The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1859-04-02

more--you slioW quite enough for ~ nil
and Il will be useful 10 her to learn how Il
make the best Of everything"
"But she il not very ealrayagant nov
mother. Il she !"
"Quits ertrayHEnni--quite, Al Oh rveuti
take my advice and make the trial II she
cannot make Il do she ALL 'sll you and thoI
you can alter your arrangements, Take mj
advice, Percy, you are soon TO be father
and all that, and you ought 10 bs doubiy
careful, considering what expenses are before
you"
I VERY well, mother, wit ruU hut
make the trial, as you say, aud II Annie &,
hard pressed and tells me, will enlarge the
allowance"
"ies, yea, that's all very we'll, as between
you and me, but don't tell Ann"
II am lawyer. mother" said Percy,
with grim smile, "and can keep nay own
counsel"
So the law was passed IN thi. domestic
star chamber, that Annie was 20 learn cxpcr-
imeutal improvement In the art and science
Of houssk eeping law which never would
have been passed at all but Tor Anncs pri-
yals aud peculiar economies, aud her careful
ooneealment Of painful details. Percy was
inclined TO be mean and itingy, certainly,
but he was not reyolungly 40 and, to do
him justice. he would not have imposed .
task that he knew was too hard 10 be ac-
eomplished. lie was not sorry to lay even
heavy strain upon her, just for experiments
. sake, but he would not have done more, vii
lingly. SO that poor AnEiys very care {
was which now caused her discontinue her
very economy had created distrutt of her
management
At the end Of the first week the young
wife was behind In her accounts. There was
brandy for the old lady, aud not little Of il .
and there we're her early dinner, aud her hot
suppers, eggs and tencakcs for her breakfast,
special tea making, bedroom fire and the ex-
ira candles. The housekeeping books show
ed frightful hgures-increascd by n full
share aud A-halE But Annie was not dis.
turbed, bat reserved the revelation Of those
mulliIudinouS figures as simple fact with
which her husband had got to be acquaint-
ell.
When payday came she told Percy quiet.
ly that she was 40 much shor; that week IL
cannot help IL, bat in such a small family as
ours one person in addition makes n great
difference. Our own expenses have been
just the same ss usual 40 that find that
your mothers cost exactly equals my def.
cheney"
"You must provide for that out of the al
lowanee," said Percy with hardness.
"Out OF the allowance, Percy ?"
"Ies. am not able to afford YOU more
and by some means or other, you must make
what you have do"
"Very well, Percy, will try" said Annie
meckly.
Trying will be OF no good il il is no,
done, Annie" Percy spoke positively, as If
on the brink Of dispeasurc.
81 will do my best" she repeated.
"But for this past week, Percy, wien did
not know your arrangement, and so made
Hs Rfssisisn--zii- ssHv turned such a pretty.
pleading face TO him that he said
"I'Will pay you for this oncc-only for this
once mind not again under any ordinary
creumstaneeS"--emphnsising the ordinary.
Remember Nha; say Annie. You know
that / never speak without n meaning
What was it you mentioned you wanted in
addition ?'
so much" said Annie, naming a large
sum { very large comparatively with the
whole. 81 have had a great many things to.
lay in"
Here then, is the money" said Percy,
slowly counting il out, coin by coin. Now
do not let me hear the subject repeated
You know what you have to do, and you
must do it."
Annie thought long and hard that day.
In what could she rctreneh9 or course
Percy was right: husbands are always right
in the eyes of girlish wives not married
a year. lie was right and must be obeyed
Of courses but how? She would leave oil
sugar and profess a sudden distaste for pas
tryi give up all beer and wine-or which /
she had but little as it was-and put herself |
on lenten fare generally. But, as yet, her !
proposed retrenehments die not go beyond !
few personal sacrifices, and she felt that
something more must be done. At last il !
came to her like a bright inspirntion--she |
would dispense with the extra service she |
had been accustomed to pay for. The wash
ing was done at homei and the young wife
ironed, and starched, and stood and stopped, |
and worked herself to the verge Of Mysteries
and fainting fits all in the most perfect good
faith that such life was the normnl condi-
ton of good housekeeper, and that she was
only doing her ordinary duty. No one
knew how much she did, but the servants.
II old Mrs Clarke knew it, she kept it to
herself, and thought it only as it should be-
Percy did not see, and never asked what his