The Cairo bulletin., 1910-05-20
Helpful Cousin
Matte

ing all done haven't you9" said the
Old isieud wao had dropped in to aft
terEoon tea.
Yes" sighed Mrs Durand. Il think
very article in this house has been
thoroughly washed. secured and
rnsed I don't know of anything that
| has escaped"
You don't speak very enthusiastic
Ally"
Well, you sec, our house was put
| in such good order last autumn that
didn't think 1t needed pulling to pieces
With spring cleaning
Then why did you do it,"
My cousin Matte has been visiting
1 me- III you never had 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 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 a man in the back yard
! beating rugs,
~ thought I'd surprise you by get
| ting things started. said cousin Mat
/ tie. cheerfully just knew you We're
letting my visit interfere with the
cleaning Now, there was no use OF
your being SO polite Louise, for |
don't mind the trouble at all You can
help ME wash the picture frames
That's Job never like to leave to
hired help Besides, your girl Is pref
ty snippy.'
MY maid certainly was snippy
about house cleaning, for 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."
Il hadn't the necessary force OF
character You don't know cousin
Matte. Her dominating energy hyp-
Noticed me-
i after ten days of violent labor we
got the last curtains up at 80 Fri
day night and / went to bed In the
fond belief that a little rest was com
; ing the next day But was doomed
to disappointment, for when went
downstairs to breakfast Saturday Mat
the hack yard.
See what a nice garden you can
have here, Louise, she said There's
plenty of room for big flower bed,
I'm 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 | should think
we could get all the seeds in by night
I 1--WE did get the seeds in, but my
back was almost broken and my feet
c ached so that ! wanted to groan aloud
s Monday morning Matte remarked
, that she had made up her mind to gel
all my dozen new dinner napkins
hemmed that day
"But | intended to keep them fol
fancy work demonstrated,
"'Youll be very thankful to have
: them all done tonight she said,
"she said it so determinedly that
knew 1t was useless to resist. W.
shaved at those napkins for hours.
got SO nervous that pricked my
finger several times, but cousin Mat
+; tie seemed to enjoy herself.
S Now, she said as we folded The
y last of the dozen late IN the evening
these are out Of the way and we cal
/; start your spring sewing tomorrow
}. | nn re uNiHtiS Sphht WIS w
but | think I'll not make any thiI
clothes this year
- "Why, she exclaimed, YOU hav,
, the materia! for two morning dresse
h in the house I'll help you cut then
!. out the first thing in the morning
n "And she did Neither OF us took
leisurely breath until those gown
we're hung in the closet, finished
she hadn't heard that her sisters chi
dren had the mumps | suppose Matti
would have been here helping me vel
u OF course, I'm sorry about the chi
L. dren, but | am thankful for this re
D. lief"
e Mrs. Durand was Just leaning bac
n In her chair with an air of great con-
d fort when the maid appeared with
Is letter.
!, II declare it's from cousin Matte,
said the hostess.
4 "see what she has to say" urge,
I. her friend. Maybe she has done a.
y the work in sight and is pining 10
e new worlds to conquer
7 "Wel, Just listen to this: Tn gla
tn saw that | have helped my siste