Year: 1872

There we're masonS ana carpenters uo"h-
stairs, and upstairs were paper-hangers and
painters, while Bridget and her assistants were
present here and there, and everywhere.


l remember I had on a faded calico and a
huge gingham apron, and, with cloth IN my
hand, was engaged in the laudable pursuit OF
rubbing a window clean, when | saw John
coming up the street with my brother.


Nothing very serious in that, hear some one
say. as


Well, perhaps not, to you; but my brother
was the most fastidious ofmortals, and abhorred
house-cleaning above all things else. He kept
his suite of rooms in a certain hotel in city
East, and, when it became an absolute necessity
that they should be cleaned, he packed his va
lise and took little pleasure "trip, coming back
in time to find everything the perfection of
good order and neatness.


But he was a handsome, broad -shouldered
fellow, cheerful and good natured, and l was
proud of him-as well could be--and mourn
ed very much because he was so welded to his
bachelors life.


You sec, John and l were very happy TO-
gether, and my pet dream had been that brother
Will would see me, and envy US enough to go
and do likewise but he hadn't quite cotton
over his idea that wives and house-cleaning
invariably go together, and this visit-in the
muss that we were now-would effectually put
an end to all dreaming, and strengthen his pre-
judice tenfold.


Nevertheless, tried to see only the best side
of the matter, and gave him a true sisterly
huggng, that he returned with interest, and
for minute or so, in our delight at seeing each
other, doubt if he noticed the carpetless 4
the cherries walls, or the board that heldh
tar, and the shavings and tools that always.
company carpenter.


Not five minutes after, however, while I was
reading letter john had brought me from
one of my school girl friends-I hadn't been
l.. L e..
I heard Will say, in that positive manner
of his =


1T is all very well, John, for you to talk, now
that you are married and can't help yourself
but, as for me, l would be strung up, head
iownwards, and fed on bread and water, before
| would marry the best woman that ever wore
petticoats."


I suppose 2"


"Your letter can't be very interesting, my
lady, or you would not find time to interrupt
u.s." he returned loftily. "As 1 was saying,
John, if 1 really could make up my mind to
marry any one, it would certainly be the inevi-
table Bridget, who could do her own work, at
tend to her house-cleaning without any of my
assistance, and never question my doings or
my goings, let them be what or where they
would"


awe can't forget, brother Will, that you do
not speak from experience. Look out that we
don't cry sour grapes with some reason, said
John, with laugh.


"sour grapes, indeed Well, say as you
please, my shoulders are broad enough to bear
it; but truth, you as well as | know, chat there
is not one household out of hundred but what
have their skeleton hid away-in the form of
trouble-that the world wots notof"


POSSIBLY but Lizzie and haven't found
cur skeleton YETI


"only two years married Wait until you
aan talk of ten or fifteen, and then see if you
amt find a skeleton to disturb the quiet of


,ur conjugal felicity"


'You are skeptic, brother, and don't de-
rye wife, anyway. 1 prophesy for you a


ng walk through the swamp, and crooked
: tick after ALL"


He laughed merrily, as l started off to see if
So least one room could not be made comforta-
BILE for his lordship


After tea, which was served in tolerable good
order, considering the general state of things,
and John and Will had gone down street, as
men always will ofan evening, l fell to cogitatng
on a very perplexing subject.


My letter that afternoon announced the COM
ing of my intimate friend, Jenny Janison and,
anxious as I had always been to have her visit
me, and especially to meet my brother, l was
in dsmay at the thought of her coming now
but moment later concluded that it would
be wiser to accept the inevitable with as much
grace as possible.


There a sigh or two smothered, for, like
all young housekeepers, was desirous of hay-
ing my home the perfection of good order and
neatness, with no jarring in the domestic ma
chinery but sturdy common sense told me
that everybody had to endure house-cleaning
at one time or another, and if my friends chose
to come at such a time, they must accept the
situation as best suited them.


1 had scarcely settled the matter in my own
mind when cab drove up to the door, and
Jcnny-fresh and blooming when parted
two years ago-came running upthe steps.


[ was quite as glad to see her as though she
had been sister, and told her so over and over
again, while she pinched my cheeks and as
sured me l was as rosy as girl, though 1 was
an old married woman.


But all this schoolgirl gushing could not
make me long forget my carpetless and dis
mantled home, and sitting down on tete-a
tete, that was carefully covered with sheet, to
protect it from the dust and dirt, 1 told her all
about it, a little dolefully it may be.


"You silly goose, you, as if | would care.
Why, Lizzie, we'll have some fun out of this,
albeit they say fun is low word. That brother
Of yours deserves to be taken down a peg in his
skeptical notions, and imagine that we know
how to do it, You s e, | will be maid-of-all-
work, and your right hand woman in general,
and we will make order come out of this confu-
sion in little less than no time.


"You :" and l looked at the elegant gray
popln, that was ruffled and be-panered enough
to drive a modiste mad, then at the nicely
fitting gray walking boots, the beautiful auburn
hair with its curs and its frizzes, the sweet pi-
quaint face, and the red ripe lips and laughed
immOderately.


"Laugh, if you will, Lizzie Bermerton you
ought to remember school days enough to know
that what begin l can accomplish. Set your
tears at rest, too, little woman. Will Heidburg
shall never guess that am your beloved friend.
Dress is metamorphoser, remember, and
when a woman will, she will"


The merry girl danced out of the room sing
ing, and what could l do with such witch,
only to wait and bide the consequences


If l had intimated that my greatest desire
was to see her and Will married. she would
have found it convenient to take herself home
again Immediately, and Will wouldn't have
STAYED in the house a minute. AS to this plan
was very doubtful, but l was forced to acceptit.


"An it please you, ma'am, will be after
suiting the likes of YEP"


Jenny stood before me metamorphosed, in
deed. Her curls and frizzes were combed
straight back and twisted in little knot be-
hind, and she had purloined one of my cast-of
calicoes and an apron, two-thirds as large as
herself; her sleeves were rolled above her ell
bows, and a pair of Bridgets leather shoes COM
pleted the picture.


''Sure an will yees give me an answer, ma am,
or I'll be after goin," she said little sharply,
us l persisted IN laughing at her droll APP
pearance.


eyes, think you II ay stay"


"Sure then, ma'am, what shall l do for ye ~


She had scarcely said it, when l heard John
and Will coming, and with quck-"kemem-
Der, 1 am the new girl, Jane Cleary, and don't
spoil this fun for any politeness to Jenny jan
ison ,"-she was out in the kitchen entertaining
Bridget before John and Will had otfairly in
to the house.


The next morning, the new girl, Jane, in
clean white apron waited on the table, and |
saw, with secret delight, that my brothers eye
kept following her she went to and from the
kitchen.


"That is deuced inc looking girl of yours,
Lizzie! Look out or she will rival your roses.
have been trying all the morning to find out
which is the prettiest, mistress or maid,' he
said at length, during one of her absence from
the room.


John of course, had been let into the secret,
but he kept his face admirably grave, and
tried to pucker up frown, and assured him
that thought he had better things to do than
to come here and admire my servant girls


AS the week wore away, began to see Jen-
ny's bright eyes were not used without effect,
and in her new character, she was quite deter
mined to win my brother in spite of himself.


was doubtful still, for despite his many
words to the contrary, | knew him to be full
of family pride; but when the masons and car
penters had left the house, and the paper-hang
ers were quite through, he surprised me by vol
to sfa houa nd haln fanny and 7