.
They went and by tacit consent the
days doings dropped out of the CONVEX
sation.
James Fenton slept the sleep Of a
penitent sinner that night, and the
morrow restored the old regime. But
the seed sown had dropped into good
ground, and the next Sunday morning
the head Of the housekeeping depart
ment was mysteriously long over her
toilet. When she emerged at length
she was vision of gored skirt, huge
sleeves, smart cape wide bowed
bonnet, new boots and gloves. Her
hair shoue like satin and as for her
figure it was as trim and trig as q
fashion plate. Mr.. Fenton opened his
mouth and shut it again. He was
dumb. But the children shrieked
with delight, and pirouetted around
the dazzling apparition and curiosity.
II say, isn't mamma a daisy?" cried
Tommy, tossing his hat into the air.
Mable crept up timidly, fingered the