The Newtown bee. (Newtown, Conn.) 1877-current, 1903-08-14

in any such common way she could
earn the money she so coveted.
Mrs Weeks mother, Mrs Darling,
had what some people call very old
fash Toned ideas. She had insisted that
her daughters should thoroughly learn
the art of housekeeping as soon as
they were old enough to take up the
work.
'You may marry rich man and al
W avs have servants" she told them,
cor you may marry poor man and
never have one; but if you would thor
oughly understand the work that
comes entirely within woman's Ii fe,
and belongs completely to her sphere,
you must be complete hOusekeeper;
then you will be independent of hired
girls always And many times since
her marriage Mrs Weeks had been
thankful for her mothers sensible
training.
The next morning she received a
call from her sister, ElSie,a sweet faced
girl of II, and Eloise Bartwell, a girl
year or SO older. They were no soon
er seated than Eloise began, "Oh,
Maud. were you at the meeting the
q
or what? A day? And whose? Oh,
Mrs Denton's; SO am l, and how will
you get the money? OF course, James
will give it to you, but you ought to
earn it"
"Of course James won't give it to
me-" repeated Mrs Weeks, an indig-
nant flush mounting to her cheeks. 81
shall earn it myself, and earn it fairly
and honestly"
'Do tell us howl" exclaimed Eloise.
81 don't know how yet myself, but
I'm going to do it or die in the at
tempt" replied Mrs Weeks, her deter
stronger every moment. "What will
you do, Eloise?"
"Mama has offered me fifty cents a
week." said ElOiSe, "for two weeks, ii
| will take charge of making the des'
serts, relieve her of all care,-plan
them and everything."
"Why, that's easy" replied Mrs
Weeks, "Wish had something of that
kind"
"Well like that! 1t might be for on
ly you and James, but there are nine
of us, and I'm not such good cook as
you, and never shall be; and pie is
only patch in our family. Mamma
doesn't believe in pies much anyway,
says they're not healthy; if she did,
believe I'd heat up the old brick oven
in the cellar, and bake pies enough for
whole week. Besides Mamma says
my work can't be done by piecemeal;
it must be two consecutive weeks, and
she must be relieved of all care, if ]
am to earn my money fairly, and l
don't see how l am to get two whole
weeks together. The musicale takes
| place next week, and will take three
whole days Of my time for rehearsing
| could work all the next week, but
| Esther Jennings comes the week after,
SO there is another break. and Mamma
won't have that! So there l am, and
you call it easy!'
| Mrs Weeks laughed. "You poor
child! I'm beginning to think it's not
easy to earn money, anyway"
! ~ m going to make chocolate cake
| for Mrs Jenkins" said Elsie. "She was
| in our house the other Gay, and l
| offered her a piece, and she asked me
| to make some for her, she thought it
| was SO nice; said she would pay me
| thirty-fve cents loaf, and be glad OF
it at that price. So I thought i could
earn my dollar in that way"
"That is fine," said Mrs Weeks.
''only you must deduct the cost of your
materials. and pay your mother for
what you use, if you would honestly
earn your dollar"
s'That only means making more
cakes" rejoined Elsie, land 1 can dc
that easily
"You have given me an idea," said
Mrs Weeks. II might seIlsome crull-
ers. Mrs Prince says no one can make
crullerS like mine. I'll ask her to buy
some of me, and III take out the cost
and save the profit. I'll run over and
see her this afternoon"
BE sure you tell her why you do it!''
exclaimed Eloise, "you don't want
that proud thing to think that jim
Weeks is going into bankruptcy. i
Indeed | shall do no such thing,'
answered Mrs Weeks, "She may think
what She pleases, she'll soon find out. :"
At this Mrs Cady, who had sat a 81
lent but interested listener to the con-
versation, rose to her feet. ''I'm 60
ing home" she said, 81 think you are
all very foolish. Why don't you take
your dollar out of your pin money as l
shall and be done with it?''
But, JESSIE" demonstrated Elsie,
that would not be earning it,"
"Well, what if it isn't? What does
the church care how you get the mon
ey, provided you hand it in at the pro-
per time. You are all making a great
fuss over nothing.'
"Perhaps we are" answered Mrs
Weeks, "But since I've been sitting
here, | have wondered, if it takes me
thirty-Six hours to plan ways and
means for earning single dollar, how
many days or weeks would I need to
devise how to earn my living"
81 guess you won't need to earn
your living right away, as long as you