The Holly chieftain., 1898-10-28
THRIFT OR Shift.

-
THRIFT OR SHIFT.
Nm. Thompson was the most nctsbls
woman in town. Everybody admitted that
her house was just Ike wax, that her breAd
was perfection, that abe and her children
were better dressed on less money chan ~
other family in the neighborhood, ard that
(, hsr hu.band was much to be enUed. Her
Md himself aid nothing on the sa1b3set-
was always in advancs Of svssybody
AZ in getting her work done. She man
asq % sweep on Thursday and beks on
Essy. Ehs had her horsecIeaning dn-
fAed when Others were beginning thsi..
'skhs would hsvs washed the hahes be4ors5
meals instead sf after. and made tie hede
before the family left them, had tndh =
course been practicable.
II must be esniessed, however, that Mn
Thompson did not bear her honozs msskiy.
'nsssil ith the general estimate
@ Ass p9*sF! 81 ~ "a .lws,s ssI|e S +!
manner which raid thst, after al, they
probably would not be aAls to do It if they
did try.
One Monday morning Mrs. Thompson was
talking across the fence to her neighbor, Mrs.
Gage. Mrs. Thompson was taking her
clothes down from tho lines, while Mrs.
Gage was putting hers up. They were dis
cussing Mr.. Maybe, an unusually sRiftlese
ndghbor-Mn. Gage with some compassion,
Mrs. Thompson with much severity.
'The house was actually in heaps when
was there the other day" said the latter
Il should think abe would have beers
ashAmed."
"Ohl we'll, the children are ick. voc
know" said Mrs. Gage.
"Yes, and she doesn't know any more
what To do for them than II she were child
herself. Not thing in the houss ready
for sickness. Had to send to me to borrow
some mustard when the doctor ordered
their feet bathed."
But they're poor, you know"
Then she oughtn't to be running ur
doctors bills. can doctor my own chill
dren when thy are nick. I'd be aahamed to
send for doctor for cold. Besides, thu
poorer she is the moro management abs
ought to have. could make her money
60 twice as far"
By this time Mrs. Thompson had got all
her clothes into the bssket and picked up
the clothespins and was ready to 80 in. She
stopped minute to add. "But more than
anything else. it riles me to see the way che
washes. Doesn't pay the least attention to-
Monday. She washes "wednesday OF.
Thursday or any day. Actually, last week
diagrsces the neighborhood."
"Of course" Mrs. Thompson continued.
1t It rains cats and dogs ON Monday, eSen.
i hnv f% v,ssk ~@ - IA NV
the weather"-she made this confess on,
with some reluctance-'but I've never dtser
it for any other reason, II was able TO stir.
hand and foot"
Perhaps Mrs. Gage had at some time
been guilty Of the enormity cf postpoufne:
her washing until Tuesday, sven th0u6b.
neither cats nor dog were falling. She;
certainly seemed somewhat nsttied. and.
said, sharply: well, msst bI1 ~ 60
washins on Aondzy, - nIes 81 5ius
can't DO snJ 1snsa tasns Il 4 n
1T isn't my fault that I calV ti1sd
Mrs. Thompson. fits because 1fcndaS'a.
the first day In the week except Sunday. 1
can't wash ON Sunday"
II should hope not" said Mrs. Gage, with
toss Of her head; "but until you can, there's.
one way In which you're not 10 far ahead Of
the rest Of u.s."
Mrs. Thompson made no reply. She car.
ried her basket into the house and shut the
door. But Nm. Cages words rankled. She
thought of them all the week. How provok.
ing 1t was that she could not be a. far in
advance Of other people in this a. in other
respects!
1t wouldn't do to wash on Sundsy-oht
of course not, and yet it did seem . work
OF mercy to set the best example TO her
neighbors. At any rate she could get up
earlier the next Monday morning.
30 it befen that scarcely had the clock
struck II on Sunday night, before Mrs.
Thompson was up, though she hadn't slept
an hour, and, going downstairs, she lit y,
lamp and went to work at her washing. II.
was done by daylight and dry by breakfast
time, and Mrs. Thompson felt that she had
achieved great triumph.
But when she related it to Mrs. Gage, that
envious woman remarked: II don't see as
that was any further back than Monday"
Next week Mrs. Thompson washed on
Sunday afternoon. She justified it to her,
self somehow; but she did it with closed
doors.
Mr.. Thompson and the children had
gone TO spend the day with his mother.
His wife had been going, too. until the last
moment, when she suddenly changed her
mind, and said she didn't feel like it and
would stay at home. She didn't mind be-
ing alone for once in awhile, and she would
just eat . piece Of pie or something. and
not bother about getting dinner.
She got through with the washing before
they came back, but she didn't hang the
things up until after dark, and she took
them down before Light the next morning;
%, although Mrs. Thompson gained day,
the neighbors had no proof that her wash.
ing was done at all that week.
The next Saturday afternoon, when Mrs..
Gage. and even Mrs. Maybe. were taking
little rest, they were electrified at tho siGhA
OF Mrs. Thompson, in her back yard, hang,
ing up a basket Of clothes, doing it openly.
and far from looking ashamed, glancina
about her with pride. Had she suddenly
taken leave of her senses! or had she per-
haps decided to do as they used to do at
school, after one Of them had been at the
head Of the class for month, 90 down to
the foot to give somebody else . chance!
Il wondered" said Mrs. Gage, when
didn't see her washing the first day Of the
week, but I've been 30 busy since that I for
got ID"
"She'll never be able to find fault with
anyone else now" said Mrs. Maybe, greatly
relieved. Saturday afternoonl never Was
q late as that"
Il suppose she'll be ironing tomorrow"
said Mrs. Gage. ashast
Mrs. Thompson had mot considered that
question, but, In fact, when Tomorrow