Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-11-18
Bridget's Mistake.

1t wasn't entirely her fault. for Bridget
had only just begun her work at the Briggs
home. How could she know that Helens
three little neighbors, Daisy, Marie and
Grace. often played house very seriously
in the big room on the third floor?
let the young ladies come right up.
Bridget, when they arrive" Helen spoke
like the mistress of a home, though she
was only ten. Bridget stared at her Tor
moment, then asked If she meant the three
children who had been upstairs the day
before.
Eyes, Bridget, the three young ladies"
replied Helen. ASK them IL they VIII
please come right up.
When the four girls were together up
there the big room was a whole house.
with living rooms. bed rooms and Kitchen.
They lived together as one family, though
Grace and Helen were married. Daisy was
a widow and Marie a spinster.
Grace was Mrs. Hawkins. Helen was Mrs
Anderson. Both husbands were travelling
statesmen. and therefore rarely at home.
The Hawkins and the Anderson children
kept their mothers busy great part OF
the time.
Daisy.s husband had been a Mr.. Hyman,
whose business going up In balloons
One day he had gone UP at the county Jar
and had never been heard OF since. SO MIS-
Bymans chief joy was her one child. Jo-
sephine. But the child was delicate. No
sooner dld the ldGttS pldH an tAttAS.'-l
or entertainment than Josephine would
take down with some ailment. throwing
the whole household into confusion.
The maiden lady Miss Marie, could
not bear the care of children at home, but
one corner OF the big room was school
house. and here Miss Marie patiently de-
voted herself to such of the children as
were disposed to learn. She often had as
many as six or eight doll children on her
hands at once.
On the afternoon that Bridget had bowed
her best to the three visitors and invited
them If they would ''pIaze walk right up
sthairs. the family was very busy prepar-
ing for company.
"Oh, dear, they will be here before the
cake goes into the oven,' sighed Mrs.
Anderson.
Mrs: Hyman, who had sent Josephine to
| school just to keep her quiet, was deS-
perateiy polishing every smooth surface
| ard busting all the hooks and corners.
The task of bathing and dressing the
whole flock of children had been left to
| Mrs. Anderson, She had them all we'll
| bathed and laid in a row the floor when
! Mrs Howe exclaimed: For heavens
| sake, Helen. do get clothes on the children
| Before the company comes!'
Mrs. Anderson gave herself an extra
shake as she snatched UP the little French
| doll. Il do declare. Louise | don't know
| what to put on you! You are so very par
| At that instant there was a wild scream
| from the school room:
| Help, helpl Daisy-Grace. Josephine
| has the revulsions Send for the doctor,
quick"
There was great scurrylng to and fro,
| wrinsing of hands and 'Oh, dears," and
| no end of advice about what to do till the
| doctor arrived.
The little housekeepers did not know that
| Bridget had been on the stairs at the mo-
| ment of Miss Maries first cry, nor that she
| had run down and out of the door shouting,
| ''Docther, docther," nor that their neigh
Dor. DR.. Clark, cid happen to be passing
| just then.
| What they did find out very soon was
| that IN anxious but good-natured face was
| coming quickly upstairs, asking who has
| commissions? Where is she?"
| The four children stopped short In their
| play. Half startled for an instant, they
| looked first at the doctor, then at each
| other. Helen first recovered her senses
| and answered with a twinkle in her eye,
| It's Josephine, Doctor
| "Where is she?' the doctor inquired. and
| Helen pointed to a tub where the doll stood
| with her feet in water.
| The doctor looked sober, for he saw now
| that it was all play, so he was going TO
| have his fun, too. Taking Josephine gen.
| tly up he felt her pulse, shook his head,
and said: Nothing will save her but
| fudge"
All four of the housekeepers broke out
| into laugh But the doctor never smiled,
| as he added: You come with me, Helen,
| and I'll prepare enough for a good dose.
had Just made a nice batch of delicious
| fudge So when Helen-excuse me, Mrs
| Anderson-came back she carried enough
| fudge to cure Josephine permanently of the
| reyulsions, and also to make the four la
| dies happy the rest of the afternoon.