Randolph County journal. [volume] (Winchester, Randolph County, Ind.) 1855-1862, 1858-04-01

she nau no aptneSS TOT any tongue, eN-
cept her own, | have abandoned the
idea.
The purchase Of barrel Of -four is
an event in our household economy
not TO be treated lightly. Ii requires
preparation and consideration. In the
first place, certain sum of money Is
to be provided to meet the emergency,
for whatever latitude the grocer may
allow in minor matters, when you talk
to him of flour you must produce the
quid pro go, or there is no trade.
The mex. point to be decided is the
selection of the brand" This leads
to friendly interchange of views be-
tween the heads of the home depart
ment, which always results in my be-
ing commissioned to purchase the
highest priced article in the market,
and caution to avoid all attempts at
false economy by investing in cheaper
quality. In my younger days. l once
made purchase of barrel of second
quality (as the grocer called it), to see
if my wife would know the difference;
and believe | have had the biscuit
that were made from it thrown at Inc
ever since.
You should see my wife when she
assists at the opening of the new bar
rel, and its snowy treasures are dis
closed to her gratifed gaze. Smiles
dimple her rosy cheeks, and pleasure
sparklcs in her eyes. How tendcrly
she lifts each dipperful from its reccp-
tacle, examines it with the eve of
Judge. and pronounccs it's quality with
the air Of an expert. And what
glow of housewiiely satisfaction man
ties her fair face, when the first baking
confirms her Judgement! And then
a., day-byday. she descends deeper
and deeper into its reccsSes, each Dip
pcrful, snowy though it bc, leaves a
shade upon her brow, until at last the
Hour and the smiles and dimplcs dis
appear together. -ai
AS / sit reading of an evening,
can hear that wooden dipper humping
at the stavcs or gently scraping the
bottom of the barrel as il descends in
search of the whcrewithal for the bread
of the coming day, and know that
my wife is intimating 10y these means
the necessity of a fresh supply as
plainly rs though she told me in so
many words, for she knows that | can
hear every thump. And by-and-by
she comes in looking as demure as
kitten, and none but the initiated
would ever dream that she had an
empty flour barrel on her mind. But
the next day brings fresh barrel,
fresh smiles and dimplcs. and a renew
ed depletion Of the already attenuated
purse. The smiles and dimples are
always cheap at the price, even if the
flour is not
As meditatcd on this momcntous
subject, | could see by the knitting of
her brow and the increased vigor with
which she applied herself to her week
" task, that my wilc's financial aspi-
ration was still working in her mind,
and knowing 10y long experience that
confined thoughts, like explosive gases,
must have vent, and fearing that some
violent remark might be shot at me,
like pellet from gun, | replied:
True. my dear, 1 know that the
grocer will only be satisfied with gold
or its equivalent, which he is much
better calculated to appreciate than
purity. of intention and loftincss of
soul, and fortunately for him, it is
much more plentiful in the market
though scarce enough with us. But
for all that we have untold treasures,
if we did but know it,
They must be untold, for | never
heard of them before, If you have
such an abundance, L wish you'd
spare me enough to buy that black
silk dress YOU promised me SO long
ago"
1t is not to be inferred from this re-
mark that my wiieis prone to extrava-
gance IN her tastes or habits She is
usually content with plain and modest
attire. She has never hidden herself
in the rccesscs of a whalebonc pyra-
mid, nor submitted to the modern
species of female cooperage; for, as she
playfully remarks, ANY body can
see that am a tub without my being
hoped" (Shc weighs two hundred
and one pounds avoirdupois.) Noun
paid milliner's bills haunt her walking
hours (nor mine). No needy dress
makers rise up in judgment against
her. Her bonnet is much too large
for our Youngest daughter. aged eight
years, and really seems designed for
use as well as ornament; and from my
long acquaintance with her, | am salts
fed that she has something in her
head worth protecting, unlike those
ladies' who patronize curtailed bonnets
with more ribbon than crown, and
more curtain than comfort.
She fully agrees with me when j
lecture our young female friends on
the extravaganza of the age, although
she contends that the men are AZ much
to be blamed for i, as the women. OF
course | never assent to this PROPOSE
ton; and that leads to friendly argu-
mcnt, from which, in my own opinion,
| always gain the advantage-though
/ must confess that / am occasionally
overborne by torrent of words, espee-
tally when some friendly neighbor es
pouses my wife's side of the question.
In such cases | beat hasty retreat,
and watch my opportunity for new
attack upon the position of the enemy
under more favorable auspices. 4
Ny wife detests hounccs she is too
stout to wear them). has no banker
ing after "moire antique" ]" and only
knnws of ..Hnniton' hv having seen