The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1906-07-01


always no warm n welcome that the
child came 10 think Of tho faithful wo.
man m one OF her choicest friends
Working with her over little ironing
board. Bnrbarn quickly became expert
In MI tho finer and more delicate opera.
tiops Of her art.
No Barbara educated herself upon
lines which she deemed womanly.
There WINS no nrt Of Kitchen or laundry
or sewing room In which. ~ she grew
older, ahc did not make herself the ~.
pcrlor Of tho highly pald scryitors
whose skin her aunt employed TO per.
form such functions. For explanation
she said only:
II am TO be- woman. | must know
how TO do all womanly things. II
don't know nl that better thnn the
servants do must always be depend
ent upon servants. ] think that would
be bumIlntlng"
In tho same spirit she took w such
school studies M she deemed proper 10
her wolnnnhood and only such. But
ahc gave 10 each degree OF con.
science that always surprised her
teachers She had not the gift Of learn.
Ing easily. but her devotion was such
that she learned thoroughly In spite Of
all the difficulties
When she was only dozen years old
or NO the little woman took upon her.
self the duties of housekeeper In her
auntS mansion and kept order there IN
n way that won something Hike local
fame for herself II was not art or In.
tuition or rule that inspired her II
was temperament.
Absolute cleanliness was 10 her n re.
ligi0n, and the servant who fell In the
remotcst way short OF that was quick.
ly made 10 think OF herself as an un.
regcnerate sinner. Absolute neatness
was another requirement which the
budding little woman insisted upon
with relentless persistence. Then
again II seemed 10 her that there was
no possible excuse for any cooking
short OF the best
A few years later the aunt'a husband
met with misfortune aud went west.
Presently hc died. and Barbnra's aunt
was widowed and impoverished at one
and the same time.
Then II was that Barbara rose In the
strength Of her practical wisdom and
met the emergency with all of the char
actcr that she had built up. Her aunt
was helpless. 30 Barbara took matters
Into her own hands. She was nearly
twenty years old then, aud her capac.
itics M n housekeeper had ripcncd
through use until she felt modcstly
confident OF herself. Besides" she
argued. there Is nobody else 10 do
things II don't"
She persuaded her aunt 10 take a III. |
tie house with big sunny dining room,
and there she offered TO the young
bachelors OF the town-~in her aunt's |
meals than they could |
vet At the pretenuous hotel, and sho
charged them scarcely more than haIr |
the hotel rate.
One by one the best OF the young men
n the town were drawn 10 Barbara's
table until the dining room was filled.
After that amy one who wished TO Join
The circle must put his name upon n
waiting list and blde his time III there
should bc vacancy, for Barbara held
hat II would be unjust TO crowd pres.
mt boardcrs In order TO take new
'nes. and she hated all injustice. The
list was always long. for the
anne OF Barbara's table was great.
Really II was her own skill that made
Ter table famous. She hired cook.
Il course, after her little business be.
anne prosperous, and sometimes for n
'ricf while she trusted to the cooks
kill. Then her conscience beset her
because the breakfasts and dinners
nd suppers were not prepared In that
crfectIon which alone could satisfy
his conscientious little woman's soul.
You see, Il isn't honest. aunty," she
you'd say In explanation whenever she
eturned 10 the kitchen and gave per,
oaal attention 10 every detail. I'VE
rc charging these young gentlemen
or their meals, and Il seems to me ,
lshonest II we give them less than