The new era. (Walden, Colo.) 1906-19??, 1908-01-16
When Josephine
Kept House
CHIT. by Joseph B. Bowisa)
By L. Rols,s.


grassy slope in front Of the Packard
farmhouse.
Josephine was 10 and good to look
upon, with fair hair. blue eyes,
supple form and dainty gown. AL
berta. her friend. year older. large.
dark, dignified, stylish, was also good
to look upon. Both were in the en-
joyment OF perfect health and each
prided herself on her muscular devel-
opment and powers Of physical endur-
ance-and intelligence.
In the farmhouse. In the kitchen,
with very hot stove for company,
was Josephine's mother, ironing
much berunied white muslin dress b.
longing to the aforesaid Josephine.
She was a plump, busy. cheerful.
little woman, whose greatest happi-
ness in life was to have other people
take comfort" She had two ideas OF
comfort; the one for her own exslu-
sive use. the other for the rest of the
world.
The first was work: she believed,
or pretended, or imagined. that only
in keeping everlastingly at 1t could
she by happy. Her ideal for every
body else was idleness.
There was one exception. however,
to this almost universal acQuiescence.
and as Mrs. Parkard finished the mus
lin this exception appeared in the
doorway, and resting his hands high
up on either side of the door, looked
into the kitchen-a we'll built young
man with a frank, pleasant face. He
demonstrated with his aunt in half
joking. half vexed way. for doing the
work OF those two lazy. good-for-
nothing girls"
They are much better able to do
it than you are, and have half
mind to go and tell them So"
"oh, well. they're young" said his
aunt. indulgently. do let them take
comfort while they can. Hard work
will come to them soon enough"
II wish it would come right now"
said Sam. They deserve . good
shaking. and I'd like to be the one to
give 1t them"
That evening . message came which
was an urgent summons to the bedside
Of dying sister.
How can l go!" exclaimed Mrs..
Packard, In great distress Of mind.
What is to hinder your going"
cried Josephine. warmly. Il should
think it was great II Alberta and !
couldn't do the homework for day
or two. You must so-you shall Co."
Sam took her to the railroad station
very early in the morning. speaking
comfortably to the anxious little wo-
man, who felt almost like criminal
in thus spelling the sorsly needed
vacation of the two fragile maidens
whom she left behind.
Now, don't you worry. Aunt Elisa
BETH" he said, as he bade her good
bye. "TH keep an eye on the girls
and give them lift now and then, and
II they show signs of collapse. I'll take
hold and do the work myself"
Aunt Elizabeth seems to think you
girls are pretty helpless lot" OBJ
served Sam, carelessly, after he ar
rived home.
II know It," returned Josephine. half
vexed. II dent see but what we get
along beautifully, and / believe that
nine-tenths of the complaining about
Homework being SO hard and disa-
greeable is clear rubbish"
81 am surprised, really. to ind it 10
easy and pleasant" said Alberta.
II wish mother didn't make such
hard work of It," continued Josephine.
with pensive regret. She keeps trot-
ting all day long. and there isn't bit
of need Of 1t. But Of course" she
added, excusingly. "she can't move or
think as quickly as young person"
Sam turned his head to hide very
broad smile.
1T seems pity she should hurry
home, when II is 30 wholly unnscss.
sary, now doesn't IT." he questioned
musingly. "She so seldom gets away,
and there are a host of relatives
around there that she has been want.
ing to visit for years"
why not write and tell her to
stay?" said Alberta.
II could do that" said Josephine.
ut would be great fun"
So the letter was written-indesd,
each member Of the family wrote q
letter, even Mr.. Packard. who dstested
letter writing from his very soul. and
Mother" was given to understand that
everything went on swimmingly with.
out her, and that her presence IN the
family circle was not desired for six
weeks at the very least.
Sam very kindly offered the girls
the loan Of his alarm clock. and set II
for them at half-past four. for Mr..
Packard was to begin on the meadow
the next day, and they would want An
early breakfast.
1t seemed to Josephine and Alberta
as though they had hardly fallen
asleep. when "whir.r-r-r-r-rrrrr-r.
-r-rr" went the alarm clock, and II