Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1907-09-20
INSTRUMENTATION OF MRS. HUNTER

Mrs. Jabez Hunter was a notable house
keeper So far back as domestic tradi-
ton ran she had come of a line Of notable
housekeepers-women who waged unre
hitting war not on dirt alone, but upon
all that nondescript variety OF material
which they were accustomed to compre-
bend under the generic term of litter"
Her carpets were guiltless OF a suspi-
cion of dust her floors scrubbed to the
last degree OF whiteness and her furni-
ture ranged at exactly symmetrical angles
with her spotless walls. Her brass and
silver emulated the brightness OF the
rising sun, and even kettles and pans,
transformed to mirrors, reflected the
keen-eyed countenance Of their mistress.
But Mrs. Hunters energies were by no
means exhausted upon inanimate objects
Each Hunter baby by turn had taken its
first Independent journey into the world
with its snowy CambTics protected by a
blue calico "creeper," which was re-
placed on the chlld's arrival at school age
by checked Bingham apron OF propor-
tons ample to enVelop its small person
and protect its clothes from soil. In vain
five year-old Tom had protested against
the Objectionable over-garment.
The boys call me sissy muvverl"
he declared with tears, but Mrs. Hunters
only answer was, MY little boy must
learn not to be ashamed Of ANYTHING
that mother thinks best for him to wear"
one had only TO scan the row OF slippers
ranged along the wall Of the rear entry.
from the number mines OF Mr.. Hunter
himself TO the small red moroccos OF the
youngest child, to understand that the
sacredness Of the hunter interior. like
that OF Hindu temple, demanded the re-
moval Of ordinary footwear upon en-
trance.
Mrs. Hunter was by no means unloving
She would have been ready at any mo-
ment. had the emergency arisen. to give
her life cheerfully for her husband and
children. None the less there was no
room in her scheme OF living for the small
indulgences which might disturb the RI
gidity OF her domestic code. TO tolerate
anything which might in any manner
make dirt was to her a moral impos-
sibility.
II her childrens innocent desires or
secretly cherished tastes confiicted with
the housewify regime, so mach the
worse for them. since the system admitted
Of no compromise.
It would be difficult to do justice to Mrs.
Hunters feelings. when, after an unac-
countably restless night, she found her
self one morning unable to arise from her
bed Could II be possible that she was
going TO be III? And II so. what would
become Of the housekeeping? AS well
might "a watch be expected to keep time
with its handspring broken.
She had been accustomed to apply to all
hired help" the single adjective shift
less" Was it in the hands OF such as
these that her spotless kitchen and
closets, the peparation Of the meals, the
care Of the childrens wardrobe the su-
pervision Of washing and cleaning days
were TO be intrusted? She groaned aloud
| vainly struggling with the pain and faint
ness which attended every effort to move
As the day advanced her suffering in
| creased, and by the time the doctor ar
| rived she was in n burning fever
This proved the beginning Of long and
| dangerous Illness, when through many
! days OF weakness and delirium those who
watched at her bedside alternated be-
| tween hope and despair
At last the crisis passed and with
| slow and feeble flow the tides of life
! turned once more shoreward. For time
| after recovering consciousness she was
| too weak for any connected thought
| All the cords Of interest and authority
| which she had been used to gather in so
| strong a grasp had slipped unnoticed
from her nerveless hands. and she felt
| no impulse to take them UP again
one night she awoke from a more than
usually refreshing sleep with new
sense OF clearness in her brain. She
made no movement, and the two neigh
her supposed her still unconscious. The
sound Of their low whispering came to
her ear with singular distinctness.
IF Jane Hunter hadn't taken a turn
for the better there'd have been differ
ent deal in this house. / can tell you OF
| course they'd a missed her terribly at
FIRST 'Twoud have taken a good while
to get used to having things move along
| easier like. James been n good woman
none better and mighty capable dear
knows. But she's held altogether too
tight a rein. To be sure her children
have gone on well enough so far but
wouldn't want TO bank on them for the
next five or ten years. When home is
too spick and span for anybody to have
a good time in, young folks are bound to
go somewhere else for It,"
You're right there. Mary. l made up
my mind a good while ago that I'd let
my folks do while I'm alive some OF the
things they'd be certain to do after I
was dead"
For moment Mrs. Hunters heart al
most stopped beating, Could 1t be pos
sibe that her death would have been in
the nature of an unconscious relief to
those whom she loved better than her own
soul? She throbbed with almost pas
sionate indignation. But slowly the ex-
element subsidized and with pitiless per-
sistency her memory began to retrace
long forgotten incidents.
once more she seemed to be climbing
the stairs to the room OF Jack her elder
boy. She saw herself pausing in the door
way in surprised displeasure at sight OF
great oak bench trained against the
wall and holding a number Of birds nests
Of various sorts and sizes. few fellen
twigs and straws lay upon the spotless
mating underneath.
jack"
She saw the apprehensive look on the
boys face as he glanced up from his book
Of natural history.
What do you mean by filling the house
with litter?"
"Oh, mother! I'm making a collection.
See, here's a hang birds nest.--Ive looked
for an empty one ever so long. And
this"
Jack, II you want a collection of nests,
you can keep it in the barnloft The
house is no place for it,"
But mother"
Don't argue Jack, dear. simply
can't have such messing. Take them out
directly"
How plainly now she saw the hurt ex-
preston of the boys eyes as he silently
obeyed her
Another picture; This time it was Tom
standing in the kitchen doorway with a
beautiful collie puppy in his arms.
Cant l have him, mother? Henry
Jarvis will give him to me II you are
willing. See what a little beauty he is"
The young face was flushed with ca