The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1857-02-26

ordination which he considered proper and becoming.
% However, time will remedy that thought he to
himself.
The next day, although his business arrangements
were by no means urgent, he p~urposely delayed half
an hour beyond the regular dinner hour. When he
returned, he found his wife and mOther-in-law just
rising from the dinner-table.
what does this mean - he exclaimed, a~ngrily-
Only that two is our regular dinner hour an
swered the wife, composedly, . and that dinner is
always served punctually at that hour
g And you expect me to eat a cold dinner whenever
my engagements detain me later :"
+" Not at all. [ directed Bridget to keep a portion
of the dinner hot for you. She shall bring 1t up d-
rectly.' So saying, she moved towards the bell and
rang it.
Mr.. Mellen was nonplusscd. He hardly knew what
to say. lie finally determined to wait until some
plan should strike him calculated to humble his wites
pride: At present, therefore, he said nothing, but
ate his dinner in gloomy silence.
Meanwhile, his wife continued to chat in n lively
strain with her mother, and their frequent laughter
Jared very discordantly on Mr.. Mellen's nerves.
Shortly after dinner, Mr.. Mellen c%ontrived to see
Bridget without his wife's knowledge.
Bridget said he, 'I find that for two days
past, dinner has been served up before [ come home.
Hereafter, you must wait until l return before doing
So"
But the misthress told me- said Bridget.
81 know that said Mr.. Mellen s. but you are
bound to obey me rather than her.
"Sir? 20 said the bewildered Bridget, who did not
comprehend at all.
81 will tell you what I expect you to do said her
master. Tomorrow. Tor example, L snail not DE at
home till four O'Clock. Four, remember. On no &C
count must you serve up dinner before that time.''
" But what shall L say to m%isthress, when she tells
me-? asked Bridget, with her eyes wide open in as
ton shment.
Say You must tell her that I forbade your
doing it. And you may tell her, also, that l threat
ened to dismiss you Immediately, if you failed to COM
ply with my directions. VIII you remember tina. 20
"I1l try answered Bridget, whose faculties,
never very bright, were completely thrown into con-
fusion by her antagonistic duties, and the idea she
had got to disobey her mistress by her masters pos
tive command.
"Och, what will I do :" she said to herself How
ever, she wisely determined not to think of it at all
till the time came.
There thought Mr.. Mellen, with a grim smile
of satisfaction, g [ think that will set matters right.
Madam viii find that [ am not so easily thwarted.
No Marmaduke Mellen is not one to be frightened
by a wOman's vaporing, or inclined to submit tameiy
to petticOat government. [ would give something"
he thought, c~huckling i~nwardly, sEto see how she will
take it when Bridget refuses TO obey her, by my di-
rection. She will begin to find out who she has to
deal with then She doesn't know Marmaduke Mel
len yet 20
The next day, Mrs. Mellen, at the usual time, di-
rected Bridget to serve up dinner.
81 can't ma'am,'' said the perplexed handmaiden.
''Can't?'' repeated Mrs. Mellen, with some sur
prise. "What do you mean, Bridget?
cts my directions of master, she replied.
''Then he has forbidden you to follow my direc-
tons 20
eyes, ma'am. He told me he should not be home
until four, and he would send me away if l took up
dinner before that time.''
Indeed !' said Mrs. Mellen, coolly i" he is in
terfering beyond his province. However, you are to
obey me, not him. You must take up the dinner
now.'
"He will send me away if d." said Bridgt-
: " And l will send you away if you don't" said
her mistress.
"Och, what will L do:'' exclaimed Bridget, in lu-
dicrous dismay. 'sIt's turned away I've got to be
anyhow, whether I do it or not"
"Better obey me, Bridget. If he should turn you
! auor van Sbo11 ha haolx oOafO N less than q wQQR
and, meanwhile, I will pay you wages bat fl turn
you away, it will be for good"
1t did not take long for Bridget to see on which
side her bread was buttered. Relieved from her
embarrassment, she hustled about, and, at the hour
appointed, dinner was on the table.
At four o'clock, when Mr.. Mellen returned, nothing
was to be seen of the dinner-table. This he hailed as
a good omen. Looking triumphantly at his wife, he
said,
.sYou may order up dinner now, Mrs. Mellen."
"Dinner % exclaimed his wife, with an air CT
surprise. els it possible that you have not eaten
dinner, at four O'Clock?
"Have you eaten dinner?'' enquired Mr.. Mellen,
in an appalling voice.
t ssCertainly,'' said his wife, coolly continuing the
work upon which she was engaged. "The table was
e cleared two hours since.'
e "EIay [ enquire if Bridget served up the dinner?"
asked Mr.. Mellen, with an ominous look.
"Of course you may" said Mrs. MeDen. g What
f objection can [ hate?''
: Madam said Mr.. Mellen, in a voice of thunder,
: enough of this %trifing.' Did Bridget serve up din
: ner?'
Really said the mother-in-law, ssyou should
e not--' But here her daughter interrupted
e her.
? ssGood gracious, Mr.. Mellen,'' she added, ssyou
e don't suppose 1 am deaf, do you? 1 could hear you
very distinctly if you spoke considerably lower. But
1 what was your question:
.Did or did not Bridget serve up dinner?"
e ssTo be sure she did. You don't suppose did it?
2 ssAt two o'clock?''
r Certainly
Without more ado, Mr.. Mellen rang the bell vio-
4 lently.
Bridget speedily made her appearance.
r Bridget said Mr., Mellen, looking daggers at
i his handmaiden, "do you recollect my telling you
yesterday that L should not be at home to-day until
: four?'
eyes, sir.''
"And that dinner was not to be served up until
that timer
4 eyes, sir.'
ssThen why inquired Mr.. Mellen, with an expIo-
sion of anger, g did you dare disobey?"
Because" said Bridget-who, fully ~confding in
the promise of her mistress, was quite undaunted-
t g the misthress tould me to-
sThen you are to learn that I am the master, and
, that my commands must be obeyed. 1 dismiss you
e from my service