The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1920-02-19
HER IDLE HOURS
BY MARY w. FORD.

| fluffy dresses on, as you caii
and eat chocolates, than to do stroke
Of housework or cooking and Jonh
Andrews reached for his hat, and COM
Ing over to his mother, placed an arm
around her lovingly.
"But Johnny boy, it's your future
I'm looking for-I want you 10 nc
happy, and with your salary you can
not afford to hire cook. Wnat )
more, daddy, I'm afraid, as 1t Is she
would just be an ornament to grace
your home with, instead Of a home-loV-
Ing wife. II only she would give up
her idle hours, and during those hours
learn to cook"
There, there, mother. dear, let's not
talk on this subject again"
When John called on Margaret or
Peggy" as he lovingly nicknamed
her. a vision in lovely pink met MN
at the door. ooh, Johnny, l have
something wonderful to tell you" ana
laughing happily she ushered him into
luxurious parlor. far different from
Johns modest parlor. After what
seemed a little eternity to John, won
dering what Peggy was so excited
about, that young lady appeared at
the door with huge hat box almost
as large as herself, as Peggy was rath-
er short. "Now close your eyes, John"
she said. and after moment requested
him to open them again. And behold!
There, before Johns eyes was beau
tiful creation of hat. First it looked
| like silver then hold ii at another
angle and II looked like gold-at least
that was how John later described it
to his mother.
"Why John Andrews, you don't like
my new hiatt" and tears filled Peggy's
pretty brown eyes. John continued
staring at the hat, and when Peggy
thought he did not approve Of the
pretty hat she nearly guessed right,
for John was asking himself how he
could afford to buy such a dream of
hat for Peggy when they were mar
ried.
peggy dear, your hat is a perfect
dream, and know it must be very be-
coming. but"
Peggy, I'm awfully sorry am such
poor company this evening. but moth
er has been at that cooking stuff
again; and oh, Peggy! I've just been
hoping right along that you would
one day surprise mother and"
Going over to John, she looked him
squarely in the eyes and said. seri-
ously: John, will surprise her, and
TIL make her love me some day,
hope-love me for my very self. and
not my cooking; and, oh don't want
this hat. l hate it, hate it! and the
tears fell fast.
The following week John vas sent
to New York, to be gone five months
on business for the firm. Peggy prom
ised to write faithfully every week, so
he went away not entirely unhappy,
but looking forward to the time when
he would return.
I'm awfully lonesome since John
went away, and haven't much ambi.
ton to cook or do anything else"
thought Mrs. Andrews week after
John had left. Then her eyes fixed
themselves on the following ad in the
paper: young lady about TO be mar.
ried would like five months instruc-
ton in housework and cooking" Then
the box number followed at the post.
office. "Well, of all things-what a
queer ad, but that girl sure has grit.
and / admire it-now that John has
gone, why can't l take her in. door
soul, and help her out?" And the
more she thought of it the more she
wanted to do it, so accordingly the
next day a young girl presented her
self in answer to Mrs. Andrews letter.
why, Margaret Willisw but Mrs.
Andrews not suspecting that Peprv
had come in answer to her letter. and
thinking she came about John. froze
up completely and stared at Margaret
but not unkindly.
"Please don't look at me like tbot
Mrs. Andrews am the young lady
who-who wants to know how TO keen
house, how to cook. Oh, won't YOU helm
me while John Is gomez" And as Mrs
Andrews gazed at this girl whom sbo
always regarded as a doll. her heart
went out to her when she saw how
sincere Peggy was. and how she muet
love her Johnny to come and humble
herself like this to his mother. Mrs.
Andrews beamed on Peggy and said.
Yes, my dear little girl, I'm going n
help you; and wen give John tho
surprise of his life"
John arrived home around Noon tbroo
days sooner than he was expected ana
received the surprise of his life wbon
he saw his dainty Peggy. her faoo
flushed, enveloped in one of NJ
mothers aprons, pulling a nan 10
hot biscuits out Of the oven. ,Johr -
was all poor Peggy could saw ana
down went those delicious biscuits ON
the floor and after picking his li,nn
girl up in his arms and kissing the
flushed cheeks, he STONED and -,