Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1902-07-02
!, Great-Grandmother'S Mantle.
By Annie Hamilton Donncll.

laugh at the frowning tace In ner III
tie looking glass.
There goes the scowl!" she cried.
"Well, you do look deal better, ma
am. The idea of scowling because
it's a pleasant morning, when it's been
a rainy one every blessed other day
for most a week! know what the
trouble is. It's that washing, Nancy
Grove! What would your great
grandmother say?"
There was an authentic and valued
entry in the Grove family records. TO
the effect that Great-Grandmother
Nancy was won't to rise extremely
early on wash-days, and get her
washing for household of fourteen
out on the line before breakfast. 1t
was even recorded that she had ac-
complished this extraordinary feat at
seventy years of age. Her achieve
n1ent was the boast of the Grove fam
ily. and Nancy had heard it over and
oyer again. -
you've got tlree in your family and
you're seventeen" Nancy scolded
herself aloud. "The pity OF having
such a great t-grandchild as that!
Nancy was housekeeper for her
father and Thomas while her mother
was away, nursing sick sister. 1t
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' Tor
school 1t was long after nine o'clock
before the young housekeepsr got to
the washing.
While the water was heating she
ran across the yard to Sc how little
Mrs. Cilley's baby was.
s'He amt any better. 1 was up with
him about all night" sighed the young
mother, wearily. 'I'm nearly discour-
aged. can't work to-day, and l don't
know what he's going to do for clean
things
''I dol" 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! Give me that baby while
you go and get his things picked up.
A few minutes later Nancy went
home with a little soft roll under her
arm. She was hrmming tune as she
went.
@T'll just put some more water on to
heat, and get these little bits a-soak-
ing" she thought. I'm so thankful
Invent 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 things! WE'LL
I'm glad I haven't got to stop and get
dinner for anybody" she cried. ut
was lucky for daddy he took to-day to
go to town on! And Tom would carry
his dinner to school-'so f it did rain
I 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
in hn ho1 iol- in
apron. The glimpse of dun-colored
trousers below the apron hem betrayed
the sex Of the washerwoman. Poor Mr..
Sophia! How he would blunder, and
how poor Mrs. Sophia would groan!
How the water wouldn't be hot enough
and the starch wouldn't be cold enough
and the bluing would be too blue!
"My heart goes out to Mr.. Sophia"
laughed the girl acros the road, un-
der her breath. 1t really was hard
place to put an innocent, well-meaning
man-person, to have to do the wash
ing for a Mrs. Sophia!
"Oh, he'll make mess of it. fast
enough" Nancy said, with positive
ness and pity. 81 know Mr.. Sophia.
And she'll lie there and groan at him.
l know Mrs. Sophia, too"
1t was hard on Mrs. Sophia, too.
Wasn't she known throughout Far
Acres as the most particular house
keeper on the footstool?" And wasn't
mild Mr.. Sophias capacity for blund-
ering known to be limitless? 1t was
the Far Acres name for him-'Mr. So
phia."
'I declare, pity that mani" ex-
claimed Nancy, suddenly. 'I'm going
right over there and do it out loud!"
"Sh!' Mr.. Sophia held up a warn
ing forefnger as she approached. His
anxious glance wandered toward a
certain window. She's asleep. She's
Just dropped off. I'm putin in to see
if I can't make out to get the washin'
done before she wakens up again Look
here, Nancy, wisht you'd tell me some
things about how to do lido you blue
the clothes before you rinse 'em or after.
An how much do you starch the
sheets? Seems as if I'm all muddled up
in my mind. Sophia's so particular
I'm all of a tremble!"
Nancy's laughing face tried to sober
at sight of his genuine dismay. What
a pity it hadn't been Mr.. Sophia that
sprained his back-no, that didn't
sound kind. But there was a pity
somewhere!
"She had a turrible night with the
pain in her back" whispered the plain
tive voice: I'm glad she can get some
of her sleep made up now. All l ask
is TO get the washing done while she
has her nap"
Nancy touched Mr.. Sophia's arm
gently.
'T'm afraid you're not putting the
lines out quite right" she said.
"I know it! know it," he kept