MRS POTTER

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 118, 9 May 1908, Page 3

MRS POTTER

-Mrs. Potter was a woman of method. She washed on Monday, ironed on Tuesday. Each other day' in the week had it* especial and never-altering dutv Mrs Potter lived on a hill, and (homo she bad a clear view of tin- township, and an intimate knowledge of all that went on. She knew exactly thp days on wl'ch otter people washed, and how of I -a they ehook their mat" and earpew. She knew who left clothes 011 j i' l *' line on a damp evening, ami who i put heavy flannels to drv on gooseberry Lto»ln>-. She knew that Pat olinen I v had two shirts, and the Poglers w t ;« sadly in need of new sheets. The L<!sconce., howewr, were her particular ouree of worry—or she. thought they wr-r*-. II,k! the suddenly reform, d. jrm kept house in the imliiaeulate «1 n<. ■■• •i- ;■> manner beloved of Mrs. Potter. ■ interest in life would have v.,ni.ii«i. slip would have li.'cl nothing to talk of. On one occasion the Lai-combe- did not have a washing day for a month, and Mrs. Potter could bilk of little el>. .' "It doesn't liear thinking . f." she exclaimed. "To my knowledge thev've only got three pairs of sheets, "and there's five in the family: and as for i pillow-case~. if they've got liall'-a-ilozvn all tbev have got--and tn»••!»!'' Mrs. Potter shook her head. " How they can. r often say to doe he ni.iv Ire thankful Mrs. Lnscomeb isn't his mother." •!oe Potter, a liandsome, sliv youth, exceedingly fond and proud of hiii'vUor. but he fouml her go«-ip tive-i-onie.and wa- awav from In u- nnich | a- possible. Mr-. Potter lielievcd he | -ivnt hi- evening- at the Mechanic-' lii-titMe. and it, »> Pat OT.ricn who at length enlightened her, ••So your Joe's soft 011 Molly l.u----1 'imlie. eh?'' he *aid one morning, when lie had eonip up to mend the broken bricks in the kitchen fireplace, "You're (Lift. Pat.' returned Mr-, •'otter -cornfully. •• When Joe {»•(« - -ft on anyone he won't lie such a "fool ; - to choo>e * lai-conbc." Pat grinned to him-elf over hi- bricks. "Him and her was at the social la,t > ridav, anyway, and danced nine times, ■ they tell me: and she's lieen wearing a brooch Joe gave her for month- past." Mrs. Potter's face flamed: she hardly I dared trust her voice to speak. "All ioung fellow* take notice of Molly Lus- | • oinV bci-aiiH' she's got a pretty TKce; l-iit don't you imagine, Pat O'Brien, that ■nv son of mine hasn't -euse to stop ' I -liort of marrying a lJisconibe." "Of course you'd knov. best/' returned Pat diplomatically. He did not i ant to offend Mr-. Potter-, she gave mm) many odd jobs. •'Of course I would." said Mrs. Pot

Tlr.it afternoon, drfv-ed in hor Ihv4. •ho went to full on Mr*. LiHwmbo. llip jrate. half it* hinjyps. dragged "n tin* diiisty path: j>ioopt? of papor and dd tinf lay ammipr tin' flower-bed*. The verandah board* worr broken. Uu» mat >ever«i! of the window blind* ! >v<»r*» r-roo-loed. Tin- front door w;n I ;i <•!»•,ir view wa- jriven of a pnrI • i*iil;»rly untidy, dn-ty ]>: i j \fr~. Ln-iOmbe. in dre-*ii!ir-yrown and I i dipper-. an-wered her knnrk. | 'Come in." >he -aid heartily, j ft*. ,i r-*« : »l plea-nrv t.) -i«e yon. I wn* • • niv n-itiiir\iTi«r to l.ir-t niyht thai [ j ..th'T." Sin- l<'d tin' way to the r«*.in. A "f ;»pple- in prOce- of wa- on (Ik- Door. The

