The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1895-03-21


lirht and the children's Advertisements
he did his best to take up all his wife'A
forsaken duties She had not exag-.
perated when she said that her house
was full, and that she had not time TO
think Of herself. A thousand and one
little tasks spranR up on every side.
Homework seemed to him 9 many
headed hydra, and one being knocked
of, another instantly appeared ~ it
place to distrust and bewilder. Late
in the afternoon, as he sat down tor .
moment to rest, seeing spare quarter
Of an hour before it was time TO lay
the table for supper, loud outcry
arose below stairs, and the twins APP
peared, bearing poor little Mabel be-
tween them, q 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, sin the very gutterest
place, papa" and the poor man tore
his few remaining locks as he bore his
daughter of to the bathroom for .
complete change Of clothes, involving
the intricacies Of buttons, strings and
pins all over again. 5E-# #
At $50 Mrs. Fenton returned. A day
spent principally In the open air had
proved veritable tonic, and she was q
pleasant sight to see, with q becoming
color in her cheeks, and eyes unwonted-
~ bright, as she tripped upstairs lightly,
in spite Of her forty years; bursting
into the nursery In such q hustle and
stir of good spirits that it grated upon.
the nerves Of her husband, prostrate
upon the sofa after the .exhausting pro-
Rramme 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 mean9 Lam afraid you are get
ting into untidy ways"
Mr.. Fenton groaned by way Of reply.
"Mary," he murmured, feebly, after
a moment, will you accept an hum
bled mans apology? 1never dreamed
before what never-ending round Of
work a woman's life could be. I'm q
perfect wreck-but speak for myself.
You will never hear another word of
criticism from me if you look like q
rag bag" p. s...... e. S
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.
II have had busy day too," she pur-
sued brightly, taking off her bonnet
First your bills. The people who
owed them were so astonished when q
woman walked in to collect that they
handed over the money without q
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-l
ing, for it left me good many hours,
you see, before 1t 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. ST" -. 49, =. 5.sS;5.s=< 90. ~. " 4 E
eyes, Cousin Lizzie. And I said: Liz
zie, I am not we'll dressed. That's
no news says Lizzie. No. but y 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 bon
net and cape, gloves and boots and so
on. And 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" "a
As she went into the closet to put
away her wraps, she stole a glance at
her husband. It found him in 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. IL
Just then the supper bell tinkled.
"Come!" called Mrs. Fenton, gayly,l
pulling her husband up from the sofa. /
4uoy "0AV t5uO ny eoSAo SOAoOAV oAA0
days doings dropped out of the CONVEX
sation. S."s
James Fenton slept the sleep Of a
penitent sinner that night, and the
morrow restored the old regirAe. 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 a vision of gored skirt, huge
sleeves, smart cape,' wide bowed!
bonnet, new boots and gloves. Herr
hair shone like satin and as for her
figure it was as trim and trig as
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 daisy2" cried
Tommy, tossing his hat into the air.
4.