1907. 
Mrs. Alden’s Vacation, 
Mrs. Alden sank into a chair with a 
despairing sigh. She had been making 
futile efforts toward bringing order out 
of chaos in the sitting room, but her 
strength had given out suddenly, and as 
she sat resting she gazed about her with 
mournful, hopeless eyes. A dozen old 
magazines lay scattered over a chair and 
on the floor around it. A pile of news¬ 
papers littered another chair. A volumi¬ 
nous piece of unfinished dressmaking 
trailed from the sewing machine, while 
an overturned basket on the floor ex¬ 
plained the presence of numerous spools, 
and a snarl of tape measure, scissors 
and unwound threads. The dog sleeping 
peacefully on the sofa pillow was re¬ 
sponsible for the badly chewed high- 
heeled slipper in one corner and the 
partly eaten bone in another. 
Mrs. Alden’s eyes wandered out of the 
window, and then she called out sharply. 
“Marinda!" No answer coming, she 
called again. “Marinda!” 
“Yes,” came a voice from the next 
room. 
“Mrs. Leroy is coming.” Mrs. Alden 
sat erect, a hunted, apprehensive look on 
her face. There was no reply from the 
next room, and Mrs. Alden rose pain¬ 
fully to her feet as the doorbell rang. 
She gave one despairing glance at the 
room and went to answer the summons. 
Mrs. Leroy was a breezy, animated 
person, and she seemed to bring a great 
deal of the bright, cold Winter day 
with her into the stuffy room. She 
loosened her wraps and sat down in one 
of the two chairs Mrs. Alden had 
cleared when she had tried to set the 
room to rights. The visitor chatted 
pleasantly, but Mrs. Alden sat rigidly 
erect in painfully embarrassed silence. 
At length the door opened and the 
presiding genius of the disorderly room 
appeared. She was tall and graceful. 
I Ter face was rather pretty, with languid 
blue eyes, and it was framed by a rather 
tousled halo of glorious golden hair. 
She wore a dress of faded calico, ink 
stained, and frayed at the edges, and on 
one foot was a tan shoe and on the 
other an old rubber. She greeted the 
visitor a little condescendingly, then sat 
down on the sofa and drew the dog into 
her lap and placed the sofa pillow be¬ 
hind her hack. She kissed the dog on 
his black nose. “T’ve been writing,” she 
announced, “and I am utterly exhausted. 
It is so hard to write—much harder than 
people imagine. After I have written 
one of my poems I am fit for nothing 
all the rest of the day; I am absolutely 
used up.” 
Mrs. Leroy said that it must be very 
nice to be able to write. 
“I’ll read you what I’ve written to¬ 
day, if you’d like,” Marinda offered, and 
she got up and shuffled out of the room. 
“My son’s wife is very literary,” said 
Mrs. Alden, with dignity. “She writes 
some very pretty poems, we think. It is 
a gift, and I do not feel as if it would 
be right to prevent her from doing all 
she can with it. So my son and I urge 
her to write. The only drawback is that 
I am not strong enough to do the work.” 
Marinda returned and sat down to 
read her poems. Mrs. Leroy was non¬ 
committal in her comments. To herself 
she said, "\\ hat rubbish !” She was im¬ 
pulsive and warm-hearted, and her quick 
wits enabled her to take in the situation. 
She rose to go. “Do you know what 
I am going to do?” she said, crossing 
over and laying a hand on each of the 
older woman’s shoulders, “I shall send 
Mr. Leroy over in the morning with the 
horse and sleigh, and he will bring you 
back to spend the day with me.” 
“Oh, T ought not to go,” protested 
Mrs. Alden, although her eyes bright¬ 
ened in spite of herself. 
“It is just what you ought to do,”” 
laughed Mrs. Leroy. “You need a vaca¬ 
tion.” 
'file next day, in a little flutter of ex¬ 
citement, Mrs. Alden went. There was 
a flush on her pale cheek as her son 
and his wife watched her ride away 
with Mrs. Leroy. They began to look 
for her return in the middle of the 
afternoon, but instead Mrs. Leroy came 
over. 
“I’m going to keep her longer,” she 
announced. “She says she’d like to stay 
all night, and I want her to. Don’t 
expect her home for a week.” 
Marinda was surprised. In a day or 
two she was surprised still more. It had 
always seemed a hardship to have her 
husband’s mother live with them, and 
she had felt very virtuous because she 
had put up with it and not complained. 
She had told herself that “Mother Al¬ 
den” made her work a great deal harder. 
Rut now she suddenly discovered that 
the meals would not get themselves; 
that the dishes remained unwashed; that 
the fires had a habit of going out, and 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
that somehow the cooked food disap¬ 
peared unaccountably. Rupert, too, be¬ 
came very unreasonable and fault-find¬ 
ing. She decided she would have to lay 
aside her writing for a day or two and 
do housework. 
