The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1929-05-24

FATlLDA put down her pencil
MI with a furtive air and folded
lNl up the newspaper. She had
been looking over the adver-
tised sales of groceries for the next
day and she wondered if Marie. her
maid, had seen where she had the
paper open. Matilda was, essentially.
home body. She loved to cook and
plan, thoroughly enjoyed going To mar
ket and inspecting everything she
bought Il would like TO ger a stout
brown basket and 90 to market"
thought Matilda YEARLY as her house
keeper entered. THE stuff the French
cook prepares tastes all alike; I'd
rather have good dish of cOrned
beef and cabbage than any of the filet
mignOns or chicken la king"
Mrs. Briggs coughed significantly as
she stood before her employer. She
did not intend TO allow any newly
rich TO keep her standing; positions
were too plentiful for that
Good morning. Mrs. Briggs. what
Is it,
Il am not satisfied with my rooms;
L like more sun of a morning" Mrs.
Briggs did not use ma'am in her con-
verSatiOn. She was the reduced widow
of an army officer, and never per-
mitted herself or others TO forget that
fact AS | always said to my huS-
band. the captain, l require Il great
deal of sunshine and milk; that certi-
fed milk I've been drinking has not
been real good lately. l changed milk
men this morning"
Are you drinking certified milk 2"
Queried Matilda.
Certainly" Mrs. Briggs tossed her
pale red head. Il require the best of
food 10 Eeep me fit for my duties. |
told the :uan servants to change nv
furniture into the front rooms on the
third floor"
But those are guest rooms! Some
people are coming tomorrow" be-
gan Matilda excitedly.
What's all that noise about?' Jim
Brown had just entered and he looked
GROSSLY at his wife This house is
always in an uproar. | came home TO
be quiet and find the halls filed with
furniture. You may go, Mrs. Biggs, |
wish TO speak TO your mistress"
Again the red head reared itself
pridefulIy: Il am considered an ex-
pert hOUsekeeper and the furniture is
being moved for my comfort. As
always told my husband, the captain.
cannot put forth my best efforts
unless | am thoroughly comfortable.
There are the housekeeping bills for
last month. Considering the rising
prices think them very reasonable"
Mr.. Brown sank YEARLY into a chair
as the door closed sharply after the
angular form. Il wish | might never
again hear of my husband, the cap
tain. he muttered, then, Great
Scott. Matilda. have you been running
a boarding house? The bills are half
as much again as they were last month
and they were simply outrageous
then, :"
His wife looked at him heIpleSsly:
81 don't know what to do. | cannot
seem TO grasp the right way of run
ming such d large house. Mrs. Briggs
resents il greatly if | ask what she
is going TO order each day. Says that
that is her part, 70 save my time. but
/ feel as though | lived in a hotel
Do you think il helps your business
much TO live in such grand style?"
Jim looked up from the item, certi-
fi-d milk, with a puzzled frown. The
sum total seemed astonishingly large
TO him, but he supposed that his wife
needed the costly milk. my busi-
ness:" he repeated. why, no, | keep
up this great house and retinue of lazy
servants simply for your comfort. We
saved and scrimped so long that i
resolved that if l could ever afford
il you should have a complete resi-
from all housekeeping cares and live
a life of serene leisure. You've always
been a good wife, Mat, and if il
pleaseS you to go abOutNall dressed-up
and stay up half the night playing
cards with a lot of idle people why
it's all right. I'm trying TO learn TO
like this kind of semi-public life and
If business would only pick up" he
pulled up abruptly and Redeemed as
Matilda's sharp eyes studied his face.
''Finish your sentence" she CON-
manded in the old tone she had used
when she had taught in the gram
mar school back in Franklin. You
are keeping something back from me-"
He squirmed in his seat and ruff
fed the sheaf of bills in his hands
while Mrs. Briggs sharp tones could
he heard amid the moving of furni-
ture i'm the hall outside.
Tell me. Jim" urged Matilda with
an awakened CLEAN in her gray eyes.
"have you been keeping up this big
establishment just to please me?"
The quaint phrasing brought rem.
iniscent smile 10 his tired face:
THAI is my aim in life" he ad-
mitted rather briefly. Il want TO see
you cOntented. figured that with
charge accounts at all the big shops,
plenty Of friends and a housekeeper