Perth Amboy evening news., 1905-12-01
HETTY'S VICTORY.
BY ITALIA WILKINSON.

"Ah, me, how the systematic house
keepers in this busy, b~ustling world
Of ours manage to get along should
like to know!" said Mrs. Hetty Gay
the bride of a year, while a scowl gath
cred and settled upon the white fore
head and spread itself down to the
sweet mouth, chasing the dimples all
away and leaving an ugly frown, al
most the first in all her life, in their
stead.
Il declare, it's just enough to drive
me mad-this housekeeping-indeed it
Isl" The sweet voice quivered just a
little at first, then a great sob welled
I'D from the inexperienced little heart
which iuttered and beat like a fright
ened birds, and at last the tears would
and did come as the red lips murmured
between the sobs-"and dear ALT is so
particular, and such an epicure and
likes so many dainty things. o! what
shall l do?" And Hetty sank down / n
dismay in the old kitchen chair which
Bridget had SO recently vacated.
"There are all the breakfast dishes
TO be washed" (not so very many. to
be sure, for only two had b~reakfasted
from off the dainty china which looked
such q prodigious pile to the blue
eyes), "the whole house to be swept
and busted" (Hetty had three rooms
beside the kitchen), dinner to get"
(for two), land, oh, dear, the mercy
only knows what all! | can never do
1t, indeed l never can!" she sobbed
over and over again.
Now Hetty Gay was not a foolish,
weak-minded little woman, as perhaps
the reader will imagine, but quite the
contrary. Never in all her life had
such a weight of carr rested upon her
young shoulders, and as it rose up
before her in such huge proportions
she did what many another would
have done in like circumstances.
"If / could only learn" she at length
whispered through her tears. But
how can l? There is no n here to
show me, and then dear ALT will see
how awkward l am. That is worst of
ALL"
There was a ring at the door, and
Hetty sprang up, bathed her eyes, gave
one dubious look back at the huge pile
of china, and, brushing away the gold
en- mist of ringlets from her face, pre-
pared to obey the summons.
ooh, l do hope it is only the butcher
with the roast" she murmured, CIV
ing a hasty glance at the little mirror
in the dining-room, where a pair OF
swollen eyes and a troubled face con-
fronted her. "Oh, Lou, where did you
come from?'' cried Mrs. Hetty, eagerly,
the dimples all coming back and the
ugly scoWl vanishing like a dream
when she encountered the smiling face
of Lou Burton at the door. The friend
of all others whom she most wished to
see at this particular j%uncture was this
same Lou Burton, and she thought of
her at least a dozen times since
Bridget's abrupt leave-taking; but then
she lived so far away it was of no use,
she thought. But, dear Lou, how did
you happen to come just now?" she
said. my good genius must have sent
you here to-day, am sure, for was
SO wretched. Bridget left this morn
ing, you see, and I'm all alone, and
have been crying like a great baby
this half hour; I'm so stupid, you
know, and as ignorant of housekeeping
matters as a two-day-old baby, which
wouldn't have Alt know for all the
world. Come with me, Lou-that's a
dear-right out to this awful kitchen,
and give me my first lesson in house
keeping!"
But you're not going to work in
that elegant cashmere wrapper, are
you, Hetty?" asked Lou Burton, the
practical little housekeeper and econ
omist that she was.
"Oh, it won't hurt it just this once,
you know, and"
But it will, Hetty," persisted Lou.
Now go and slip on a plain calico,
while l go to the kitchen and COM
mence operations"
But will you stay a whole week,
dear, and help me through" said Het-
ty, imploringly, as she turned to obey.
CerIdiuly, i Will, dnoWtlSu LOU,
laughingly, in spite of herself at Het-
TVS beseeching look.
Nov mind you don't do a thing I'M
til l come there, for | must learn, you
know" called out Hetty after fer.
Dinner time came, and with it Dear
Aft" as hungry as a bear" he said,
for he had been out on a collecting
tour and was ready to devour a whole
regiment. After a hearty welcome to
Hetty's friend, he led the way to the
little dining-room.
"Whew, Hetty." he said, after sur
veying the appointments with a critics
eye; 81 do believe you beat Bridget,
after all. Just look at this roast; it
suits me to a charm-just brown
enough, and done to perfection, and
these rolls are as light as a feather.
How we'll the table looks; everything