The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1857-11-12

sidered as responsible for every item Of
the account, as if each barrel Of -four and
pound of coffee had been purchased for
her sole individual benefit Mr.. Cooper S
face clouded with the direction of the let
ter, clopded with breaking open the en-
yelope; the storm burst with his first
glance at the sum total. alaHrrse 1sa.
"a hundred and fifteen dollars did
you see that, Martha "a hundred dol
lars and over, when it ought not to have
been thirty-fiye, with all paid in July.
What in the world did you order when
was away in the fall / never had these
things charged"
"Only what was necessary
"Neeessary, / should think so, with
all the waste that goes on it that kitchen.
| wish you would see after your cook,
Martha, as I've told you hundred times
It would be deal cheaper to put out this
everlasting sewing, and attend more to
your house"
II try to do both" said Mrs. Cooper,
mildly, bending before the gust, as it
were, knowing it to be inevitable.
"Try. yes, | dare say; it looks like it,
with all the bread [ see thrown out
enough to feed dozen poor families-
Three barrels of -four! no wonder"
"There is quite half of the last one
yet" ...
"And sugar and coffee don't tell ME.
There's Lawton says they use only half a
barrel of white sugar every year. HIS
wife does her Jelly in coffee crushed.
So had Mrs. Cooper, until she found
that it was cheaper to use that which did
not need refining, and her husband never
thought he could touch mutton or game
without currant jelly, and had almost a
! juvenile fondness for sweetmeats Of every
description. She knew perfectly well
what became of the sugar. aEr
| "And butter-yes, it's the butter
much do you think we've had since Oc-
t0ber?' said her husband, prcsently y, with
the air Of a virtuous Judge condemning
criminal found guilty on every point of
an indictment. Il told you Ann wasted
butter from the first How can you cx-
pect we shall ever get along in the world,
Martha, if you don't see after your SER
wants? What's the use of denying my
self ererythng .?'--for Mr.. Cooper here
recollected a cane, a pair Of fur-lined
gloves, and a fancy trayclling-cap that he
had seyerally dismissed from his thoughts
in the most resolute manner-"every-
thing, [ may say, for your sake and the
children's if This is the way you are to
go on" ....
1t was certainly an unexpected amount
to Mrs. Cooper, who, invariably econom-
ical, thought she had been especially care
full the last six months She was very
sorry. 1t was hard when she, too, could
enumerate sclf-deuials of time and pa
tience, and had braved cross looks, and
spoiled dinners, and "warnings" with a
houseful Of company, in the inspection of
AIMS closets and safes, and repeated re-
peated rehukeS and corrections Of her
carelessneSs. Though economical to the
, last degree, there was nothing she shrank
from SO much as an approach to mean
ness, or being considered so by others
j. Perhaps it was her own special veal kness,
this dread but even that she tried to put
: down i'll doing housekeeper's duty faith
: fully.
r Her husband, not in the least paciGed
by her admission that 1T might have
t been the butter" replaced the bill in It's
| envelope with the air of man whose sub
, stance is ''wasted by riotous living" and
: sent it skimming on to the table-to the
, floor, indeed, under the lounge where his
| wife found it in busting, the next morn.
a ing. She was rather hearted, fol-
: the evening, which promised so much
:. closed very uncomfortably, she stitching
r away in silence, and her husband declining
: to amuse himself or be entertained, gloom
e ed over the fire, after his cigar was finish
t ed, and stalked off to bed an hour earlier
i than usual,
"Really, cannot understand it. ]
thought | had been so very careful.
t don't wonder Murray is discouraged
and yet | don't see how | could hav
done without anything we have had" g