The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1896-01-16
A WATER BARREL CURE.


Priscilla Mundy was hard at work
over the weeks wash when a loud
knock caused her to wipe her red,
4 suds- blistered hands, smooth out her
thin hair, roll down her sleeves and
walk quickly to the door.
A woman of her own age and her ex-
act counterpart, so far as face and
form were concerned, stood in the rick
ETY. porch, surrounded by big collec-
ton of bags, baskets and bundles.
''Matildan cried Mrs. Mundy.
And then tears moistened her eyes
and she clasped the visitor in her bony
arms.
The newcomer returned the embrace
and kissed Mrs Mundy affectionately.
You look awfully worn and tired,
Priscilla" she observed as the latter
led the way into the meanly furnished
parlor. ''HoW's everybody?
Mrs. Mundy sighed before she made
reply. She had a great fashion Of
signing of late, and goodness knows
she had sufficient cause to.
I'm washing" she answered apollo
getically, "and I suppose the hard
work does make body look worn and
tired. The children are all well. They
are all at school, except Tommy. He's
gone to town with his father"
$50 he's gone to town. observed
Matilda, with a particularly strong
emphasis on the "he's." ~ Lii
Yes was the final response
in harvest time, too, and all the
place going to rack and ruin right I'M
der his eyes, just for lack of atten-
ton. Priscilla, why don't you put
your foot down?' #& i " A.
ooh, Matilda" was the protest
"Now, look here, Priscilla Mundy-
Priscilla Beebe that was" she con-
tinued resolutely, 1--WE come to stop a
month, and I'll just tell you things
have got to go differently while Pm
here. Johns folks told me how shame
fully you were being treated. Why,
they said he wouldn't even allow you
to pay them a visit, and Maria de-
'clared that you didn't have decent
gown to your back" -
AIRS. Mundy hung her head and the
tears started afresh. ~. E.E.> 80.
Il stopped at Johns as I came on"
continued Matilda, who by the way,
was Mrs. Mundy's twin sister, "and
they told me to make you come up and,
spend month with 'em."
II can't leave, Matilda, just now.
wv lIdL WILL UcSdu MIS-. M
But her sister interrupted her.
, @'Nonsense!" she cried. Don't make
excuses to me. You've got to go, and
that's the long and short Of it. The
coach will be by here in half an hour,
and 1 told the driver to stop. Put on
one of MY dresses and make yourself
look decent, for Johns folks see lot
of company and Maria. is mighty
'dressy. Here is S. to pay your ex-
Denses.'
She handed the shining gold to the
bewildered woman and gently pushed
her from the room. 80" =
"What'l Tom say?" ventured Mrs.
Mundy, timidly, as they climbed the
rickety stairs together. w. =.I, ~
"I'll attend to him!" was Matilda's
confident and rather spiteful answer.
1'Say no more about it." -l@
And Mrs. Mundy, who recognized
and felt powerless to resist the SUI
perior will force of her sister, allowed
herself to be made up" And when
turn trip she was ready for the visit
to her brother John, who lived about
twenty miles distant
In one Of her sisters neat-ftting
dresses, with snow-white collar at
her throat and bit of ribbon in her
hair, gloves on her hands and a smart
bonnet on her head, she very closely
resembled Matilda, who had put on
one of Mrs. Mundy's plain calico house
dresses and stood beside her to bid her
.good-by.
"Now have a good time. PRISCILLA
said she as she gave the poor woman
"a farewell kiss. ''I'll keep things
moving at home"
When the coach rolled away and was
lost from view in cloud of dust, Miss
Matilda Bebee entered the house and
.reiNmed the interrupted work.
By 3 o'clock the clothes We're hang
ing on the line, the kitchen had been
cleared up and the other rooms swept
and the beds made.
h.. Now she hustled about preparing
supper, and was mixing up dough for
cake when a small boy knocked tim
idly at the kitchen door.
''Well?' was Matilda's inquiry, as
she opened the door. &a
''Please, Miss Mundy," began the ur-
chin, INA sent me over to ask you if
Willie and the girls could stop at our
house to-nightY'
Eyes, they can stay" was the an
swer, and the boy, with a muttered
@"Thankee, momv' bobbed his head and
ran away.
''Now I'll have him all to myself"
said Matilda aloud, and her sharp eyes
twinkled maliciously. "And I'll be
bound he'll learn a lesson this day that
he won't forget-the brute!"
She had supper on the table when
the sounds OF wheels were heard, and,
peeping through the window, she saw
red wagon with yellow wheels,
drawn by a bony horse, just turning
the corner of the house.
A man and boy were in the seat.
The boy was driving, and the man
reeled backward and forward when
ever the wheel of the vehicle ran
against an obstruction.
Drunk, as USUAL" was Matilda's
comment, as the wagon halted before
the kitchen door.
The man alighted and walked UNI
steadily toward the house. The boy
drove the horse on to the barn.
The face Of the man, who was no
other than Mundy, was red and
flushed, and he kicked open the door
and staggered into the room.
Matilda oil