Share and Share.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXII, Issue 151, 23 December 1911, Page 14

Share and Share.

"6j W. P ETT BIDGE, Author of " Mord Em'ly," etc. (All Eights Beßerved.]

"Very glad you were able to come along," said the little woman hospitably. "Excuse me being in my disables. Come right in} never mind about rubbing your shoes. I'm not going to make company of you, and you needn't trouble to be particular about me." /'Mr. Francis at home?'* asked the lady caller. "He'll be home sharp at his usual time." ''I only asked/* explained/ the other, with some confusion, "because, as ,t understood the> message, it came from him. Perhaps I didn't catch it quite properly." r '?yes." replied' Mrs.- Francis, looking «p at the lady. "There" was no mistake. I sent it in his name, partly .because he gave; it to me in church about six years ago; partly because I particularly wanted you to come and have a 'cup of tea. Don't feel tired, , I hopo, after the party last night ? Good ! V oil tail women can't stand romping about afl> some can. Now, you take a. seat there in the front room, and .you shall h£r& .as nice a cup of tea a« ever yob tasted, though, perhaps' I say ii as shouldn't. Put your v/taps anywhere on the sofci. Jlak-e yourself 'thoroughly at home." visitor had only tho time to <!X'. ,amine furniture and mentally set- a jH'i-ce on the articles ere the tray came in', borne by Mrs. Francis -with her sleeves still rolled back to the, elbow. % Over tKe cups, they talked' amiably of th& previous night's entertainment and th^e« tall lady mentioned that she was rather out of practice with her' dancing ; she really thought it would be wise to take it up again ', the last time was Holborn Town Hall in '98, on which occasion, if memory served correctly, ¦ her Lite husband proposed to her. But really with such a partner as Mr. Fran-j cii, one felt quite young again,. "So I noticed/ remarked the hostess, composedly. "Another cup ? That's right. Was the fhsst one to you* liking I T;wo lumps, I think." The visitor admitted her one fault was a liking for sugar, although sugar was a thing she ought, by rights, 4o d«ny herself; adding that pomehowthe things you were supposed not to take ¦were al.ways the most attractive. Looking at tlie clock, she asked at what hour precisely, the husband was expected; Mrs. Francis a.nswered thatHhere would ber plenty of time to go over the house. Not much of a house perhaps, but still it>' had given her some trouble to get it together, and naturally she felt proud of it. The tall lady, having with great good manners declined a third" cup, on the ground that it was necessary to draw the line somewhere, followed Mrs. Ffancis on a tour of inspection, and found herself presently in the scullery, a small space filled with warm moist air and other indications of washing day. The hostess shut both doors promptly, turned the keys and placed them in her pocket. "Put on that apron," she commanded,, with a change of manner, "the ofiehanging up there on the nail, and .tininj back your sleeves." " • "How amusing 1 ;you are, to be sure. .Wish I had, half your spirits. Seeing me' as you did at 'the party 4 last night, I, 'expect you'd think 1 was always cheerful and merry: as a matter of faT&a^" --< *','./£.* ,_ t- -„_, "You'Ve got to do as 1 -tell .yon/ 1 in^ terrupted Mrs. Francis, "and you'll find it easier to do it at once.. I Want. some help with the "washing, and you can put in .. about half an hour without very milch trouble. I'll stand on' this side of the tub where the stool is; you take the other." "Fond of a joke as I am," protested the' other, "1 don't quite see what you're driving at. Besides^ I'm not used to work of this kind. ' I engage a woman to come in every' Tuesday, andY- give he^ half a, crown and her dinner. Furthermore, this damp atmosphere is sure to tak* my hair out of curl." f I'll excuse that." *>Are you quite sure," asked the perturjbed visitor, "that you're not just a litfle bit off your head?" t 3 "You can do one of two things. You can. do as I tell you, and give me a hand with the washing, or I'll leave you' locked up in here until my husband comes home." */I can't remember when I've been treated in this way_ before/ declared the other, with weak indignation. "Perhaps you. can recollect times wnen you ought tc« have been !" Reluctantly, and trying to assume the aijr-.of one conceding to the slightly de* mented the tall lady prepared for the task) and the two faced, each other over ths washing tub. There was a good supply of hot water and Eoapj also a sufficient number of garments to be dealt with, and Mrs. Francis issued orders briskly. She remarked, as the work progressed., on the amount that two pairs of /hands could perform, as compared wiih the result of one pair of handa ; declared the' present arrangement waa lightening her duties considerably, and thatrshe felt uncommonly glad to have assistance. The conversation being mainly left to her, she went on to ask whether the other was any good at ironing, and suggested making an appointment for another day. Ironing took i ifc £ut of one as much as anything, and ( help would come in very, very handy. Th^ two twisted and rung out sheets and other articles; Mrs. Francis complimented her colleague on rapid increase of dexterity, going so far as to suggest that the lady had perhaps missed her vocation in life. "I suppose," said the other, coldly, "I|m at liberty to go when we've finished. Thank you verytmuch indeed. I'm sui£ I ought to be greatly obliged. But I may as well 'tell you one thing quite pladhly \ 1 shall let everybody know the extraordinary way you've treated me."'T)on't think you will." "Oh, Imt 1 shall, i bless you.' It will* soon get about thaC you're either; very badly brought up or else clean off your head. I'm not going to be— Isn't there a looking-glass here?" "Something', tells me," said Mrs. Francis, drying her plump armsy ".that you'll never so much as mention\a single Word about this to anyone in the world. I have an idea that you'll keep it as dark as you possibly can. Just possible I may speak about if to one or two personal friends, but my notion ie that no one will hear anything of it from yon." "If you imagine," cried the othet, exasperated, "that you're behaving yourself like a lady, all I can say is you're jolly well mistaken. Common, that's what 1 call you. Is that someone at the front door?" "Only my husband. "- Heavy footsteps came through the passage, and a voice humming "Love me and the world is mine." Handle of the scullery door tried, and a call of "You in there, old girl Just/ going out .it the back to do a bit of gardening. Pieady for food in about half an hour." When he had gone, Mrs. Francis found the key, and conducted the * way to the front Toomj where the visitor gave a shriek of dismay" on. looking at her. reflection in the mirror. "And you consider then," she remarked, turning and speaking tdttedy, "that you don't owe me apy, explanation of your conduct ?"

I "On the contrary," said little Mrs. j Francis, "I'm quite ready to tell you I all you want to know. If yoti wish to be informed why I've made you help with the washing, it is because last night at the party I caught sight of yon stroking my husband's Twnd. Holding his hand and stroking it. Now that's part of my work. Part of my work, that is, and anyone who want* to share it oUght, by rights, to come here and divide Some of the house duties with me. See what I mean don't you? Fair fair, all the world over. Would you like to say 'How d'you do/ to him before you go?" "He mustn't see me like this!" declared the lady, witli another affrighted glance at the mirror. "And I don't mind telling you that, in all the circumstances, I don't ever want to see him again.^

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