Vermont daily transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1868-1870, 1868-07-11


II mean, Edward, that if you can
discharge all the family expenditure
for five dollars day you may have the
satisfaction of trying the experiment
forthwith. Here are my kcysW
Mr.. Dater backed obviously away
from the proffered insignia of office.
"But my my dear, " he said, hurried
ly, you forget the demands of busi-
ness"
Let business he adjourned for
once,n insisted the wife. 81 tell you |
will not undertake any longer to keep
house with insufficient funds.'
Mr.. Dater looked at his wife. There
was resolution in her blue eyes and
closely compressed lips which he felt it
would be entirely useless TO combat.
every well, my dear" he said COM
posedly drawing off his gloves, eff you
really insist upon it | shall be very hap
Ply to show you the truth ofSam Patch's
observation that some things can be
done us well az Others You will please
send all servants bills and other null
sances to me to-day
"And / suppose may avail myself
of this opportunity to bring up the ar
rears of my neglected Jurisprudence, y
said his wife. at is not often that /
enjoy such recess in my housekeeping
duties.n
"Just exactly as you please, my
dear
Mr.. Datcr calmly sat down in his
casy,,chair, lighted cigar, and prepared
to read the newspaper. Mrs. DAter, AZ
ter ringing the bell and cOnsigning the
rosy baby to the care of Il servant, COM
posedly took her seat in front of the
rosewood sccretdirc. and began her task
of writing letters.
''If this is housekeeping, it isn't such
bad fun, after all ~ thought our hero, as
he tipped his chair back after the fash
ion of mankind, and lazily watched the
golden thread of Il sunbeam stretched
UNANIMOUSLY across the tinted ceiling.
Presently a heavy football sounded
along the carpeted hall, and Ellen, the
cook, appeared.
eff We PLACE, ma'am, whatll we be
after havin' for dinner?'
Mr.. Dater will attend to you, Ellen"
said the abdicated sovereign, calmly
motioning with her hand toward her
husband.
Mr.. Dater was little puzzled how to
meet this emergency, but not for worlds
would he have owned it!
"Roast fowls, Ellen, with currant
jelly and celery-and-and mince-pie
and suet pudding for dessert Chat
Il
of Yell give me the money, Sir, III
go to market right Off"
"How much do you require, Ellen?'
Ellen reckoned up the sum Oh the ends
of her stout red fingers.
"It'll be two dollars for the fowls, Sir,
and half doller for the vegetables"
"Two dollars and half Isn't that
good deal of money Ellen"
"And twenty-five cents for the jelly,
Sir" added the relentless Ellen.
Mr.. Dater reluctantly counted out the
money. "Be as economical as you can,
Ellen"
Ellen went out, tossing her head, and
muttering under her breath certain I'M
deniable truisms respecting "henhus-
sizes -
"The newspaper bill, Sir" said Mary
the chamber-maid, entering on tip-toe
with narrow slip of paper between her
fingers.
'What is it ~
"Thirty cents, Sir"
Mr.. Dater again unclasped his porte
monaie and handed out the requisite
sum. 1t was hardly more than a mo-
ment before Mary again came in.
eff you please, Sir, the wood you or
dered has come home, and Patrick DAILY
wants dollar for splitting it up.n
"that is too much ~
"He worked half day at it, Sir, and
it's what he has always asked" said
Mary, respectfully.
"Take it, then!" sharply responded
Mr.. Dater. 81 must see if l can't get
some one to work for me little cheap
er. / don't believe in paying the high.
est prices for the least possible amount
of work !"
This was bomb-shell thrown bellig.
erently into Mrs Dater's camp, but thai
lady wrote serenely on. 1t was not hel
cue to notice any such indirect method
of warfare.
"The big kittle, Sir, home from the
tinman's," put in Mary, once more
cts fifty cents, Sir, if you please"
"Fifty cents! Fifty cents for mend
ing tin kettle !" cried our hero.
"Yes, Sir; it's soldered in two places
and"
There il Il grocer's boy coming up the
street." said Mrs. Dater, CHANGING out
of the window. And, sure enough, El
len entered presently, with sleeves roll
her chin.
"The bill from the grocer's, Mr.. Da
ter, all ready .receipted."
"Raisins, spices, soap, prepared fioul
- eggs = clothes-pins - carpet-taclSs :
lemons hum IN - four dollars anC
seventy-tive cents! -Four dollars ant
seventy-fve cents for grOcer's bill o
two days standing! My dear! my dear
this should be looked into! There mus
be some screw loose in our house-keep
ingv
"You complained that the pudding
sauce was not rich enough yesterday
Edward" said Mrs. Dater, deliberately
folding the little note she had Just writ
ten "and last week you said that cake
without sutliciency of rnisins and spi
ces, was merely galvanized bread.
"a man don't want all his chance
speeches eternally brought up agains