The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1895-06-08

BY FRANCES M'COOL.

Mrs. Benton sat in her tidy little
Kitchen, ripping up her gray Henrietta
dress. She sat in the kitchen because
its smooth painted floor was easier to
free from the bits of thread and scraps
than a carpeted one. She did her own
work. There was a little line between
her eyes. which d%eepened as she
shipped with the sharp scissors. Il
could cry if it would do the least
good, - she said, having acquired a hab-
it of talking to herself. Il want a new
dress, and | want to hire it made. In
fourteen years l have hired only two"
She did cry now without regard to
the good it might do. She was not a
weak, nervous On the con-
tray she was energetic and strong.
Keeping her seven-room fiat in good
order. doing all the sewing for herself
and Edna, her oldest child, a girl of
twelve, and considerable for Fred, a
lively boy of nine; even undertaking
a coat for him sometimes when n of
her husbands would do to make over.
Mr.. Benton vas a shipping clerk in
a wholesale grocery and had been
gradually advanced from fifty to n
hundred dollars a month. But the
family needs had advanced more rap
idly than his salary. Fred had shown
an unusual talent for drawing from the
time he was a baby, which it would be
absolutely wicked not to develop.
Edna had a fairly good musical capa-
bility and took vocal culture. Mrs.
D ..,1I -;r, h,r ,ianA 1nSSpnS
for a time, and to pay for the piano h
had taught a little girl in the lower
fiat; but she was not skillful enough to
attempt teaching music professionally.
Before her marriage she had been
cashier in the house where her hus-
band was now employed, and was a
very good accountant. She often
la%ughingly said her experience was
useful now. To-day she did not laugh;
neither did she cry long.
The scissors resumed their shipping
and the work of destruction, which
preceded a new dress evolving from an
old one, went rapidly on. The door
bell rang. She pulled off her large
bingham apron and rubbed the dust
from her hands with an impatient air.
Callers and ripping could not combine
and she needed the dress.
1t was only the postman. She hur-
ried back to her work, opening the
letter as She went.
DEAR COUSIN KATE: I have been think
ing Of you often lately. My visit to you a year
ago. is often in mind. suppose you are now
As you were then, busy ripping, turning,
aapyrhapfpy vatriDy ready for winter did
uot say anything then, but 1t does seem to me,
Kate. q Y woman with your capabilities might
De something besides . household drudge.
You do not allow yourself the luxury Of a
w-aSherwoman. Those are your own words
fused to expect great things of you and l hate
20 be disappointed
Brother Fred writes me that his cashier
leaves him the first OF December. and he
wishes me to come and take the place, but l
have other arrangements for the winter. Why
Fan you not take it? He will pay fifteen dol
lars a week; you go at eight and leave at five.
Consider 1t. Your al Coz, JULIE"
Mrs. Benton had been standing while
she read the letter: now she sat down
suddenly. She could no longer keep
back the thought, she had beer want
ing to do this very thing. Hire a wom-
an to do the work, be free to come and
~, III AAOhSg NNO NOhC Al
her girlhood. Her head whirled. She
could not work. 1t seemed almost like
wronging her husband to be SO glad of
a chance to earn independent wages.
Her husband. What would he say to
the scheme? He worked hard and
brought home his salary every week
in an envelope just as it vas handed to
him and threw it into her lap with
some gay remark. He did all he could.
Did she expect more? She wanted
more at any rate.
She put the Henrietta away and be-
gan preparing for their early dinner.
Mr.. Benton was usually at home by
half-past five. The children came
romping in. They had been to tie IL
brary after school and were late. but
she had not noticed the time. Edna
sw the letter on the table.