Warren sheaf., 1897-07-15

make sort of a frolic of it?' When I
lived over in Peakville a friend Of mine
named Mag Graves and me washed to-
gcther every Monday of the world. One
Monday she'd lug her. things over to
my house, and the next I'd lug mine
over to hers, and we'd wash and visit
together. It was real neighborly way
of doing, and we'd awful good times;
and it just flashed across me this morn
ing: why can't me and Marthy Logan
do that way? and here am, with my
wash to beginsit ... I,sss: s5 l@
Mrs; Logan looked aghast, while
Janet's face flushed with annoyance,
but Jane Wadlin's perceptions were not
keen enough to show her that she had
made mistake.
Il do-love to be neighborly.'' she said,
as she got up and dragged the red and
white tablecloth from the basket of
soiled clothing. It'll just sep'rate my
colored things from the white ones, and
then We can pitch right in and wash and
visit at the same time" @
or say. She was woman of very mild
and gentle spirit. Her friends often
said that Martha Logan wouldn't hurt
the feelings of a fly" She did not want
to hurt the feelings of Jane Wadlin, and
yet she felt that she could not enter into
the arrangement Mrs. Wadlin had made
regarding the washing. ::
Janet was also of this opinion, and yet
both mother and daughter felt that Mrs.
Wadlin was woman who was not to be
offended with impunity. She was a
good friend and a bitter enemy.
Come, Janet" said Jane Wadlin, run
down cellar and get the tubs and We'll
pitch right in. The neighbors will think
we're awful slack if we don't get our
things all out by ten o'clock"
Janet glanced at her mother. Mrs.
Logan struggled desperately but vainly
to invent some way of preventing what
she regarded as little less than a
calamity. g.,
Finally she said weakly: Eyes, Janet;
go down and get the tubs"
Janet's black eyes flashed and she was
about to speak. but Mrs. Logan shook
her head and Janet kept silent. When
she reached the cellar she said angrilv,
with an angry stamp of her foot on the
cellar floor:
"Well, of all the impudent perform
ances! AS if we didn't have work
enough of our own without doing any
of Mrs. Wadlin's! There's eight in her
family and only three in ours, and it's
just a scheme on her part to get most
of her washing done by some one else
But it'll be the last time she'll bring her
washing here, now see if it isn't!"
Janet repeated this resolve many
times during the day, and Mrs. Logan
made a similar resolution. Mrs. Wadlin
was notoriously slack and unsystemat tic
in her methods of work, and at inter-
walls. of about two hours she would sug-
gest that they 'eat bite'' and visit
little.''. .-.---.
1t was nearly the middle of the after
noon before the last of the "colored
things" were Haunting from the line in
the Logan back yard.
= "And such a looking array of things
as they are! What will the neighbors
think?" said Janet, as she stood at the
window of her room, tired and cross,
and looked at the rows of pink and
purple calico aprons and frocks belong
ing to the little Wadlins, and the pair
of huge blue overalls belonging to Mr..
Wadlin, and the surprising array of
stockings in all sizes and colors belong
ing to different members of the Wadlin
family.
But Jane Wadlin was serenely happy
Nov we can have good long visit
together while our things are drying,
and then we can fetch them in and
dampen 'em down, and I'll have Wadlin
come over and get my things after sup
per. think it'd be real nice if we could
iron together, but guess we can't, be-
cause l always bake, too, on my ironing
day. But I've enjoyed our washing to-
gether so much that hope we can keep
it up right along. You and Janet will
fetch your things and come and wash
with ME next Monday, won't you?'
''Yes, indeed we WILL" said Janet, be-
fore Mrs. Logan could give utterance to
the excuse she had intended making.
When Mrs. Wadlin had finally gone
nome Mrs. Logan said:
"Why, Janet, what did you mean by
telling Mrs. Wadlin that we would come
over and wash with her next Monday t?
simply cannot stand it to have Jane
Wadlin and here washings here"
''Nor I,"replied Janet, land our wash
ing at her house will end it all and at
the same time keep us from quarreling
with Mrs. Wadlin. Trust me for that,
mother. I've q scheme Of my own in
mind for putting an end to this unpleas-
ant arrangement"
Mrs. Logan somewhat reluctantly