Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1853-01-12


which was our main stay, was execrable
My husband was patient with all this, unit
it came to the coffee, and this upset him.
He put his cup down, and said, in hal
vexed tone,"I do wish we could ever hav,
good coffee. Annette why cannot yol
have it made as my mother does ?"
This was the drop too much for me, ant
| boiled over. "You never think anythin!
on our table fit to be eaten," SAID land
almost startled at the sound of my owl
voice-"you had better live at home if yol
are not satisfied, or else provide me will
decent servants. | cannot do eve: ythine
take care of my baby all night, and ge
the breakfast too.
IL did not know before hat | was so verl
unreasonable, said he, in tone of injured
feeling. He sat few minutes then rose
left his untasted breakfast, put on his ha
and went off.
When heard the door shut behind HIM
all my temper left me. | went into my
room, locked myself in, sat down and criec
like child. This was the first cross aoorC
| had ever spoken to my husband. Itseem
ed to me as if some Sudden calamity hat
befallen Us. worked myself up to such ;
pitch Of feeling that walked about the
room wringing my hands.
80, it is all over with u.s." thought ]
1--WE shall never be happy together agar
in this world" THIS thought made me TN,
speakably miserable. l felt as if black
pail had fallen around me. and in the future
there was only blank-darkness. In my mis-.
cry | sought to comfort myself by blaming
him. "He need not have spoken to me-
at any rate" said out loud he might have
seen how felt; it was too much for any
one to bear. 1t really was not one bit kind
in mm. 1t is plain enough that he does
not care for my comforts as he once did
Then TO be always telling me what nice
things his mother cooks, when he knows
am trying to do my very best to learn to
please him! 1t is really too bad"
Don't look so dreadfully sober, Kate. My
baby cried Just here, and l had to run be-
fore was through with my catalogue of
grievances, yet had gone far enough to
get well on the wrong track again. be-
gan 10 calm ny self with the reflection, that
if there had been a great wrong done was
the only one to blame for it. | was dread
fully sorry that had spoken cross to him,
but I thought he ought 10 be sorry too
Before nv baby had finished crying,
came to the conclusion that | would not
exhibit signs of pehitence until saw some
in Him.
SO bathcd my face, that no traces of
tears might remain, dressed myself with
extra care, and went down to old Bridget,
to give some very particular directions a
bout the dinner. | did this with martyr
like spirit. | meant to try my best to make
him sorry for his injustice. | resolved to
reproach him with first rate dinner, good
as his mother could cook. To whet the
edge of my delicate reproof I made, with
my own hands, most excellent cup of cof-
fee.
One O'clock came at last though | though
1t never would; the door opened, and
heard his quick step in the hall. Of all
things in this world he was whstling T.
He came to the table with a bright face,
from which every trace of the morning s
cloud had Disappeared and he sat down
and looked around with a pleased express
sicn.
"Why, Annette" said he, "what nice
dinner"
81 aim glad you are Pleased" said |. in
subdued tone.
Capital" said he, "the best roast we
have had this season."
He was so much taken up with my deli
cate reproofs as not to notice that was out
of spirits. was half pleased and half pro-
voked, but kept rather still. making little
conversation except in reply TO him.
After desert handed him his cup of cof-
fee. He was QUITE astonished. "Why, An
nette,' said he, Il do believe you went to
work to-day to see what you could do.'
He had hit the truth, though without The
least suspicion of the cause. My first i'm
pulse wa to be honest out and out with it
by replying, ''Is 1t as good as your mother
makes ?" This would have given the key
to the whole story,-he would have ferreted
it all out, and We should have settled it
there; but | felt ashamed to. slipped my
coffee in silence. The golden moment pas
sed, and my good angel took his flight
Pride had the day. l even began to be
vexed at his enjoying good dinner so
much and so easily forgetting what had
caused me so much suffering He was very
busy on that day, and ald not stay with
me as long as usual to chat, but went off
whistling even more cheerlnlly than when
he came.
went III into the nursery and sat down
to think it over. Baby was asleep; the
rain was pattering againstthe windows; the
wind was rising: and to me the world look
ed dreary enough. had tired myself all
out getting up such dinner, and now the
excitement was over and felt the reac-
ton. began to ask myself what had got
for it. Just nothing at all. NY husband
either did not or would not see that there
was anything to be rcconciled about. /
blamed him for his insensibility.
"Once," thought I, she would have no.
ticed any change in my voice Or any shad-
ow which came over my spirits; now, can
really Be cross to him and lie does not mind
it at ALL"
| had doleful afternoon Of it. | was
restless enough trying first one employ
ment and then another, but finding nothing
which would suit. | went down to tea,
farther, if any thing, from the right point
than had been at noon. sat detected
and silent. My husband tried once or twice
to engage me in conversation without sue
cess.
"Annette, " said he at length, in kind
tone, edo you not feel well to-day :"
"Not very" said 1, with sigh
"What is the matter p
MY head aches, the baby kept me a.