Year: 1871




Every Day Brings its own Work.


BY MARY L. BoLLEs BRANCH.


Early In the morning, the very first
of the week, before we were all awake
IN came Monday to spend the day, and
brought IN all her washing. Ben heard
her coming, and hurried to make the
fire and get the water over by sunrise
and it was well he did, for such large
wash [ never saw. Nell and Bell and I
all had to help in the rubbing, wiring
ing and hanging out We did not let
mother touch a thing except the fine
starch, because she had headache.
But the rest of us worked as hard as
we could, and it was not as bad as it
might seem, for the sun shone the Ii
lacs smelled sweet, the robins twittered,
and Monday was as good nat1red, and
looked SO pleasant, laughing and sing
ing at her work, that Bell and Nell and
| began to laugh and sing too, over
the wash board, and over the rinsine
tub


Ben was lying on his back under a
tree, making whistles.


"Jump up, jump up, you lazy boy
cried Monday, cheerfully "run over
TO the store as quick as you can, and
bring me bottle of blueing -


Monday was forgetful that morning,
and did not think till Ben had gone
that she ought to have told him to get
starch, too; SO when he came we had
to send him right back again. That
made Ben frown, and he told Bell he
should be glad when he got off to
school, where it didn't make any differ
ence when Monday came.


1t was lucky we. had some cold meat
IN the house, so there was not much to
do for dinner; but we managed to slip
IN small kettle of potatoes behind the
boiler, and the teapot too, though the
stove was pretty well crowded. Mon
day said she had learned not to be too
particular about her victuals, and as
long as she got her washing done, she
wouldn't mind what she had TO eat.


So she worked, and rubbed, and
r1nsed, and wrung, and every now and
then Monday called some of us into
the yard with her to help hang the
white things on the line, or spread
them on the sweet, green grass. How
pretty Nell looked, with her white. bare
arms, as she carried out basket full
of Mondays table cloths, napkins and
aprons, to the line. But when she came
back her cheeks were great deal red
der than wild roses; they were more
like the wild scarlet geranium.


do wish, = she said, 81 that our
yard wasn't so close to the street. Eve
ry one that goes by can look right over
the fence


"What of that, asked Bell, cit is
no harm to beseen hanging out clothes. ;


:" know it, said Nell, ruefully,
/" but my dress was fastened up all
around my waist, Just as Monday show
ed me how TO pin it, and my sleeves
were up, and I had on this old sun bon
net


I glanced out of the window, expect
ing to see the Governor and all his
daughters, at least to account for Nell's
bushes but there was no one but Bob
Carter just disappearing round the cor
ner.


60, never mind" said Monday
cheerily, "there isn't house of them
all but what [ visit. They an know
what to expect when Mondays about ~


The washing was almost done, and |
thought when we got through we might
have little rest But no. "Come
girls, said Monday, as the last piece
was hung out" come, let's go right
to work and wash up the oil-cloths, and
mop out the yerandah!n


So we did, and by the time that was
done, and the tubs put away, and ev-
erything put to rights, 1t was almost
time for Monday to go. We had 9
quiet little tea, and the last of her visit
was really pleasant, for we all sat out
In the verandah together, and watched
the sun go down behind the hills, and
listened to the birds twilight songs
But | was so tired that by and by
slipped away from the rest and went tc
bed But [ should not have deserted
them SO If | had known that Monday
had concluded to stay little longer
and fold down and sprinkle all the
clean clothes. -s


We all slept soundlY that night, and
would have been glad to lie abed lit
tie later than usual the next morning
but you may have noticed that as the
week begins, SO it goes on all the wa,
through; and sure enough, at an early
hour, Tuesday came walking into the
house, bringing all her ironing. She
looked heated and flushed, and sale
she was afraid she should not ge
through her work before night; so W.
put the irons upon the stove in hurry
and good natured Nell got out tn,
board and blanket, and finished off
good many little things, while Bell anC
fried the ham and made coffee fo
breakfast


Tuesday said rather GROSSLY that W
must not fry anything on the stove tha
day, for it spattered the grease so, an,
plagued her with the irons. Oh, wha
warm day it was We put on ou
thinnest calicoes and opened all th
windows to send draft through tn
kitchen 1t looked so cool and shad
oIt Of doors, under the apple trees, an,
we wished we could stay out there an,
read or play croquet; but Tuesda
shook her head, and said we must wal
another day for that.


What a time we had of it. Nell di,
the starched things and made then
look beautifully no French Iaundres
could ever suit father better with hi
shirts than Nell does But [ hurried
so | did not let my irons get hot enough
some OF the time, and things locke,
rough, so / had to go over them again
Bell got hers too hot once, and scorche,
napkin, and Tuesday got into quite
furry over 1t for few minutes.