The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1897-01-27
HER GOOD TIME.


Same doglike submissiveness. When Mark
Farley died, her youngest sister, Maud,
came to live with her. Maud was big and
raw boned, with ashy blond hair and n
temper which would have tried the meek
st. Francis. At first Lucretia's friends
hoped that she would be emancipated by
her sisters marriage, but as Maud slipped
| from 90 to 30 unwed the hope died
Meanwhile Lucretia continued to do her
duty. She visited hypochondriacs and cross
old people, who poured into her patient
cars all their symptoms and complaints.
When her ncighbors were Ill, Lucretia
sat up with them every night and If they
died she put the house in order for the
funeral and lent her crapo bonnet to the
| chief mourner.
She was president of the Dorcas society,
and many time she wore shabby shoes
and cotton gloves that she might give u
child u cloak.
There came q spring when she felt
strangely weak and listless. Her feet lag
ged as If she were dragging ball and
chain and her hands We're so thin that her
rings dropped from her fingers. She stop.
ped ut DR.. Surgeons Office one day on her
way homo from IA chu'ch meeting.
He pushed his glasses up III his forehead
and looked ut her attertively. Iic felt her
pulse and asked her many questions which
seemed to have no bearing on the case
Nothing much the matter, is therei"
she asked.
ooh, no." he replied briskly. "I'll give
you tonic and 1 want you to promise to
do what l tell you to do"
"All right" said Lucretia, for she was
used to obeying his orders.
Have good time" he began. Stop
visiting Mary Yost and those other sick
folks. Buy some good clothes Lie in
bed of n morning. Let Maud sec to the
house. Play cards. Say mean things
about your neighbors. Be as selfish as you
can.
SIS that quite right, doctor?" Lucretia
objected.
1T is prescription, he returned.
"Just as l tell one person to take hot baths
1 tell you to be selfish and lazy, though
you haven't much natural ability"
Poor little Lucretiar' the doctor
thought when she was gone. "Mark Far
ley was brute, and Maud is tyrant, and
the whole town imposes on her. I'll try
to give her little good time, though it's q
late start. "
Lucretia endeavored to obey the DOCTORS
orders as to taking life easy just as consci
entiously as she took her tonic before
meals, hut it was hard to reverse the hab
its of lifetime. The first morning. when
she heard the rising BELL she concluded She
would have her toast and coffee brought tC
her. She was half terrified at her audac
ity. Maud came In, her face redder thar
} usual from recent scrubbing.
Aren't you ever going to get up, Lu
cretia?' she asked sharply, and poor Lu
cretia huddled on her clothes and went
down to breakfast like naughty child.
} But during the day she made som,
, progress. Mrs Lynn sent word tha
Jimmy is having fits and asks Mrs. Far
ley to come over.
"I'm very sorry" she said to the mes
senger, 'but Pm not well; so 1 can't go.
, Her conscience hurt her sorely afterward
In the afternoon, however, she bought her
> self two silk gowns and pair of higl
/ heeled slippers.
She had also read literature of an uplift
ing tendency, not SO much because she en-
joyed it as because she thought she ought
Now she read the silliest novels on whicl
she could lay hands, and even subscribed
, to paper given up to jokes and gibes.
She spent long afternoons playing casin,
with Jimmy of the fits. Poor Jimm,
was not an accomplished player, and h
sulked when he was beaten, SO Lucreti
, always let the boy win.
AS the time passed even Maud could Sc
that her sister was very i'll, but even afte
she was Obliged to lie all day ON her sof
4 Lucretia continued to enjoy herself.
One day when Mrs. wilkins called sh
felt that she outdid herself.
Mrs. wilkins was not a pleasant person
, She had cultivated the virtues to the neglec
D of the graces.
-, Mrs. wilkins stared at these bold state
ments, then changed the subject.
"When do you begin your houseclean
a ingY" she asked.
s ~ don't intend to clean this fall, ~ tn
, other replied airily. cts such a bore. "
= On her way out, with the despised maya
zine under her arm, Mrs Wilkins Inc
!. Maud
n "What has come over your sisterp' sh
: asked.
"Don't ask me-" Maud returned. Ssh
o isn't the same woman she was before sh
n was sick. Everything has to go her wa
c now
1t was very near the end before Lucreti
. realized that there was no hope for hel
a "Did you know it at frst!' she asked til
O doctor.
, eyes" she answered.
"And you told mo to enjoy myself b.
cause you knew my time was shorts"
o eyes"
O "Oughtn'tI to have been preparing my
g self for heaven" she asked after pause.
You have been doing that all you
d life," the doctor replied. 81 thought 20
S deserved little time to enjoy yourself i
n worldly way"
. "Well, have enjoyed it," she said, wit
y sigh of content. Even when was we
i 1 never had. such good time. You heart
o doctor, how rude was to Mrs. Wilkins?
O The doctor nodded and grinned. Mrs
, wilkins was no favorite of his.
but l have done worse things tina
$ that Lucretia went on. "Maud peve
a would put enough salt in my oatmeal, an
a once picked up my shoe and threw it q
: her. 1t wasn't ladylike, but it was such
. relief l have had Il good time bein
o selfish and doing what l pleased Yo
o don't think it was wrong of me- DOCTOR
=, "No, it was all right he answere
stoutly. Then Lucretia was content.
" AT the very last she turned her Dool