Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1904-07-09
toes was, without any talk, dropped

Anu 80 Win ulduy OIutT hLIIS OUT
of-door duties which usually devolve
upon the master Of the house, but
which Lucy, in her loving eagerness to
spare her husband time and trouble,
had indiscreetly taken upon herself;
Mrs. Briant laughingly accused her of
over officiousness quietly took them
out of her hands and restored them to
their rightful owner. And all this was
done so sweetly by the amiable law
giver that neither party could gainsay
her, and the mystified minister really
felt she was sustaining him In his
rightful authority. Indeed, he was
morally and physically a better hap.
pier and more useful man for the
healthy out-of-door employments to
which her sagacious administration
| had subjected him. lie dawdled less
with his pen, and wrote better when
he did write.
BY the time Mrs. Briant's visit drew
near its Intended close, the gentle lit.
tie tactlcian had her leviathan pretty
well in hand; for though quiet in her
advances as the incoming tide, she was
quite as irresistible. Lucy. cheered
by her mothers presence and silent
support, and set free from the house.
hold bonds that had so oppressed and
enthrallod her, was herself once more
She had regained her natural elasticity
OF step and feeling, and brought out
by her mothers judicious management
she had taken and worthily filled her
proper place in the parish as the min.
listers wife, and was beloved and re-.
spected in the congregation.
II have been thinking, my dear Mr..
Holland" said Mrs. Briant in her most
mellifuent tones, one day when the
soup she had presided over had given
him great satisfaction, that after l
leave you. Lucy had better have a sec.
ond girl"
Mr.. Holland looked up in blank sur.
prise, and calmly and sweetly the lady
went on:
Katie, though good girl as far as
she goes, is very inefficient. She is
honest, but she Is a miserable cook,
and very wasteful. But all such young
girls are; they waste half enough to
keep a family. And the washes are
very heavy; gentlemen and babies"
she said, with ripping laugh, make
a great deal Of washing, you know,
and Katie Is worry slow, and If you
have to put 1t out that is very ex.
pensive. And then there is so much
sewing to be done. l did hope we
should find time to make up your new
linen before left, but it is not cut
out yet, and Lucy will never get
through a dozen shirts alone. Poor
girl! the parish and the baby make
such heavy demands upon her time, |
think she will have to put your shirts
out to be made" And with a few
pleasant remarks about the parish and
the weather, she smilingly withdrew.
But the good seed had been carefully
sown. The parson, though not over
wise in general, was sharp and shrewd
where money was In question, and
knew the full value of dollars and
cents. He took the matter into con.
sideration, nicely balanced the pros and
cons. He knew that Mrs. Briant, in
her quiet, lady-like way, had been
very efficient in his family; she super
intended the cooking and under her
direction were prepared the sdVory
meats that his soul loved. 5sa knew,
too, that since her advent among them
his weekly expenses haS been lessen
ed, not increased. He Enew that the
liberal board which she had insisted
nH-ivc ell .l,a
with them amounted to harf as much
as his salary, while her generous SITS
supplied many needs of the little
household. He knew that she relieved
his wife of much care and labor; and
that her experience during the baby's
troubles in the ivory business, upon
which he had just entered, had already
saved him the fatigue and expense Of
many visit to the doctor; and all
these loving services were freely Civ
en-. On the other hand, If she left, all
this must stop. An additional servant
would cost him three dollars a week,
to begin with, and how much in waste
and discomfort? And as to putting
out washing and sewing, those were
bugbears of unknown expense which
he could not estimate. The parson
drew his conclusion-he was used to
that business; I'm conclusion" was his
favorite portion Of his sermon-so, in
conclusion, he requested Lucy to invite
her mother to become a permanent
member of the family; and Lucy, who
in her unselfshness thought dear
Bozzy did 1t all for her sake, could
not express her Joy and gratitude.
And now you know the reason the
Reverend Boswell Holland resembled