The Kenosha telegraph and tribune. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1859-1860, 1859-08-25

quantities to his eyes aad nose
" The deuce ~ he muttered under his breath |
as in trying to get his pocket handkerchief he |
upset his coffee, cup, saucer and into his Ian.
and the scalding fluid trickling leasurely to the
floor must have proved anything but pleasant
sensation.
" Mercy. George you have split yourself and
burnt the coffee +! oh! dear oh ! dear =" cried
Martha, too much frightened to talk straight
George grew little red in the face. Martha
took to the sofa and her white cambria hand
kerchef while her husband, without bestowinp
upon her his customary parting kiss, seized his
hat and fed the house.
Martha groaned for an hour or two over the
heartlessness of the world the men in particn.
lar, over George, and about all women Poor
child what a sad thing for romance, that blac'
bread and blacker coffee had drawn away the
rose curtain of imagined bliss from before her
| and she saw the stern and sober reality of life.
| But if Martha Melville didn't know how to
make coffee, she was of tolerable PERCEPTION, and
after time spent in rejecting, she started up
and commenced washing the dishes. Hurried
| and fustered-a dirt spot here, grease mark
and putting its fair proportions in ecipse-there
came sound like knell to the ear of Martha.
The door bell rang Oh, horrors what if it
should be the fashionable Misses Farntowns
or the rich Mrs. De Clark
Martha thought of locking the kitchen door
and hiding in the china closet, but she remem-
bered that the visitors must have heard the clat
ter of dishes as they stood at the door, for the
kitchen was on one sid of the window, SO that
wouldn't do. What if she should plead indus
position and betake herself to the sofa 7?
Finally she concluded to put the best face on
the matter and admit the visitor. 1t proved to
be Mrs. Highfyer the storekeeper's wife-who,
after entertaining poor Martha for an hour with
the trial she had with her servants, took her
leave, hoping Mrs. Melville would call soon
she enjoyed her conversation so much!
Half-past eleven struck, as Martha returned
to the kitchen, and dinner was not even "laid
ont She racked her brain for favorite sug-
gestion. That said organ seemed to be unusu-
ally refractory, for no idea regarding steak or
! potatoes Would come, so Martha resolved on
very plain dinner-parsnipS.
The market man had left them that morning,
and George had expressed himself extremely
fond of them. Well, how were they to be cook
ed! The " Housewife" was silent upon thor.
oughly original method-trying them in s,oeet but
ter. She knew that they were buttered, and
that must be the way, Tea aud toast would be
the accomplishments, One o'clock-Mr. Mel
ville's step was heard in the entry, and dinner
smoked on the table. Georges ill humor had
vanished, and the kiss he gave his flushed lit
tie wife smacked of hearty affection.
we'll, chicken. what's for dinneri A CAPT.
tai little housewife you are going to make me,
amt you? Punctual to minute Parsnips
by Jove Who showed you how to cook 'em,9"
and George ladled out liberal aowance-h
| scanty breakfast had made an appetite for him.
"Eh-ah rather tough Amt they2 It is
strange Williams should have palmeds off old
parsnips for fresh ones Tough as a shark
skin are you sure you boiled them enough
Martha 2"
I" didn't boil them; fried them that's the
right way, isn't it?" Marthas face was getting
troubled.
"Well, mol believe boiling is the proper
method; it is impossible to eat them as they are!
Pass the sweetcake l shall be obliged to make
homeopathic dinner to-day, my love T.
The lawsuit between brown and Smith was
progressing finely, and consequently Georges
mercurial temperament of good nature had ma
terially risen. Notwithstanding it was cheer
less dinner Martha was mortified and George
dissatisfied.
Days passed on much the same-failures, &C.
cidents and blunders innumerabe occurred each
day. Busters, burns, scratches and bumps dis
figured the fair surface of her hands and arms,
and at the close of the first months experience
Martha was ready to renounce everything for
six weeks repose and quiet, unhaunted by Wis
ions of dirty dishes and cluttered rooms, George
tried all he could to help her, but notwithstand-
ing the purity of his intentions, he was "blind
leader of the blind" and she was rather glad
when the outer door closed upon him. Sympa-
thiziDg neighbors would have lent their aid, had
she not been too proud to permit them; and SO
she CROPPED on in ignorance Her greatest fear
was company. The warm weather had now ar
rived, and likely enough one of her dear city
friends would come out to see how she liked the
experiment of love III a cottage, with no Biddy
to do the work. She actually shuddered at the
thought Every time the train came In, land the
little cab passed on it's journey from the depot, |
she held her breath in terror lest it shonld pause
before her door.
One day in June, hot and burning, while poor
Martha was trying her best to make Georges
shirt bosoms look passable she heard the rattle
of the frightfui vehicle as it drew up to the
gate. She dropped tho smoothing iron, and
peeped through the blind. nice lady of the
middle age descended, followed by an armament
of bandbaxes and umbrellas Martha turned
faint with horror!
"I'll wager anything it's Georges aunt Mar
garet! She that have heard SO much about
Aunt Margaret was the oracle of the Melvelle
family.
The lady's clear, emphatic ring forbade all IN |
dulgence of emotion, and Martha hurried to open
the door,
docs my nephew, George Melville, reside
here inquired pleasant, cheerful voice.
He does. Are you aunt Margaret Dilwth 2"
Yes, dear; if you are Georges wife l am
your aunt; but, bless me, Il didn't know George 8
Martha such young oirl why. my dear,
you look flushed and tired-do sit down; can
take off my things and put them away myself
And aunt Margaret steadily Invested herself OF
her neat travelling cape and gray bonnet
AS it was near dinner time, Martha, after q
little cheerful conversation with her guest, pro-
ceeded to the preliminar1es for that meal, while
aunt Margret amused herself with her knitting
work. a51
That dinner was trying ordeal for the young
housekeeper. The potatoes were half boiled,
the steak burnt to crisp, the bread was heavy
and dingy; Martha in tears left the table,