Mrs. Alden’s vacation lengthened out 
to two weeks. Mrs. Leroy would come 
over to see Marinda, once in a while, 
to explain the postponement of Mrs. 
Alden’s return, or to get something she 
needed. 
On one of these trips she smiled in a 
very knowing way as she went home, 
ana the next day but one Mr. Leroy 
harnessed up the horse and took Mrs. 
Alden home. 
Marinda held her close in her arms, 
and then began helping her take off her 
5848 Fancy Blouse Waist, 32 to 42 bust 
wraps. Mrs. Alden’s eyes roved quickly 
about the room and at last rested on her 
daughter-in-law with a look of inquiry. 
Marinda stepped back a little and spread 
her arms out. 
“Yes,” she said, “I actually have on a 
whole dress, and a clean one, too, and 
also a clean apron. I combed my hair 
tiiis morning, and”—drawing her skirt 
back—“see, my shoes are fastened up 
and they are mates.” 
Mrs. Alden was studying Marinda’s 
face. It had lost its expression of 
dreamy languor, and the eyes were 
bright and the lips smiling. She pulled 
up an easy chair and made Mrs. Alden 
sit in it, then seated herself in another 
one. 
“You see, mother, dear, I have been a 
very foolish woman for a long time,” 
she began; “hut when you went away 
1 began to come to my senses, and then 
1 found I had been mean as well as 
foolish, and you had been nearly killing 
yourself with work while I did nothing 
but write trash and litter things up for 
you to clear away. I found I’d got to 
go to work and do some cooking and 
housekeeping, or there would be no liv¬ 
ing in the house. After a few days of 
6847 Five Gored f k rt, 22 to 32 waist. 
this I looked over my verses, and I then 
saw what utter rubbish they were, so I 
burned up the whole of them.” 
“Oh, Marinda !” protested Mrs. Alden. 
“What a shame!” 
“Not at all,” said Marinda calmly. 
‘You know I never in my life could get 
one published, and I tried hard enough. 
I’ve given up writing, unless I do it once 
in a great while for recreation. Instead 
of gettting along as we used to, we are 
going to take comfort and have a good 
time doing the work together. A good 
home is worth more than any number 
of bushels of third-rate poems. It took 
me a long time to come to a realizing 
sense of how this house looked. I had 
got so used to it, but one dav, you re¬ 
member, I ran over to Mrs. Leroy’s on 
an errand, and her house looked so 
clean and orderly, and you looked so 
cheerful and comfortable that it made a 
great impression on me, and when I 
came home I saw the difference. Oh, 
but I had an awful time, and one while 
I didn’t know as I’d ever be able to get 
things cleaned up and where they be¬ 
longed. But day before yesterday I told 
Mrs. Leroy that I’d got the house fixed 
up to suit me, and she complimented me 
on its look. And now to-day she sent 
you home. I can see that the present 
state of affairs is what Mrs. Leroy was 
working for all the time, and what she 
carried you away for. I suppose I might 
take offense and call it meddlesome in¬ 
terference, but I’m not going to. I’m 
glad and thankful she did it.” 
Mrs. Alden said nothing, but as she 
looked about the pleasant room the ex¬ 
pression of deep contentment in her eyes 
spoke for her. susa.x brown robbins. 
The Rural Patterns. 
The fancy waist shown will be found 
desirable either for a separate blouse or 
as part of a costume. The waist is made 
with the fitted lining and consists of 
front and backs with the chemisette. 
The front is laid in tucks but the backs 
are plain and the closing is made in¬ 
visibly. 1 he sleeves are novel and are 
arranged over fitted foundations. The 
quantity of material required for the 
medium size is 3 yards 21, 254 yards 27 
or 154 yards 44 inches wide with 54 yard 
of silk for the vest and 54 yard 18 
inches wide for the chemisette and cuffs. 
The pattern 5S48 is cut in sizes for a 32, 
34, 36, 38, 40 and 42-inch bust measure; 
price, 10 cents. 
There is no skirt better liked or more 
generally in demand than the simple 
five-gored one. It is always graceful, it 
is very generally becoming and withal it 
involves very little trouble in the mak¬ 
ing- Just now it is especially well liked 
for wear beneath the long and half long 
coats that are so fashionable. The model 
is appropriate for every suiting and 
skirting material. If something more 
elaborate is liked it could be trimmed 
with applied bands above the hem or 
with wide braid or with soutache put on 
in some simple design. The skirt is 
made in five gores that are cut to be 
absolutely smooth over the hips while 
they fall in becoming folds at the lower 
portion. It can be laid in inverted plaits 
or made in habit style as liked and it 
allows a choice of the round or walking 
length. The quantity of material re¬ 
quired for the medium size is 6'4 yards 
27, 5* *4 yards 44 or 354 yards 52 inches 
wide when material has figure or nap; 
5J4.yards 27, 4 yards 44 or 3*4 yards 
52 inches wide when it has not. The 
pattern 5847 is cut in sizes for a 22, 24, 
26, 28, 30 and 32-inch waist measure; 
price, 10 cents. 
