Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1895-05-30
A ScRUBBlNG ROMANCE.

i A ScRUBBlNG ROMANCE.
| rs she coming to visit YOU said
! Eric Hale, with slight grimace.
THAT simpering. fine lady, with the
uselss, white hands and shallow So
ciety laugh. Oh, Aunt Della, pack my
i portmanteau and let me off on lee.
/ turing tour until Flora Lees visit
/ comes 20 an end'
Mrs. Dove looked a little disap.
pointed. To confess the truth, SHE had
especially arranged tile visit with ref
erence to her nephew Eric.
"Well, Erie" said Mrs. Dove, de-
spairingly, IN write to her not TO
come"
So Mrs. Dove. choking back the
tears of disappointment (for she mad
| been nursing this pet scheme in secret
! for long whilel, sat down and wrote
letter to her friend, Miss Lee, post
poning the proposed sojourn at Cedar.
bough farm until roses should be in
bloom and Strawberries began to ripen.
"Adonijah." said she to the hired
man, take this letter to tine postof-
fee"
"Yesem," said Adonijah, and he put
the letter in his pocket and straight
way forgot all about it.
Dear me, Mrs. Dove, what IS the
matter?"
Mrs. Dove started to her feet with a
little scream-for there, exactly as if
she had rained down out of the gray.
| uncompromising zenith, stood Flora
Lee herself, in a trim brown travelling
dress, with neat little handbag, a
goSsamer waterproof cloak and a silk
| umbrella.
why, Flora, she cried, "how came
you here?"
by the train, of course" said Miss
Lee, land ] walked from the station. :
II wrote you not to come" said Mrs.
Dove, in CONSERVATION.
But | never received any such let
ter" said Miss Lee. "Shan so away
again?"
NO, YOU darling, You shall do moth
ing Of the sort said Mrs. Dove, en-
Enthusiastically. 1T is only because
because we were house cleaning"
Il am not afraid of house cleanina
said Flora. Il see how it is with a
comprehensive glance around the
scene of confusion. and l am going to
help You through with it."
Your
Yes, l." replied Flora. why not {
| Just lend me one Of Betsy's old
dresses. Where is Betsy, by the way?'
Her father just carried her home in
the wagon. She had broken her leg"
| Flora Lee arrayed herself in one of
! Betsy's cast-off calicoes, tied up her
! brown tresses in a sweeping cap and
went vigorously to work with Il scrub
bling brush, while Mrs. Dove bent her
attention to the windows.
Mrs. Dove, however. was unused to
the severe eXertions incident to house
cleaning time. and went to bed with
a sick headache in the middle Of the
! afternoon.
Never mind, Mrs. Dove" said
/ Flora, IN get tea and I'll make some
Of those cream waflies and shortcake
/ for Mr. Dove, aud you'll see how
/ nicely can fry oysters"
| Put, as 1t happened Daniel Dove
was unexpectedly detained on business
/ at Whiskills. the next town, and in
/ stead Of him, who should walk into
the little sitting room, flinging down
his carpet bag, but Eric Hale himself.
Hello" said Eric" SO you're clean
! ing house, eh, Betsy
Yes, sir, a demure voice responded
| from the Kitchen.
Where is Aunt Deliaf"
"She has retired with a sick head
ache"
"Wbere did you learn to make up
such delicious coffee? Bring in cup
at once. I'm ready to drop with wear
mess, and it is like dream of
Arabia"
And Flora Lee. with the Tapping
edge Of her sun bonnet concealing the
amused dimples around her mouth,
brought In the oysters and coffee,
fanked by pile Of feather-like waf-
! Hes
Il declare, Betsy" cried the Rev.
! Eric, facetiously, IF you were a ui1e
younger and prettier, I'd marry YOU
myself, and make sure Of wafiles and
coffee like this every night
Would you. sir said the sol-distant
4 Betsy.
And Wen make compact Betsy,
Herrly went on tile young clergyman,
as he helped himself - the butter. TO
finish the house-cleaning ourselves to-
morrow, and save Aunt Della the
work and worry Of it.
YES. sir. said Betsy, but please.
slr, it's all done except lacking the
carpet down
who dill it,
ii. sir. and Mrs Dove. And please,
! sit. I'm golng to finish it ayself to-
morrow, and please, sir flnging back
/ her sun bonnet. and disclosing corr
onal Of bronze brown braids, pair Of
very rosy cheeks and eyes full Of fun,