The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1901-05-30

A UGUST IL am eighteen to-day.
n No one seems to remember the
fact but myself. l feel that I
have lived all of life worth liv-
ing. I have made two lasting re-
solves to-day. One is that l will
keep diary Of all my doings worth re-
cording each day; the other is l shall
never marry. Never. For a long time
now l have felt that I must do some
thing noteworthy in life; make some
great sacrifice. Suddenly this morn
ing it was borne upon me what it
should be. will be an old maid and
devote my life to mamma. Poor man.
ma. Of course / must look after the
comfort and well being of others also,
but she first. 1 have heard that old
maids are such blessing to their fam
lily. We have never had one in ours.
My aunts and sisters married young.
This morning papa set his cup down
very hard in the saucer-he must not
have been quite well, for usually he is
very kind-and said GROSSLY TO NAM
ma: "Why in the nation did you
change cooks again? That last one
used to, and she was the boss coffee
maker Of the family. You are always
changing cooks"
Mamma said the last cook was waste
full and not overly clean. And papa
said she never did know when she had a
good girl. Then he went out without
finishing his breakfast, and mamma
cried herself into a headache. and l
had to sit up with her and battle her
head and soothe her. She said that
she did not know what she would do
without me. Well, she shall not do
without me. I will stay with her for
ever.
August 2-And when papa came
home last night he brought me the
loveliest turquoise necklace-just the
color Of my eyes. he said-and he was
sorry that he forgot until almost even
ing it was his little girls birthday.
Mamma did not act as though thing
had happened, met him with rhe same
smile she always had. But shall not
change my mind. Let me see-the first
step toward being an old maid is to
look sour at manageable men. lean
not do that. 1t isn't my nature to look
sour at anyone, but can avoid them.
August 3.-Fm more than ever now
determined to be an old maid. This
afternoon / went to see my sister
Kate. She has not been housekeeping
very long. And, actually, we thought
Kate's husband was all that was de-
sirable, but now I am not SO certain.
She was busting out his desk when
went in. Presently she united packet
OF business letters to arrange them
better and in their midst was small
envelope, directed in fine handwrit-
ing. She opened it and read it, of
course. Just then her husband came
home.
Charley" she said, "are you keep
Ing this letter of Nellie Gwynn's be-
cause you had not the heart to DESTROY
1t? I thought you told me you cared
nothing for her."
"Well, didn't. And that must have
slipped in there by mistake" he coolly
answered.
81 cannot think Nellie Gwynn would
have written such letter as this to
any man unless he had given her rea-
son to think he loved her." Kate per-
sisted.
"Now, look here. Kate, don't make Q
gilly out of yourself over that letter."
Charley said. And then he went out,
making no other explanation, and
Kate almost cried her eyes cut after
he was gone. Poor Kate.
August ~ Joined two societies to-
-daY, the Young Women Helpera and 4
missionary sewing society. Mamma
scoided. Said she did not mind the
former SO much, but she thought that
had been to school so long that 1t was
time was taking q rest and having .
good time. The ideal ~
August 5-Sister Kate said for me
to say nothing about the words she
and Charley had the other day. That
she was all to blame, and she never in-
tended to talk that wsy again to him.
Well. ! didn't intend to mention II.
called ON my best friend this evening.
Jennie Jones. We have been bosom
friends since We were little tots. She