The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1902-08-09
) Great Grandmother'S Mantle. {
By Annie Hamilton Donnell.

q ~
. In spite Of herself, Nancy had t
y laugh at the frowning face in her Iii
= tie looking glass.
y There goes the scowl,' she cried
. "Well you do look deal better, ma
am. The idea of scowling becaus
. it's pleasant morning, when it's BEEF
! rainy one every blessed other da
: for most a week! l know what tn,
trouble is. It's that washing. Name,
Grove, What would your great
, grandmother say?'
There was an authentic and valued
. entry in the Grove family records tC
the effect that Great Grandmother
Nancy was won't to rise extremely
early on wash-days, and get he,
washing for a household OF fourteen
out on the line before breakfast. Il
was even recorded that she had &C
complished this extraordinary feat a,
seventy years Of age. Her achieve
ment was the boast of the Grove fam
lily, and Nancy had heard 1t over and
over again.
You've got three in your family and
you're seventeen" Nancy scolded
herself aloud. The pity of having
such great -grandchild az that!'
Nancy was housekeeper for her
father and Thomas while her mother
was away, nursing sick sister. It
was great fun, too-all but the wash
ings. How Nancy disliked those.
Downstairs there was breakfast to
get and clear away, the chickens TO
feed and Thomas to "shine-up' for
school. 1t was long after nine o'clock
before the young housekeeper got to
the washing.
| While the water was heating she
ran across the yard to Sc how little
Mrs. Cilley's baby was.
He amt any better. | was UP with
him about all night" sighed the young
mother, YEARLY. I'm nearly discour-
aged. l can't work to-day, and don't
know what he's going to do for clean
things"
Il do" Nancy cried. cheerily I'm
Just going to take his little clothes
home with me and wash 'em with my
things. They're so little l shall hard
ly know they're there"
She held out her hands for the tiny
wailing one. "You poor, tired little
woman. you'll Give me that baby while
you 10 and get his things picked up"
A few minutes later Nancy went
home with little soft roll under her
arm. She was humnaing tune as she
went:
"I'll just put some more water on to
heat, and get these little bits a-s6ak-
Ing" she thought. nm SO thankful
l went over there-that poor little
thing looks all tired out! She's so
very young!"
Nancy added another gallon of water
to the sizzling, foamy contents of the
boiler on the stove. Then, singing at
the top of her clear voice as she work.
ed, she hustled about among her tubs.
The clock struck eleven.
Eleven o'clock! Of all thingsl Well,
I'm glad I haven't got to stop and get
dinner for anybody" she cried. 1T
was lucky for daddy he took to-day to
90 to town on! And Tom would carry
his dinner to school-'so 4 it did rain
must run out and put up my lines
there's Mr.. Sophia putting out his now.
Oh, my goodness, l hope Mrs. Sophia
doesn't see where he's putting 'em!"
Nancy gazed across the road at the
pottering figure in the bed-ticking
apron. The glimpse of dun-colored |
rousers below the apron hem betrayed
he sex Of the washerwoman. Poor Mr..
sophia! How he would blunder, and |
low poor Mrs. Sophia would groan!
How the water wouldn't be hot enough |
md the starch wouldn't be cold enough
md the bluing would be too blue!
"My heart goes out to Mr.. Sophia"
aughed the girl across the road, I'M
Ter her breath. 1t really was hard
lace to put an innocent, well-meaning
nan-person, to have to do the wash
ng for a Mrs. Sophia!
ooh, he'll make a mess of it, fast
nough," Nancy said, with positive
less and pity. Il know Mr.. Sophia.
md she'll lie there and groan at him.
know Mrs. Sophia, too"
1t was hard on Mrs. Sophia, too.
Wasn't she known throughout Far
Acres as the most particular house
eeper on the footstool?" And wasn't
lid Mr.. Sophia's capacity for blund-
ring known to be limitless? 1t was
he Far Acres name for him-'Mr. So
hia."
Il declare, pity that mani" ex-
laimed Nancy, suddenly. I'm going
lght over there and do it out loud"
Ssh" Mr.. Sophia held up a warn
lg forefnger as she approached. His
nxious glance wandered toward a
ertain window. "She's asleep. She's
list dropped of. I'm putin in to see
l can't make out to get the washin'
one before she wakens up again. Look
ere, Nancy, l wisht you'd tell me some
,ings about how to do lido you blue
e clothes before you rinse 'em or after.
n how much do you starch the
,eets? Seems as IL I'm all muddled up