Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1869-10-09
Turning the Tables.

things wrong.
why, Joe. am sure the corn-bread
has never been in this state before. lo"
see the fire had fit and couldn't be
made to burn this morning"
"Oh yes. you are always ready with an
excuse. Now, there is Mrs. Smith; her
stove never has fits. And she always has
the lightest sweetest bread, and the incest
cakes and preserves | ever ate. wish
you'd take pattern by her
We'll, | am sure, Joe, do my best.
and think succeed ottcncr than fail.
| wish l could suit you always; but that,
Isupposc, can scarcely be expcctcd;' and
Mary gave weary sigh.
Mary Starr had been married year,
during which time she had found house
keeping rather uphill work. She was
neat little body, and conscicntiously did
her very best to please her husband; but
he, whatever mi yht be the reason. was
very hard to pleasc--in fact. seemed de-
tcrmincd not to be pleased with anything
she did. Perhaps like the old soldier in
one of Dickens stories, he had Il vital aud
constant sense that "diSciplinc must be
maintaincd.' At any rate, he never al
lowed Mary to he pleased with herself on
any occasion. if he could help it.
Mary was an amablc wife. fortunately,
and not easily irritatcd, though to tell the
truth, there were times when her f"rhcar-
ancc was severely tried. For instance,
whenever she aud Joe took tea out, or went
to IA party, or even to church, he seldom
allowed the opportunity to pass uncmbraccd
to animadvcrt on some deficiency in cook
cry. or manners, or dress, ON the part of
his wife; and that PRO BONO PuBIiCo.
For instance. it would be:
"Mrs. Jones. what beautiful sponge
cake you make. Mary, take notice how
light this cake is. wonder why you can
never make itso puffy" Or, Mrs. Green,
you certainly are an adept at entertaining
company. wish, Mary, that you would
try to steal Mrs. Greens art" Or, - Mrs:
Brown your dress is always most Lccom-
ing. Your taste is exquisite. don't see
why it is, Mary. that with all l spend for
you. you never can reach the 'JE Ne SAis
Qroi' of Mrs Brown
On these occasions Mary would blush
and bite her lip, and be inwardly annoyed,
but she was Il woman of too much pride
and good sense to make display of her
chagrin; and she was too goo;!,naturcd
aud Christian person to let it change her
feelings toward Joe. whom she knew after
all, very fond of her, and Il very just man
at heart After while, too, seeing that
the fault was probably curablc, she be-
thought herself how she could proceed in
order to break him of his dsa.reeable
habit.
Fortune favored her. One day, lady,
one of her most valued friends and best
ncighbors, called to invite Joe and Mary
to tea party at her house.
at will be small affair."" said she, 'but
very pleasant. think. You only are want.
cd to make the circle of harmony com
pletc."
"Well," said Mary, 81 will come, Mrs.
Vane, on one condition"
"Condition. Is it come to this, that you
must make conditions? Well, my dear,
make your demand"
"The condition is" said Mary, "that
you will allow me to furnish all therefresh-
ments."
"Wcll, that is an odd idea! Mary, my
dear, hope you don't mean to insinuatc
that | am getting poor"'
"No, Hattie; thank fortune, she has
showcred her tavors on you quite literally.
But have notion for this, which, if you
please, l will not divulge; only let me have
my way this once, just for the oddity of
the thing"
"Ifanybody but you, Mary, had made
such request of me, / certainly should
have taken offense. But never could be
angry with you. So, if it will be any sat
isfaction to you-though for the life Of me
cant imagine what your drift isl will
comply with your conditions. When may
| expect my supplics?"
Let me see; tomorrow is my baking
day, and your tea party is not to be before
Thursday. Well, on Wednesday afternoon
you shall be supplied with bread, biscuit,
cake, ard all the other accessories and
mind, the only thing l allow you to furnish
is butter, which do not make"
Every, we'll, it's all settled then, and l
will leave you. On the whole this arrange
mcnt suits me; it relieves me Of great re-
sponsibility, for your cookery is we'll known
to be particularly nice. So good-by till
Thursday"
"Mind you say nothing about this, Hat
tie, to any one; it is secret of mine"
Very we'll, as you say. I'll keep mum.
Good-by again, for you will have your
hands full, and I must not interrupt you"
So off Mrs. Vane went, inwarJly won-
dering what crotchet dcmure little Mary
had got into her steady little head.
Everything came of On that baking day
precisely as Mary could have wished it.
Her bread was light and sweet, and white
as snowflake, with just golden brown
crust surrounding it; her cakes were per-
fection; her crullers crisp and delicious
Then she knew that her preserved fruits
were nice, and if ever there was sponge
cake more like solidifed froth she would
like to see it. Eyerythins was sent into