Middletown transcript., 1905-06-17
A HOUSEHOLD ANGEL !.
By MARGARET TANDEGRIFT

ond time. They belonged to that agree
able class known to the common people
as easy-goirg, and they saw no reason
why their father should not have second
wife, if it suited him to have one-and
of course it did, or he would not have
done it. There were four OF them, three
girls and a boy-the girls ranging from
seventeen to twenty-five, the boy not
quite twenty-when Mr.. Lawrence made
his second venture in the matrimonial
line; and although Tom Lawrence did
remark confdentially to the girls, that
he wished the old gentleman had allowed
him-Tom-to have hand in the choos-
ing, for he knew enough more about girls
than his father did still they were quite
agreed that it was no wonder their father
married the poor little thing, Tor she had
no money, was making dismal failure
of irving to be a governess, and needed
some one to take care Of her, if ever any
body did. So they all fell into the way
Of petting and coddling the forlorn little
woman, who nose had so long been lieiu
to the grindstone that they wondered
there was any lett at all-there was not
much. They had dutifully offered 70
call her "mamma," which honor sue nad
declined, without any thanks at all I; say
ing. with more energy than she often
displayed, that people who did not know
the circumstances, hearing Lucilla-who
was twenty-fve-and Tom, not to mem
ton Belle and Marjorie, cali r"mamma
would think she must have married when
she was a baby, as they did III royal
families.
"But we must call you something, you
know, DEAR" said Lucilla, soothingly.
"Of course y replied Mrs. Lawrence
she was a tWo-weeks-old bride when this
conversation occurred, and had just re-
turned from her wedding journey
think, if you would not object, that
cousin Bertha would be nice-it would
be sort OF compromise, you know, Tor |
couldn't bear you to call me Mrs. Law
renee, when you are all 50 kind and
pleasant it sounds sort Of distant and
formal ~
So cousin Bertha was decided upon,
and the family moved harmoniously on.
1t was remarkably cheerful and robust
family, barring the new member ; and It
was highly credible to human nature that
all Mrs. Lawrence's gentle little COM
plaints-about which there was an en-
tertaining variety-were listened to with
unfailing good humor, and as near an
approach to sympathy as perfect health
can feel for weakness and ailingness.
Mrs. Lawrence made feeble and futile
attempt to establish herself as house
keeper, ably seconded by all the girls \;
but after week or SO Of discomfort
borne with admirable patience by the
rest Of the family, she decided that she
was not equal to the charge and beside,
she was sure that, whatever dear Lucilla
might say, she felt the loss Of her accus-
toned duties and dignities. Lucllla had
felt the loss in the results OF the change
otherwise, she would have been glad
enough to give up the endeayor, sus
tanned steadily since her mothers death,
when she was eighteen years old, 10
make one dollar do the work Of two, and
to turn her attention and give her time
to her music, which, in spite Of all her
difficulties, she had managed to make
profitable, in mild and uncertain sort
OF way. She had two or three little
scholars, but she did not dare to charge
professional prices, for she undervalued
her own attainments; and her constant
aim and aspiration was to take her small
earnings to pay for lessons, which would
make her really professional an invest
ment which, she felt sure, would pay
in the long run.
But there seemed to be fatiity about
it; her quarterly payments were sure
to come just as something about the
house had arrived at its last ditch; in
deed, they could never have found a |
time to come when this would not have
been the case and although everybody
demonstrated, and said what a shame
it was that Lucilla's poor little hard earn
ings should 60 down the hole which was
always filling, but never full, Lucila
insisted that since she would run as much
risk as any Of them Of breaking her neck
because Of the holes in the stair carpet.
or being blown up if the parlor lamp did
not have new top, or dying Of thirst
if the pump was not fixed, it was pure
selfishness on her part, and nobody's
business, beside
When bouncing baby arrived, year
or SO after the second Mrs. Lawrence
appeared on the scene, there was a re-
viyal OF interest on the part Of Mr.. Law
rence's fellow townsmen, or, to lie quite
correct, his OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES.
The Lawrences had had all thew could
do to get along before ard they. tile
people, would just like to know how thew
were going to manage now
They did know, in the course Of time
the girls were so delighted with tile three
successful dyes which had been substi-
tuted for three new winter dresses that
they could not help mentioning whore
they had them done.
And that baby throye, whatever anv
one else did. He was call Lawrence tba
very image Of dear father" they said
proudly and the three girls commended
Tor the honor Of waiting on him. 1t was
not much wonder, for he really was !
splendid fellow, perfect king Of baby
IRON the first and his weak little mother
would lie and look at him, for her share
Of the proceedings, dreaming Of the time
when he should be man, and give bar
his arm to lean on.
Tom, who was Of the opinion that "all l.
father wanted was push-he had head
enough" determined early that his finan-
clal prospects should not be ieopardized