Year: 1873




TINS WAS how it came to pass | Lad
always bought my butter of Mrs Butter
worth, but now she had come to the city
to live. so she of course must needs buy
her own butter, for had she not called on
me that very morning and made the start
ling announcement herself?


Now, George and lived in a little cot
tage on Pine street. and although four
times day he passed the grocery on the
corner when going to and from his bust
ness, to say nothing Of the times | went
there to buy groceries, we had never
bought one pound of store butter from
said store, or, | might as well add, from
any other. The very thought was repug-
nant. SO the news of Mrs ButterWOrth's
removal into town fell ON our dcfenseless
ears like a clap OF thunder in a clear sky.
George, what are we to do for butter?''
| said as we gathered around the dinner
table, on which a small amount Of that ar
ticlc was placed.


Why, jane lie inquired, whats the
matter now?N


Only this. Mrs. ButterWOrth has taken
up her abode here in town, and of course
we can get no more butter Of her"


You don't say so!'


Yes | do; she told me herself this
morning And now what is going to be
done about it,"


How much have YOU on hand?"


"OniY three or four pounds"


Well, said George. cant YOU skimp
little and make it hold out till can look
around, for YOU know [ never can eat
store butter"


Nor either" | said SO it was set
tied that we must skimp, but it was hard
work Butter had been quite an item in
cur family, and George, Jr., declared that
ne would not eat anything if he could not
nave all the butter he wanted and Mamie
threw her thinly-spread piece clear across
the table, and kicked and screamed lusti-
ly


Our little four-year-old was an active,
energetic being, and George was a noble,
rcsolute fellow. Husband and | had new
er punished the children, being deter
mined that no restraint of ouvs should
break their spirits; SO we had scene.
OF course Il was annoying, bat my heart
achcd for the poor little dcars, who never
before had been denied that luxury, good


and good butter. Honey. sigup and
sugar, though temptingly displayed, had
deprecated III their eyes, and they had no
appetite for ANYTHING else


What shall we do, Georre@" | again
asked, Is he was leaving the house


Il don't know. Be as cheerful rs YOU
can, Jane, and will see" So saving he
slammed the door To, unnecessarily hard,
| thought, and left me to Cogitate the mat
ter over alone, which I immediately be
gan to do.


The farm was for rent Mrs. b. had
told me that, and now came bright
thought Why could we not move out
there this summer, and shut up our house
y town, or rent ii for the next six months
That would be just the thing. No more
bills then for butter, eggs, chickens or
fruit In short, everything at hand, at no
expense, eXceptthe rent, which would be
just nothing, compared to the amount that
we now had to pay for these things.


had always loved the country; it was
such pleasure to. get out of the crowded
city, and | had been in the habit of visit
ing Mrs. Butterworth twice a wear, ever
since began to buy of her. How loved
TO sit in her cool parlors, or watch her
strain and put away the milk in bright
tin pans. never rose in the morning till
the milking process was all over, but as
the children needed the new milk to
strengthen them, | used to cut my morn,
ing nap short, and hasten to the dairy
with baby Maude in my arms, and my
Wy anu III IOiIoNIHS. II was u my "
be obliged to do this, and had limited as
much to Mrs. Butterworth, by asking her
If she did not think if the milk was
brought Immediately 10 their rooms, and
dealt out so the children after drinking it.
could have another nap before breakfast,
i would be more benehcial but that wor-
lhy lady insisted that the morning air was
y invigorating, they ought not to be kept
n their rooms later and so | became a
martyr to early rising.


! used to enjoy lifting the churn dash
TOT few moments after the morning