The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-12-31
MISCELLANEOUS.
From the Western Continent.
Spelling n Good Dinner.

Clayton We had been acquaintance from boyhood
and mature Seas had only tended to strengthen the at
had been OF my early friends Many an agreeable
evening had spent with them since their marriage
and the story am about 10 tell does not give them Of
fence hope TO spend many more in their pleasant soc
ETY. As to the telling OF the story, that is part OF my
vocation but IN matters Of this kind, generally manage
embellish little here and there, and TO change names
and vary incidents in such way that the parties who
have been made TO SIT for their pictures hardly ever
willing to see ilersn any likeness OF themselves And
shall give any offence although am not unwilling that
my friends wife should at least have remote idea that
she might have been the original Of my sketch.
Like all women, and men, too, Mrs. Clayton had her
faults; and OF these had frequently had occasion TO
notice. The fault was this: habit Of making the
worst instead OF the best OF thing If she took dress
10 be made she always knew il wouldn't fit II she laid
out to start on Journey at certain time, or to pay
visit, she knew il would rain. II one OF her children
were attacked with fever and sore thToa-not very
uncommon thing by the way-she knew il was scarle-
tina.
One evening went home with her husband per invi-
tation TO take tea Mrs. Clayton expected me, and
was received with the warm welcome that always greet
ed my appearance. During pause in the conversation
that followed heard her say to her husband IN an I'M
der tone:
eve made up some nice cakes for tea, but I'm almost
sure they won't rise Just because want them to-"
Nonsense !" he said, half aloud smiling. you're an
.T6afs too bad !" she replied, speaking aloud and
then turning towards me-"My husband calls me a
croaker but is such thing am no more OF croaker
than he rs"
"Oh yes Kate, you are a notorious croaker. You al
ways look the dark instead OF the bright parts in pic
ture while always expect the sunshine, though too
often, must confess, | hnd the sky oyerspread with
clouds Still, imaginary sunshine is much better than
imaginary clouds-dont you think 50 ,"
! | could not but assent to this,
81 am not sure OF that ~ replied the wife For my
part would much rather expect clouds and get sunshine,
than expect sunshine and get clouds But will leave
YOU gentlemen, to discuss this matter between your
selves while go and see that our tea Is not sp lied"
In about an hour, during which time we had seen but
little OF Mrs Clayton, the teabel was rung, and we re,
tired from the parlor into the dining room we found
her awaiting the table, looking the very image
"The cakes are light" said to myself, scarcely able
to epress smile had overheard her remark that she
! After we were helped round, my friend said, with
smile
Come! not one word, Mr. Clayton" quickly spoke
up his wife, inerruptng him. alt is too bad" she add
ed addressing me, 'for my husband to do So ! said
that didn't believe the cakes would Tise and had good
reason for saying So But it seems was mistaken for
which very thankful and think he ought to be the
same" - r,
cakes are first rate. wouldn't have had them heavy
and sour for the world"
Ny friend put tide too much emphasis on the last
part OF the sentence which caused his wife TO ask rather
''! "Whyy not for the world, Mr. Clayton'"
SIT would have geyed you So, he replied in an eva
siye manner, yet meaning Just what he SAID.
''You think would have taken ii much, very much to
| heart, do your
"All ladies take such matters to heart, and suppose
they can't help it. II is rather serious affair to have the
cakes sour when friend is invited to tea"
Joined in, pretty much in the strain of the last SEN
tence in order to make s SaytSn ee less ANNOYED
her husbands remark and, the latter was as much
inclined as myself TO restore the disturbed sekty of his
wife's temper, slight that disturbance was, he took
good care to say nothing more that soothing
as oil. All now was pleasant, during the tea hour, as
Nav morning. with the exception that the lady scoded
the servant for negecg to place knife and fork at her
plate and during the time seemed to me TO be in rather
an unamabe mood Not that objected to the servants
being scoded for her neglect for she may have richly de-
served it, and OF this my fair friend was no doubt well
convinced The consisted III scoldng at the wrong
time and place.
the bell at the house of my friend, and shown into
the paror where ] found Clayton and three guests.
made the fourth and the complement Three o'clock
was the hour for dinner Just as the clock was striking
little flushed and worried After greeting with great
cordaty she down beside her husband on the sofa
am sorry, gentlemen but I'm afraid you will have to
wait half an hour for your dinner My cook has been
as cross as she could be all the morning and the fires
mo maer . said aid smiling ave will have the better
appetites Give your cook and the fires their own way,
and all will come out right IN the end"
All Joined in assuring her that it was the same to them
whether dinner were ready in ten minutes or hour
but il did not make her feel in the least comfoa-
be tend to increase our appettes for the coming meal
con- had been made all referring TO the dinner, that the
ordinary servants get the most perverse, sewl-
ed obstinate creatures IN existence Just the time when
YOU feel most dependent upon them the time when they
will fail YOU Our cook knows her business very well,
and have no trouble at all with her except when
have company, and then she acts like the very old
Scratch | always dread TO see"
Our hostess checked herself suddenly and looked lit
tie confused and friend Clayton gave two three
new subject believe there not one of us who did
not understand the whole sentence well as if IT had
been finished; OF us who did not more than halt
regret having accepted the invitation to dine.
Nearly an hour posed during which time our friends
wife came in and went out of the parlor frequently the
irregular corrugatons about her eyebrows growing
and more distinct with the passage of every ten minutes
At length but not until the cheerful expression of Clay
toms face had begun to fade, dinner announced We
in, considering what had passed, marvellous good
humor Our sharp appetites were considered compen-
sation for the delay.
We found Mrs Clayton awaiting us in the dining
room Her smile was pleasant and cloud-disperslng ;
but il faded away too soon and left the whole aspect of
her face too much drawn down. There was bright
glow upon her cheeks-unusually bnght--and in her
eyes intenseness of expression that took from them
their highest charm saw that she was over-excted
worried and unhappy Things had gone wrong with
her. and she had not the philosophy to bear her trials
with good humor the tact to conceal what she te
from the friends whom she had joined her husband IN IN
vitng to paake the Inequalities of her table.
cat lastw was the greeting she gave us to which was
replied, in pleasant tone
"Better late than never, You know. We shall make
up for the delay by doing greater justice to your elegant
dinner" -
'sYoul not find il very elegant, fear It's miseraby
| cooLad y, che ropl;ad half smiling half frOwninn