The Dupuyer acantha. [volume] (Dupuyer, Mont.) 1894-1904, 1895-06-22

turn the twenty n for his, the
thirty minutes for that, and her hus-
band drew a long breath at h end Of
the evolution of a lovely creature inn
maculate from top to toe.
at seems to me-" she observed de-
murely, las if cleanliness were getting
next to godliness nowadays. Well, it
must be delightful to go through such
a thorough process, and yet -four hours
seems a long time to devote to dress
ing every morning"
-Four hours!'' cried Mr.. Fenton,
taken by surprise. my dear, o
must be mistaken. Why, the half
hour for the bath is the longest item
in the lot"
"Many a mickle makes a muckle,
papa. dear rejoined Mary, earnestly.
do you think there is ever a morn
ing in the whole years round when l
could take our hours for the adOrn-
ing of my person? Where would your
breakfast be, and the children, and
the orders to the butcher and the
grocer? James what are you going to
do tomorrow" she suddenly asked,
and a dimple appeared in her cheek,
which made her look quite young
again.
"To-morrow!' he repeated mechani-
cally.
Eyes; at the office, you know. Any
thing %especialT
"Why, no. 1 have a dozen bills to
collect for Mr.. Snow; that's all.
Why?'
Because l want to try a little ex-
pertinent. It's not at all original. In
fact, it's as old as the hills. Promise
me you will do It,"
.sJc ~. ,,I.Xl;n o..D - c%in,,1ntAI
Mr.. Fenton. His wife had not chang
ed so much, after all. If she had
outgrown her neatness the old vivac-
ity was still in her.
"Oh, yes. That is what l want you
to do. Change places with me for II
day. Let me go and collect the bills
for Mr.. Snow. / warrant you that l
will get every cent that is due him,
and you stay at home as housekeeper,
cook, nurse and general factotum."
"Wbat perfect nonsense!' growled
the gentleman, taking up his paper
again. Il should think you were a
schoolgirl of Is. You konw that's
impossible
But it was not impossible, and MIS-.
Fenton proved it, if not to her spouse's
satisfaction, at least to his conviction.
She had resource to all her fOrSaken
arts of coaXing and wheedling, and,
at last, quite worn Out with II
and shufling. he had to give In and
; agreed to make a fool of himself on
I the morrow. The victor went up to
: bed triumphant. pausing in the nur-
scry to leave tue big mending basket
: and to lean loveingly for a moment
: over the bed where her twin boys lay
, sleeping-sturdy lads of 9. In the
.. next room she drew aside little Ma
-. bells tumbled curls. and left a KISS on
{ her rosy cheek, and at length, with a
u deep sigh, she found herself standing
: before her dressing table taking down
! the coils of her hair. Many a silver
V thread had stolen into the bright
brown ripples. but they felt to hel
waist as abundant as ever, n agalns,
the girlish background her face seem
: ed to lose some of it's lines of care
Il Was 1t true that she had been growing
n careless of her own appearance? Lik
u q fash there ran across her mine
l. those words about Mrs. Var Dusen
i and, staring earnestly at he glass
she felt a thrill of simple pride in 1T
\ assurance that, with such clothes al
4" adorned that lady, they would be mor'
le on a par in good looks than a casua
~ observer would imagine Then sh
l. thought of her husband and the eX
pertinent that was to be tried an
u laughing softly to herself, she turne'
y out the gas and got into bed, Il
l. ing that unfortunate man in the celia
u below muttering like the ghost o
IL Hamlet's father as he put coal on til
:. furnace fire.
~ The of the following day l
-, ever now a hideous nightmare I
-. James FentOn. Never had the oftic
- where he kept books for a pepper
and unreasonable coal merchant II
:, yolved him in so many trying situi
ID tons. His wife. true to the arrang
w ment. had presented herself at breal
vi fast arrayed in her walking dress, an
n offered to make suggestions bOu cur
a. ing Mabel's hair. trying on her pin;
~, fore and mending a mitten brougl
-. to her just as the one maid rang ii
y, bell for breakfast. Hannah was
~ the secret for she had already bee
-. TO ask his advice about the mufhl
.nt with Il giggle. and Tom and Harry Ina
ma been told by that their FAITH
-. would Law out their clean clothes al
W give them any help they needed in I'll
toilet line. Ry the *ime he sat down
NC the table he was a desperate ma
as HIS own toilet had been sketchy
90 the extreme and he had literally II
had IL minute to think. Mary in Il
~ gayest of spirits took his bundle
~ bills and went off. reminding him II
~ to forget to sort the washing jill
~, ~ brought upstairs. and that his W
.n the day for sweeping the parlor. Al
nc | hope" said she cruelty at partn
.nr that you will find time to give
20 least fifty strokes of the brush to yo
no back hair. James, dear
The pen refuses to record VIII
ole James replied under his breath
rr- this heartless taunt-curses not lou
the hut deep-for when a man has sa
If farewell to his back hair it is ha
DIV to be reminded of it. The day VIC
on. He hardly knew why he did l
fling off the yoke and go downtown
usual. but some logged perverSity
his nature kept him at his post, al
to his own grim amusement, HANNAH
delight. and the children's astoni'
,ve ment. he did his best to take up
,nt his wifC'S forSaken duties. She h
thn not exaggerated when h said IL
oit- her days were full, and that she il
md not time to think of herself. \ thu
sand and one little tasks Sprun
ho on every side. HCusewOrk seemed
.mnt him Il ~many-headed hydra. and G
,his being knocked off, another ccnStan
To appeared in its place to distract Il
i,s beWilder. Late in the afternoon. as