943 
When you write advertisers mention Tina 
R. N.-Y. and you’ll get a quick reply and 
“a square deal.’’ See guarantee, page 8. 
Caldwell Tanks 
!of Galvanized Steel are used 
everywhere. Sizee up to 1200 
gallons can bo shipped Ret up 
at small cost for freight. These 
tanks are strong, tight ami 
durable. Cost less than wood 
tanks. Ask for Illimfrated 
catalog and delivered prices. 
W. E. CALDWELL CO. 
Louisville, Ky. 
Tanks (W-|j Towers 
Wind Mills, Pumps, Gas Engines. 
INDRUROID 
ROOFING 
Requires no Coating or 
Paint. 
Acid and Alkali Proof. 
Elastic and Pliable Always. 
Strong and Tough. 
Absolutely Waterproof. 
Climatic Changes Do Not 
Affedt It. 
Practically Fire Proof. 
Can Be Used on Steep or 
Flat Surfaces. 
Any Workman Can Put 
It On. 
No Odor. 
Will not Shrink or Crack. 
Light in Weight. 
Does not Taint Water. 
Write for samples, prices 
and circulars. 
H. F. WATSON CO. 
ERIE, PA. 
Chicago, Boston. 
Mention R.N-Y. 
IDEAL WASHER 
Try tills machine THIRTY DAYS, If It does 
run lighter, wash cleaner and quicker 
than any other washer return at our 
expense. lias Cedar Tub that will 
last a life-time. Sample machine sold 
at Special Price to introduce quick¬ 
ly. Write for circular and prices. 
Bluffton Cream Separator Co. 
BOX IM, BLUFFTON, OHIO. 
A LABOR SAVING device 
for WOMEN is ft 
RELIANCE MOP 
WRINGER 
Do not wring a iiltkiy mop 
with your hands; nor stoop 
over ft pa.il of dirty water and 
inhale the offensive fumes. 
Everyone expresses their de¬ 
light with the “HoHance.’’ 
Every wringer guaranteed to 
give satisfaction. 
LEE CHAIR CO., Box C, Oneida, N.Y, 
} 
TELEPHONES specially 
adapted to farm lines. Sold 
- direct from factory. 
* Book of instructions 
I ho w to organize 
„ fanners and build 
line free. Write for 
Bulletin No. 319. The North 
Electric Co„ Cleveland, O. 
< Kansas C: ty, Mo. Dallas, Tex. 
Three generations ol 
Simpsons have made 
EDdystonE 
PRINTS 
Founded 1842 
Ask your dealer for 
Simpson-Eddystone 
Solid Blacks 
The celebrated old •'Simpson” brand 
made only in Eddystone. 
The economical quality-fabric; durable 
cloth and fast color. 
For 65 years the standard for mourn¬ 
ing dresses because of its intensity and 
lustre. 
If your dealer hasn't Simpson-Eddystone P rints write u* 
his nen.e. We 11 help him supply you. Decline substi¬ 
tutes and imitations. 
1 
(Hi 
The 
Eddystone Mfe. Co., Philadelphia 
Established by win. Simpson, Sr. 
Don’t sell your hides—it’s poor economy. 
Send them to us and have them made into 
Pur Coats, Robes, Mittens, etc., and keep 
your whole family warm this winter. Any 
color horse or cow hide looks well. Our 
process makes them soft and pliable, as well 
as moth-proof and water-proof. 
No matter where you live we will pay the freight on 
all Hides sent to us to be made into Coats and Robes. 
We guarantee complete satisfaction with all our work. Don’t 
send your hides to inexperienced tanners and be disappointed. We 
are the largest ilrm in the country that tans, manufactures and sells 
direct to the consumer. We are equipped in all departments to do 
first-class work. We’ll make you a robe from your hide, lined with 
best plush, for from $7.00 up ; a coat made to your measure, lined 
and trimmed in splendid style, for from $0.50 up. With every coat or 
robe we make we furnish free a line pair of Fur Mittens, with horse- 
hide palms. One large hide or two small ones makes a coat like one 
t ahow2Jiere. We also make long or short coats for ladies and for 
, girls and boys. Calf, goat, dog and colt skins make 
r elegant Floor Rugs, and Gauntlet Gloves and Mittens. 
Wo tan any kind of skins, wild or domestic, and make 
“i them into furs to order. Our prices are reasonable, 
jwhile the quality of our work is of the highest order? 
Write us before you sell a single hide; ask for our 40- 
page catalog giving full particulars and showing our 
full line of fur goods. Write today. 
National Fur and Tunning Co. 
212 Hooker A ve., Three Rivers, Mich. 
