Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1910-07-07
Helpful Cousin
Matte

:.......-.....-..........
why, you've got your house clean
| ing all done, haven't you?" said the
old friend who had dropped in to aft
ternoon tea.
Yes sighed Mrs. Durand. 81 think
every article in this house has been
thoroughly washed, secured and
rinsed. l don't know of anything that
has escaped"
You don't speak very enthusiastic
ally"
Well, you see, our house was put
in such good order last Autumn that
didn't think it needed pulling to pieces
with spring cleaning"
Then why did you do ;t?"
My cousin Matte has been visiting
me. If you never had a cousin Matte
you can't understand what I've been
through the past few weeks. She
hadn't been here "a hours before she
suggested that we begin house clean
ing. l told her that didn't intend to
| do much cleaning this spring and |
supposed that would settle the mat
ter. Imagine my CONSERVATION when
| came home from market one morn
ing and found the front porch full OF
| furniture and man in the back yard
beating rugs.
II thought I'D surprise you by get
ting things started, said cousin Mat
| tie, cheerful!y just knew you were
letting my visit interfere with the
cleaning. Now, there was no use of
| your being so polite, Louise, for l
don't mind the trouble at all. You can
| That's a job l never like to leave to
hired help. Besides. your girl is pref
ty snippy.'
my maid certainly was snippy
about house cleaning, for I had en-
| gagged her with the express under
standing that there was to be no
spring house cleaning done. Nothing
but an increase of wages would induce
| her to stay through the turmoil that
cousin Matte raised"
why in the world didn't you stop
it,"
II hadn't the necessary force of
| character. You don't know cousin
Matte. Her dominating energy hyp-
Noticed me-"
after ten days of violent labor we
| got the last curtains up at 1850 Fri
day night and / went to bed in the
fond belief that little rest was COM
ing the next day. But l was doomed
to disappointment, for when | went
downstairs to breakfast Saturday Mat
| tie briskly called to me to come into
the back yard.
See what nice garden you can
have here, Louise she said. There's
| plenty of room for big flower bed
I'll be delighted to help you make it.
But | feebly protested I don't
care about making garden. I'll be
away in the summer when the flowers
| bloom
Why, you'll have the pleasure of
seeing the things come up, she said,
and think how much your husband
and the neighbors will enjoy the flow
ers. I've engaged the man who cleaned
the rugs to come here this morning
to spade up all this long place by the
fence and you and | can rake the
ground after him and l should think
| we could get all the seeds in by night
1--WE did get the seeds in, but my
back was almost broken and my feet
ached so that l wanted to groan aloud
Monday morning Matte remarked
! that she had made up her, mind to get
all my dozen new dinner napkins
hemmed that day.
| but l intended to keep them for
| fancy work, l demonstrated.
you'll be very thankful to have
them all done tonight she said
"She said it SO determinedly that
! knew it was useless to resist. We
shaved at those napkins for hours. 1
| got SO nervous that l pricked my
| finger several times, but cousin Mat
| tie seemed to enjoy herself
Now she said, as we folded the
last of the dozen late in the evening,
these are out of the way and we can
| start your spring sewing tomorrow
"'Youre awfully good l answered,
| but l think I'll not make any thin
| clothes this year
why she exclaimed, you have
| the material for two morning dresses
| in the house. I'll help you cut them
| out the first thing in the morning.
"And she did. Neither of us took
| leisurely breath until those gowns
were hung in the closet, finished If
| she hadn't heard that her sisters chill.
dren had the mumps | suppose Matte
| would have been here helping me yet.
| Of course, I'm sorry about the chill
dren, but / am thankful for this re.
lief"
Mrs. Durand was just leaning back
| in her chair with an air of great COM
| fort when the maid appeared with a
| letter.
81 declare it's from cousin Matte"
| said the hostess.
See what she has to say" urged
| her friend Maybe she has done all
| the work in sight and is pining for
! new worlds to conquer"