The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1905-01-28
WHEN GLADYS WASHED THE DISHES.

(By Susan Brown Robbins i'll Ladies Word)
Gladys was hurrying home from school. This
was the day Cousin Will was coming, and he must
be at the house already.
Cousin VIII was older than Gladys. She was in
her last year at high school, and he college
graduate. Gladys idolized this favorite cousin, and
thought him the wsest. handsomest and best young
man in the world. She was very anxious to have
his good opinion. and as she walked quickly along
she was thinking of all the things she would tell
him about her studies her music and painting.
When she reached home she.found Cousin Win
there as she had expected and after they had eaten
lunch-Cladys' father did not come home at noon,
and 50 her mother waited lunch for her-Gladys
took the young man into the sitting room and sang
and played for him. and showed him her best
sketches and watercolors, She was having most
delightful time, when her mother called to her:
Gladys the dishes are ready"
"Oh, dear" cried Gladys, frown coming be-
tween her brows. Then it occurred to her that this
would not meet with Cousin Wls approval, so she
said, little apoogetically: Il suppose it is hor
rid, but | do hate to do dishes"
Cousin VIII followed her out to the Kitchen and
talked most entertainingly she did her work She
did not notice it. but his brown ewes were very OBJ
servant and he looked bit Disguised and then.
d
dishes are done. | hate them so that mamma some
times does them herself rather than hear grum-
Bile about them. Now we'll go back into the other
room and finish our talk"
The next day Cousin VIII said to Gladys moth
cr a short time before lunch: "Amtie May. [ want
TO ask favor Of you. | noticed yesterday that you
washed all the pots and kettles and cooking tins,
and cleared away the table, and rinsed the dishes
and put them in the pan all ready for Gladys to
wash. Now today | want you not to do that. Just
to please me, | want you to leave all the things that
have got to be washed, and not clear up the
table, except just to put the food away. Then |
want you to take yourself off out of hearing"
"Why. Will don't see" said Gladys mother,
perpcxed.
when you come back perhaps you will see,'
said Cousin VIII, smiling "Wil you do t!'
why, yes / suppose Sc
Then that is settled" said he in tone of salts
faction.
As on the day before Gladys was busy enter
tanning Cousin Will when her mother called to her.
won't you do the dishes now, dearl" she said
little timidly.
Gladys showed more symptoms of displcasure
than ON the previous day. and she fingered few
minutes before starting up with an inpatient, Il
wish there weren't any Dishes"
VIII followed her into the dining room. Gladys
stopped short at sight of the Uttered table. Why.
mamma" she said, ''the dishes are not ready"
81 guess said Cousin Will, that she intends
you to get them ready. | think she has head
ache"
Reluctantly Gladys went to the kitchen to get
her apron. viii went also, and found her with it in
her hand looking aghast at the snkfu of dirty
dishes Il won't do them. so there!" she cried. hot
ly. The idea of leaving me all those to dor'
VIII gently took the apron away from her. I'll
do them, then" he said, quietly.
Gladys looked at him in such blank establishment
that he laughed. wait minute" he cried, and
ran into the next room, bringing back the big Nor
ris chair. There" he exclaimed, gayly. Seat
yourself there. where you command view of
both rooms, and then see your uncle wash dishes.
Oh. | forgot something" He went to the faucet
and drew glass of water and placed it on a chair
drawn up close to her, then running into the sitting
room he came back with big palm leaf fan, which
he presented to her with mock Difference. There"
he said. lowering window shade with exaggerated
solictude, 81 hope you are comfortable"
Gladys hardly knew whether to be offended or
not. but when she saw him remove his coat and
cuffs tuck his sleeves above his elbows and then
tie on her big kitchen apron, she could not help
smiling at the picture he made.
Now. Gladys" he said quite gravev Il want
you TO watch just carefully as if it was dem
onstration in chemistry. SO here goes. See the
professor wash dishes"
Quickly and deity he brought order out of
chaos the dining table, packed up the dishes and
carried them to the Kitchen and brushed the
crumbs from the tablecloth.
Now" he said. Il will rinse off of these
dishes the ones that need it. and put them here
beside the sink. ready to wash. These kettles and
spiders and cooking things i viii wash first. Plenty
of hot soapsuds is what they need and after wipng
with the dishcloth, wrung dry, we will set them on
the back of the stove to finish off. Now the decks
are cleared for action, and TO the cleanest
dishes l viii fill the dishpan two-thirds full and
make slight suds. We might scald the dishes,
but we won't put frills today. l wash few at
time, and wipe them quickly before they have time
to get streaked."
Quickly and noiselessly he went on with the work
for time, then he poured out the dishwater and
began rinsing out the towels, he spoke again
you see, my mother taught me to be a good
housekeeper and her training thorough and
she was so careful to have me always do things
right, that / did not realize till I saw you wash
dishes yesterday, what vast difference there is in
the wavs of doing even so simple thing as wash
ing dishes. There your mother had done the larger