The Newtown bee., 1896-09-11

Ih k III WdSulhS' Duc bCpL bit6 ldCI rather quiet, however, for she had an instructive feeling that she might com promise herself in the estimation of the church ladies. Her laundry was unusu- ally hard. It was not chldren'B pretty garments, nor ladies dainty underwear. It was coarse overalla and blou8es and greasy aprons of men who worked in the factory near by. The weather was hot and muggy. The wind seemed to have taken itself to other zones. The kitchen secthod with heat. The red cove7s on the stove socmed to glare at ho- like round, glowing eyes. Holding the handles of the hot tfatirons made the blood in her palms burn in a fiery cur, rent. The flies 6uzzed and swarmed. Lcauder had been talking about putting iu screens, but he concluded to spend the mouey saved up for them and go to the "bueiness mcn'2 picnic 4 hard-work- ing man needed little recreation now and then and as he told Martha, he q "ho7rd flies were healthy"
 ODt two--somctmes three dollars q week Mrs Smith made at the washtub anJ ironug-board, until by the first
 week in September she had thirty dollars -quite enough for the carpet.
 Oua certatn memorable morning she ppt on her aatcea dress and taking little Juliet in the baby carriage. went up,Nlain Street to purchase that Iongcd- for floor covering. She was very happy woman and quite forgot her fatigue as she walk ed o~iskIy along She held her head high and her poor, spare shoulders well back. She acknowledge Mrs Judge Par don's bow by lofty nod and gave the minister's wife a beaming smile. She felt at peace with everybody and just as anybody, too, for was she not going to have new carpet-a real Brussels?
 She ordered it sent home, and when it arrived, and after the dinner dishes were washed, gingerbread baked for supper and Leander's coat mended, she sat down and sewed up those five breadths of car peting. They were very stiff and hard to sew, but perhaps she had never felt so ecstatic as when she sat there in the mid. dle of the parlor, with those stif pillows of Brussels around her matching red, brown and pale cream leaves of the pat tern. The house was very quiet and she was allowed to have her bright thoughts undisturbed. Tommy was in the back yard making mud pies and little Juliet was in the crib taking her afternoon nap. It was the day for the 'business mems picnic' and 80 Leander was away. He had paid five dollars for the round trip to "Punkin Falls" to say nothing of money for roast chicken and sundry other delicacies for his lunch, and had gone off on the train gay as bobolink,
 "There won't be much waste to this carpet" Mrs Smith complacentIy re- marked. ''The room is nigh about square, an the only place I'll have to cut Il be by the chimbly place. There! I've got the last stitch done! Now I'll tack it down."
 She got down on her knees, pulled, stretched and tackled, while her hair, un loosened from it's pins, struggled down in damp wisps and rings and the moisture stood in great drops upon her forehead. His slippers came off, her waistband burst and she tore hole in her dress. Juliet, aroused by the hammering, awoke before her nap was out and be- gan to cry, but, fascinated by the bright eolors of the carpet, sat down and, round-eyed, watched the unusual pro- eeedings.
 "Dear me- I must look like the Witch of Endor," panted the mother. Utmost wish Leander was here to help me stretch down this last side"
 Martha got the carpet down alone. Fortunately, she was not interrupted. The sun was just setting as she stood in the doorway. There was g great bank of black, sulphurous edged clouds in