The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1907-05-18
SOLVING THE DIFFICULTY.

People blamed Pat O'Hara for
marrying Nellie Lee, and the elders
shook their heads as they remarked
to each other: "They are foolish
pair. Nellie can't turn her hand to
housekeeping, and the poor boy is
taken with her good looks aud bits of
fnery. She has never been accus-
toned to do anything in the house,
having her mother and elder sisters,
and they never think of asking pretty
Nellie to soil her hands. She has
grown up fit for nothing except to
dress herself up like doll"
Notwithstanding all the talk, Pat
felt proud and happy on the day when
he brought home his young wife and
installed her as mistress of his pretty
cottage just outside the town.
All went we'll for short time. Pat
was not hard to please, and kind
neighbors helped Nellie at first; but
they soon got tired and left her to her
own resources. The poor little wife
could rot cook, she had never been
taught how to keep house, and Pat
was often obliged to go back to his
work with nothing better for dinner
than bread and boiled tea. The house
was dirty and in disorder, and Nellie
soon got tired of keeping herself tidy.
Twelve years passed and what
change! The once bright and hand
some girl was now care-worn wo-
man, the mother of five children. She
never knew when her husband would
return at night, for, poor man, he
dreaded the confusion of the house,
with the children crying, the mother
scolding and everything in confusion.
Pat found it more pleasant to pass his
evenings were he would have peace
and comfortable fire in the public
house besides, he had companions
like himself, and a good deal of the
weeks earnings was left there.
Nellie's eldest child Kitty was now
II years old (; Mollie 9. and Johnnie
6. The baby was but a year old,
and child of 3 had died.
One day when the children returned
from school they told their mother
that they were learning to cook and
to clean house." Mrs. Hara did
not heed them much, as each day they
related to her about the various things
they had learned, Kitty begged ito
be let try something" but the mother
refused.
where can I get things for you to
cook?" she said. 1--WE can't afford
dainties."
"But, mother" said the child, 1--WE
can cook vegetables. We have plenty
in the garden. Mollie and Johnnie
can help. too"
Mrs. O'Hara laughed at the "non-
sense of children and refused to
have her house upset.
The nuns told the school children
to practice at home what they had
been taught in school, but Kitty told
them that her mother would not let
her.
''Never mind, child" said the
Sister, "we'll see her soon."
Accordingly, one day the Sisters
called on Mrs. O'Hara. The poor
woman was in disorder as usual and
apologized for the state in which they
found her and the place.
II have so much to do, Sister,"
said she, between getting the din
ner ready and minding the baby that
1 have no time to clean the house."
"Why don't you get the children
to help your" said Sister Patrick.
"Oh! l could not be looking at
them pulling the things about she
replied; "they would smash every
thing"
NO." said Sister, ''they would
not; we find Kitty very handy she
has taste for housekeeping"
cts easy for you to talk. Sister,"
said the woman, "but if you had
home like this, and man drinking
half his earnings and coming in at
all hours of the night, I wonder what
you would do?"
"I would try and find way out of
the difficulty" laughed the Sister.
Suppose now you allow the children
tomorrow to do as they have been
taught in school, and try just for one
day to let them have the response
bility. 1 promise you they will not
break anything"
''Very well, Sister, let them do so,
as tomorrow will be Saturday; but /
know what to expect
The next morning Kitty said !:
Mother, you are to do nothing to-
day after breakfast but mind baby
and sit in the garden
81 know I'll pay for my holiday"
said Mrs. O'Hara. "We have no
meat for dinner"
"Never mind +; we can have vegeta-
bic soup and colcannon," answered
Kitty.
Little Jonnie was to take part in
cleaning, SO he got coarse apron on