Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1931-08-21
Mary Brown Had
Mutinied
By HELEN ST. BERNARD

MARY BROWN y the fatiron
1Vl back and forth YEARLY. Three
O'Clock and still half basket Of sprin-
killed. clothes to iron. They would mil
dew If left over and Marian had said
she wanted to wear the dotted suisse
frOck to the dance tonight. There were
eight little ruffles around the hem.
Mary pushed her hair back from her
forehead. Henry, too, had expressed
a desire for sauerkraut and dumplings
for dinner and she had not taken
the time to order the groceries. The
day was hot.
There had been six no, seve.A shirts
for Henry; four dresses for Marian
where was the pink and whlte-dotted
suisse 1t was wrapped In a
bath towel. She must do that next
eight tie ruffles around the
hem and right there her spir-
it broke. pink and whlte-dotted
dress with eight ruffles broke the
spirit of valiant Mary Brown.
She resolutely drew the plug from
the iron and turned 1t on end to cool;
rewrapped the pink and white dress
In the towel, pushed the basket OF
sprinkled clothes under the kitchen
table, and sat down in the little rock
er beside the kitchen window.
Henry. middle-aged. plodding, easy
going; coming home from the store
at night; devouring the dinner, the
menu of which he usually outlined ut
breakfast the evening paper
yawns noisy and frequent, and finally
the shOeless ascent of the stairway to
bed.
For eight years, Mary had wanted
Henry to take the boat trip up the
Great Lakes, stopping at Mackinac
island, but each year Henry had other
plans for his vacation.
Marian, nineteen and pretty, wilful
and selfish; rushing home from the
office at five, no time to help with
the dinner dishes, rapid change into
another frock, and away again with
some admiring young cavalier.
Junior was dear boy but lazy.
Right now his sole interest was radio.
His room was a hopeless mess Of
wire, batteries, boxes and books.
Twelve years Of age and he could
not be convinced that he should Shout
der the responsibility Of keeping the
walks clean, the lawn moved md his
own neck and ears clean.
Dolly, small and dainty, hopelessly
spoiled because of a childish illness,
knew that to accomplish her hearts
desire was to cry loud and long. She
was petted outrageously.
"Whose fault Is it?" sighed Mary
Brown as she rocked back and forth
that hot afternoon in the little rocker.
"Why isn't my family like other fam
lilies? All get Is wOrk-wor. work
sauerkraut and dumplingsl
Pink and white-dotted dresses with
eight ruffles and dreaming
all the time that perhaps some day
Henry will take me on that trip up
the Great Lakes, to Mackinac is
lanu.
Four o'clock. Four-thirty. At FIVE
o'clock she went upstairs, and at five
thirty she was in bed. Mary Brown
had mutinied! She awaited results.
Mother" walled little Dolly from
the door, you aren't sick, are you.
You just can't b sick. Mother What
will we dO?"
A good beginning, thought Mary
Brown, as she turned over on her
pillow. She smiled again when v lrian
rushed in eXclaiming:
Mother! Dolly says you are sick
Are you really If you are
can't 90 TO the party tonight"
And below on the front porch Dolly
was calling: Daddy. Daddy. Mother
is sick And dinner isn't ready"
Henry looked down at her and she
closed her eyes and sighed.
well, Mother what's up? Tired?
Well you rest and Marian and ! will
get the dinner. D., You have time to
make the dumplings?"
This was the finishing touch. She
sat up quickly. She had wanted SYM
pathy from her family. They were
thinkin" of themselves ms usual.
~ am here because Of YOU All Of
you All ! d, is iron. wash. scrub.
bake saucrk M and ,lumplings Iron
eight rufl'lcs on one lrcsc Seven
shirts am nothing hui slave. :"
Henry was alarmed. Marian" he
called Come quick Mother must
be sick nnh Mother Is never
sick!"
I'VE have had family council.
Mother. and are ready to report. I'll
come Inst Doll. viii lead of. Come
Baby. tell Mother
I'm not goin. 10 rrv my more.
and I'm goin. TO hpln Mother
and be n good g'r san" Dolly. her
face radiant. anG Junior interrupted
her with:
"And I'm going to take care of the
porch and walks. and study harl, and
wash my neck and ears
Marian's voice trpmhlpd little
"Tm going to do everything | should
Mother. IT, make II easy for YOU And
I'm goin" TO finish that ironing this
very minute and will do some of the
hOuSework -
Then Henry s.uke, You'll have To-
do II MI for n couple of weeks Marian
Mother and are going on II honey
moon How about - trip to N Great
Lakes. Mary. with Stop.ov NJ Mack
lnar iSland?"
There were kisses from all and
Marian started downstairs.
Marian" called Mary Brown
Leave the pink and white dotted
dress and I'll lro; II tomorrow. drlI
You could never iron those eight II
tie ruifles 50 they will look pretty"