The Prescott daily news., 1910-05-04
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. iernoon tea.
 Yes sighed Mrs. Durand. Il think every article in this house has been thoroughly washed, secured and l don't know of anything that has escaped"
 You don't speak very enthusiastic lily"
 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 it?"
 My cousin Hattie has been visiting me. If you never had cousin Matte you cant 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 I didn't intend to do much cleaning this spring and supposed that would settle the mat ter. Imagine my consternation when came home from market one morn ing and found the front porch full of furniture and a man in the back yard beating rugs.
 I thought I'd surprise you by get ting things started said cousin Mat tie, cheerfully just knew you were letting my visit interfere with the cleaning. Now, there was no use of your being so polite, Louise, for 1 don't mind the trouble at all. You can help me wash the picture frames. That's a job I never like to leave to hired help. Besides, your girl is pret- 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 os wages would induce her to stay through the turmoil that cousin Hattie raised"
 Why in the world didn't you stop it?"
 Il hadn't the necessary force of character. You don't know cousin Hattie. Her dominating energy hyp notized me-
 After ten days of violent labor we got the last curtains up at 11:5 90 Fri day night and I went to bed in the fond belief that little rest was con- ing the next day. But 1 was doomed to disappointment. for when I went downstairs to breakfast Saturday Mat tie briskly called to me to come into the back yard.
 See what a nice garden you can have here Louise, she said There's plenty of room for big flower bed I'll be delighted to help yr''l make it.
 But I feebly protes Y don't care about making gard n. I'll be away in the summer when ,Ec rowers bloom
 "'Why, you'll have the ~'cCsure of seeing the things come up,' she said, and think how much your husband and the neighbors will enjoy the flow CTS. 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 l can rake the ground after him and I should think we could get all the seeds in by night
 We did get the seeds in, but my back was almost broken and my feet ached so that I wanted to groan aloud.
 Monday morning Hattie remarked that she had made up her mind to get all my dozen new dinner napkins hemmed that day.
 But I intended to keep them for fancy work I demonstrated
 ,"'You'n be very thankful to have them all done tonight she said,
 She said it so determinedly that I knew it was useless to resist We slaved at those napkins for hours. l 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,
 "'You're awfully good, l answered, but I 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