Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1896-06-20

proficiency in French
aC'en est fat. The words seem.
ed to slip from Mrs. Daley's tongue
and she blushed as If detected in
something very foolish. Il know al
most nothing Of French now said
she, "but what else can be expected
of farmers wife than perpetual
drudgery?
"It is your own fault you are
abundantly able to hire girl
Mrs. Daley did not seem offended
at her friends plain speaking, but
replied, ~ have tried that and have
given it up. 1t keeps me constant
" employed just the same, for | have
my own work that cannot leave to
another, and have to see that the
girls is done properly
"There it is again. Every thing
must be done just so. You used to
be prim in your girlhood. You
would not crimp your hair because
it did not look so tidy and you have
let this love of neatness or precision
cat its way into your heart and mind.
But excuse me, ! have SLOWED my
friendship and hobby to carry me
farther than / intended
Not too far, Ellen. | have had
some idea of this at times myself,
and like to hear you talk. But it
seems to me that we should do al
ways the duties nearest US. 1t is not
a matter of pleasure with me, you
know me well enough to understand
that | do not love drudgery for its
own sake. Joseph likes neatness
and order and a good table. Isn't it
my duty to crafty him IN this re-
spect2"
"Yes, if you can fulfill all your
other duties as religiously. Mr..
Daley may like them. All men do,
but | know he did not marry you
for these qualities alone, for at the
time he made your acquaintance you
knew little of housekeeping. 1t must
have been some other attrac ton
then. Say it was your beauty, con-
seientiousness, sweet temper, or
whatever constituted your chief
charm in bis eyes, have you kept it
bright for his sake, as religiously as
you have these household idols OF
your own? Forgive me, Alicia, but
they sre your own, not his.
Now, am not going to criticize
you," continued Mrs. Bright, "for it
is quite likely that I fail on the 9TH
er side my mind is not naturally
as firm as yours, but such as it is /
try to keep it free from the dust that
falls upon my furniture. | am order
~, but my windows lack the polish
of yours, my floors, but no matter,
you and I know the difference be-
tween model housekeeper and an
ordinary one. I work briskly and
save time to read. | practice my
music and | run out sometimes in
the morning and bother my. neigh.
bors as l am doing now" she con-
cluded, laughingly.
Don't stop, Mrs. Bright, please"
said Alice, eagerly, from the pantry
door where her shy, dark face had
often presented itself. "Tell mother
what you gain by this course
swell, if I gain anything It is hap
piness. My nerves are naturally
troublesome, and if / work contin-
ually ] am cross to my husband and
impatient with the children. This
| call dust on the spirit. But | am
sometimes goaded to this by my de-
sire to equal the model housekeep-
ers of my acquaintance
"Why, Mrs. Bright, your house IS
perfect; and wouldn't you prefer
the reputation you have for good
ness and brightness to that of mod
ell housekeeper?' asked Alice, lit
tie disdainfully.
Mrs. Bright smiled at the young
girls eagerness.
II didn't know that mother under
stood word of French, y said Alice,
looking at her mother admiringIy
but little reproachfully.
Mrs. Daley felt uneaslly conscious
that she had purposely withheld this
knowledge from her daughter fear
Ing she might be asked for assist
ance and she had no time to render
it, she felt.
"You know, mother, l asked you
to let me read my compositions to
you, but you said you knew nothing
about such things and had no time.p
II told you the truth, Alice. I do
not know now, and I have no time.n
Take time. It is your own, moth
er. believe we ought to be the mis-
tress of time not the servant. What
is there SO pleasant about house
work that We must drop everything
else at its demands !? We always
neglect our sewing We seldom dress
up even in the afternoon we do not
read, we have no recreation. For
give me, mother, have, but not you.
Let's begin to day by letting the
sweeping go in the rooms we do not
use."
"Do you sweep such rooms regu-
larly ~ asked Mrs. Bright.
EYea duct will COLLECT vo,1 knopv y