Rocky Ford enterprise., 1915-07-02
sharply.

you can fuss over cat" disapproved
Carrie Think of the dust she col
lects with that tail!'
1--WE try not to have any dust for
the tail to collect" returned Helen,
feeling that for once she had scored.
mo, l hadn't much time to get
around" Warren was saying. "But
Helen did drag me out to the rag
market-that's rum place for you.
Helen, show EN- the things we got
there"
"Oh, we didn't get much" murmured
Helen, who always shrank from show
ing Carrie anything. Here's an old
card case," taking 1t from the mantel
"And this old scent bottle l thinks
rather quaint. What were they, dear?
Only two shillings each. wasn't it?"
You're wild about this sort OF
thing, aren't you?" Carrie was look
ing at them without the slightest in
terest. 81 suppose they're all right,
but 1 never cared to litter up my
house with lot of bric-a-brac."
Helen, who loathed bric-a-brac and
who prided herself on having home
free from useless ornamentation.
flushed resentfully.
"I see you've moved your DESK" as
Helen put back the scent bottle.
"Yes, 1t was too near the heat-the
veneering was getting warped"
"You ought to keep saucer of
water under your radiators. It's not
the heat as much as the dryness that
cracks veneer" instructed Carrie. do
you use a good furniture polish?"
"I suppose it's good" stifny. 81 get
1t at Warmers"
well, II you'd get little lemon
oil-it would take of all these smeary.
looking places. It's better than any
thing else for magohany.'
With an effort Helen forced a mur-
INJURED comment about trying it.
Carries critical. instructive attitude
had never seemed more intolerable,
and she had never felt for her o
stronger antagonism. It was a diff.
cult evening, and Helen could hardly
keep from showing the resentment
that was smoldering within her.
1t was relief when Ed finally
glanced at the clock and announced
that 1t was after ten.
"It doesn't seem possible that Fri
days Christmas" observed Carrie as
she pinned on her hat But we're
not giving a single present this year.
What we ordinarily spend for pres
ents we decided to give to the Bel
gians. Mrs. Elliot and got off a big
box on their Christmas ship"
THAT was very fine of you." mur-
INJURED Helen. thinking Of the ex
pensive centerpiece she had already
bought for Carrie.
"Oh, isn't that something new?'
Carrie paused at the dining-room door
as they passed by. I've never seer
that decanter."
Yes. l got that in London. love
that old Bohemian glass SO, and you
don't often see one with the old silver
stopper
What do you use for your silver?"
Carrie had taken up berry dish from.
the sideboard. "Gordon's silver soap?
oh, they make cream that's much
better. You try it and your silver
won't look SO cloudy" holding the
dish up to the light
Carrie, it's late.' called Ed from
the door.
With forced, set smile. Helen fol-
lowed them out to the elevator. Even
after they rang for the car, Carrie
kept it waiting while she still ex;olled
the merits OF the silver cream.
Mighty nice to have them this eve
ning,' declared Warren as he closed
the door. Carrie looked well, didn't
she? Gave you some good tips. too.
You must try that stunt about water
under the radiator"
Helen gulped. then all her smolder-
ing resentment blazed out. 1t was the
primitive, tigerish resentment tha. is
| aroused in even the mildest, gentiest
woman by the criticism and interfer-
ence of her husbands family.
You think she's such a paragon of
a housekeeper. don't your" passionate
ly. That's what all your family think.
Well, ! want to tell you something /
saw myself! You remember that night
We were over when Ed was sick?
Well, ] went out to fill the hot-water
bag-and I found the maid brushing
her teeth in the kitchen sink! Now
may have smeary furniture and cloudy
silver-but I'm at least clean about
the kitchen! And I'll tell her so,
tool"
"What're you trying to start, any
way?' scowled Warren. 81 think it's
might fine of Carrie to want to help,
you
Help me? She only wanted an ex-
cuse to air her own perfections.
tried to be civil to her tonight-but
the next time" excitedly. I'll let her
know can run my house without her
assistance! And I'm going to tell her
that my maid doesn't wash her teeth
in the kitchen sink"
nIIn1u do rc,,I l.no,n. xrhaA cha dnaa