j tabic was littered with ilross-makin, 0 j material's, The covers oh. several o i !ht' chair* were torn. Dust lay thiekl; <v j everywhere, and tlie iireplace badlj l| i needed sweeping. Cotter's quick eye took in ever) jj Her pi'id 0 ami affection wen 0 aurt. »loe could prefer to spend hi* t fveiling in Mini surroundings rathci c tliau iu her tjputle>a and orderly dining ( j J room. t | "I've come to speak about due,'' she ! bt'gan. j "Ah!" ills. JjUseuinlte beamed. "lie'-, 1 j been telling you about Molly, then? J j told him weeks back that lie ought to ! -.peak to you; but Molly wasn't Mire j | then whether Mie's have him or not, ami i ihe .-aid, 'Time enough when JMull\\> ( j sure.' '* . j The situation was almost too dillicull ! tor Mrs. Putter; but she sat very erect, k j and spokp very decidedly. .j "The (jucstiou ought to bo whether Joe is sure. He has most to offer. A nice home «nd comforts sueh as any girl might jump at. As for any daughter of yours, Mrs. Luseombe, I put it to you, are they lit for wives? You know i quit,, well lln y're not. And when a j little minx like .Molly first ruih alter j •ioe, and then wuT sure whether she'll j take him well, all 1 can say is lliat she is a designing brat, and that flic's I not got all her sense-. j Mrs. Lusconibe went to the door. , "Alice! she eried; "make a nice hot ! I 'up of tea for Mr,;, letter—she's feeling! j a bit upset alter her walk. You're not ! i as young as you were, remember," sin- j j s-ai<l. coming back to Iter -eat. j I " I'm young enough yet to know what ■ | will ruin Joe, and as for tea, 1 wouldn't ! j toueh a drop of anything in your house, j j Mrs. Luseombe," "All," purred Mrs. Luscomhe, "wait till it come*. One nhvay H wants a eup of tea after a walk." Mrs. Potter row. "There's no need to waste words, Mrs. LuscOmbe. Hemember this, th e farm belongs to me. not to Joe. and if he marries a daugh ter of yours not a penny does he get till Tin dead, and I'm not *»> old as you think. I won't be forty-nine till Easter next." * I " Vou do surprise me." returned .Airs. | LuscumlK\ blandly. "As for Joe audi Molly marrying, that's for them to .!<■- j eide, not you or me. Molly's had IoU , . of oilers, and Alice and the others have | told 'her over and ovey she'* a tool to j take Joe Potter when nlie could have ! < the Wesleyan minister to-morrow if >iie liked, and he's free to do as he likes; no mother to order him a\n>iit." ; That evening a> Mrs. Potter sat alone ! knitting liereely there was a knock at I the door. (

"Conn- iu." .she said, and Molly Limcomhe entered. Molly waa exceedingly pretty, and | lieeause site was nervous ami excited her i eyes weio even brighter than usual, ami her cheeks flushed. She weui straight to the point. *• Vou are angry. Mrs. Potter. fan-au*e .lo\wuUs to marry me. I am very b'.'ciHH' I want to marry him. too. \\ • were coming together to tell you. but after you came and saw mother I knew it would i>e In'st if I came and saw you alone lirst. I know <piit,» well why you don't like us It is because we are untidy and and don't keep the house properly. That is the only reason why you dislike me, i*iu it?' J She >poke quite humbly. '• It is a very important reason," Mr*. Potter answered sternly. "I know it is. but -urely I could learn, couldn't I'.' I love doe very much.' and I've been trying to !>e neat. I'm ] neat now, arn't I?" She looked up anxiously. I

I "Yes. I see nothing wrong now." replied Mr*. Potter ungraciously. " I keep my room tidy, and I do th • cooking so as to learn. If yon have nothing else against me. Mrs. Potter, don't you think 1 could soon learn to be a good wife to Joe?" "Vou and him might have trusted inc." huist out Mrs. PoLter. ' l Me, hi* mother, to be kept in the dark, and tlrn find from Pat OTJrien that th" wliol,, township knew more than I did nbout my own son." " I think we were very wrong about th;iL' admitted Molly, "We ought to hive told you." -She was generoun '•Hough to suppress Ihe fact that she hail frequently urged Joe to take his niotlu-r iuto his confidence. " What I came to :t-k is. will you lirst wait and >ee whether I eairt learn things? I know I can. and then you won't be worried about Joe not having the right kind of wife." • I suppose I can't do anvthillg else. If you've both *et your hearts on ea'-h oth'-r I've got t«» grin ami bear it." "Hut I mean to be a daughter-in-lnw for you to Ih» proud of: not to grin at an<! bear.'' -aid Mollv. Then she did a mtv w i>e thing. She went quickly up to the older woman, put her alius around her neck. kis>ed her cheek, and whispered. " We two love Joe more than all the world. m> we can't help loving each oIIht." Then «he slipped out of the door, leaviug Mi*. Potter with tears in her eyes, considerably impressed by an absolutely illogical statement.