Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1911-08-16
!
Their Baths


had not doomed up SO portentous.
Hilda had the best heart in the world,
but she had likewise a most compre-
hensive deficiency OF English words
and her conversation was restricted to
a constant smile and the fluent use Of
Eyes" and mo" This, in view Of her
superlative cooking and her passion
for scrubbing, was easily overlooked.
Maltby had been quite content,
When sudden illness removed Mrs.
Maltby to the hospital he faced brand
new troubles, which he solved by
throwing up his hands and letting
Hilda run things without any orders
from him. He managed to keep an,
eye on John. aged eight; Edna, aged!
six, and the baby, somewhere about;
two and one-half. He knew the chill
dren were quite safe with Hilda, who
was fond of them
The Maltbys' close neighbors were
much concerned over the desolated'
household and both Mrs. Corcoran and
Mrs. Wilcox ran in frequently to see
that affairs were progressing as they
should under Hilda's management,
The first Saturday of Mrs. Maltby's
absence Mrs. Wilcox paused in her
busting with an Inspiration.
MY goodness" she said IT be-
lieve I'd better attend to it! Hilda
will be busy with her baking and she
has plenty to do, anyhow-it really
will be kindly act!"
Thereupon Mrs. Wilcox put up the
buster, tied on large apron and went
over to the Maltbys' house.
She encountered the children in the
side yard. Come" she said begufl-
ingly. 'Pll give all of you nice, hot
bath! Think how pleased your father
will be"
There was concerted Shrek from
all three. The baby threw down the
kitchen spoon, with which he was dig
gtng in the sand pile, and stared with
indignant eyes as he howied John
regarded her fiercely.
'No!" he protested. 1--WE don't want
no baths! We want to play! We had
baths."
severe firmness as she clasped his re-
bellious hand, cit is wicked to fib!
You come right along and the others
will follow"
Mrs. Wilcox had always felt that
Mrs. Maltby had never used enough
frmness to have perfect discipline
over her children and she reioiced in
To
| flrmness. First, John, then Edna and
! then the baby were put into the tub,
scrubbed within an inch of their lives
and, still yelling, CARRIED in fresh
+ clothes. Mrs. Wilcox, disheveled, pant
ing and flushed, regarded her red
faced, angry charges with satisfaction.
You will feel SO much BETTER she
told them, soothingly. Nov, keep
yourselves cleani"
About two o'clock that afternoon
Mr. Corcoran, who lived on the other
side of the Maltbys from Mrs. Wilcox,
rang the bell.
"Hilda," she said, mechanically,
knowing quite we'll that individual
couldn't understand word, but go
ing through the form, Il thought I'd
help you out and give the children
their baths"
Yes beamed Hilda and departed
for her kitchen
The three Maltby children drew to-
,gether in a compact bunch and glared
at the visitor defantly. Mrs. Corcoran
realized that the youthful human be-
ings, as well as pet dogs and puppies,
always act that way when a bath is
at hand. They hated water and it
couldn't be helped. She put on an in
| gratiating smile
I'm going to make you all nice and
clean" she purred, shooing them up
stairs. From the mingled walls and
| shrieks that assaulted her ears she de-
tached the remark that they had been
! bathed.
Mrs. Corcoran always did things
thoroughly and the Maltby children
had the baths of their lives.
Maltby got home late and tired that
night and at the dinner table reused
from his abstraction long enough to
| hot hi