Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1870-10-22
How a Grumbler Was Cured,
A Domestic SKETcn.


Many wife Is previously wounded by the
constant and unnecessary iaultfnding Of her
husband over the food which she has prepared.
often with direct reference 10 his expressed
predictions. Onentines women have been
heard To declare that the first few years Of
housekeeping were made wrctched by this.
have known man 10 leave a fifIh-rate
5oardinghou5e, where soiled table cloths
were the rule, SLOPPY tea, turbid coffee, and
the inevitable "basI," were not the exception,
and sitting opposite his young wife at their
own table. mcrcilessly stab her with unjust re-.
marks upon the well cooked meal before him,
just as il lie were not voraclously devouring
better food than he had ever been accustomed
to.
Perhaps this fault.fndIng has the same ef
icct upon the appetite as a celebrated table,
sauce has, for the habitual grImbler generally
eats with a relish of the condemned DISH
thereby giving the lie to his words The fol.
lowing story contains its own moral:
Mary, your corn bread is never done;
wonder what is the reason everybody else has
things right and We always have things
worng."
why, Joe, I'm sure the corn bread has ney-
or been in his state before. You see the fire
had hit and couldn't be made to burn this
IN ,rning"
oh, yes, you are always ready with an ex.
cuse. Now, there is Mrs Smith, her stoye
never has fits. And she always las the light.
est, sweetest bread and the incest cake and
preserves ever ate. wish you'd take pat.
tern By herr
We'll, ! am sure Joe, do my best, and
think | succeed oitener than fail l wish
could suit you always: but that, l suppose
can scarcely be expected" and Mary gave
weary sigh.
Mary Starr had been married about year.
during which time she had found housekeep.
ing rather up hill work She was a neat little
body, and conscientiously did her best to
please her husbands but he, whatever might
be the reason, was very hard to please-i1 fact,
seemed determined not To be pleased with any
thing she did. Perhaps, like the old soldiers
i'll one of Dickens stories, he had vital and
constant sense that discipline must be main
tanned" AT any rate, he never allowed Mary
10 be pleased with herself on any occasion, if
he could help it.
Mary was an amiable wife, fortunately, and
not easily irritated, though, tQ tell the truth,
there was times when ler forbearance was Sc
verely tried. For instance, whenever she and
Joe took tea out, or went to party, or even
TO ch lrch, he seldom allowed the opportunity
to pass unembraced 10 anima Divert upon some
deficiency in cookery, manners, or dress, on
The part of his wife, and that in public. 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 have it so
puffy" Or, Mrs. Brown, you certainly are
an adept at entertaining company. l wish,
Mary, that you would try to steal Mrs Browns
art" Or, Mrs. Green, your dress is always
most becoming-your taste is exquisite !
don't see why ii is, Mary, that with all l spend
for you, you never can reach the piquant style
of Mrs. Green"
On these occasions Mary wo uld blush and
bite her lip, and be nwardly an moved, but she
was woman of too much pride and good
sense TO make display of her chagriI and
she was really too good naturcd and Christian
person to let it change her feelings toward
Joe, whom she knew to be- alter ALL very
fond of her, and a very just man at heart.
After while, too. seeing that the fault was
probably curable she bethqught herself how
she should proceed in order to break him of
his disagreeuble habit.
Fortune favored her. One day lady, one
of her most valued friends and best neighbors,
called TO invite Mary and Joe TO tea-pary at
her house
Ut will be small affair." she said, "but
very pleasant, l think. You only are wanted
to make the scale Of harmony complete"
We'll" SAID Mary, Il will come, Mrs. Vane,
on one condition"
CONDITION Has it come to this, that you
must make conditions Wen, my dear, make
your demand.'
The condition is,n said Mary that you
will allow me to furnish all the refreshments.P
We'll that Is an odd idea. Mary, my dear,
l hope you don't mean to insinuate that am
getting poor"
mo, Hattie; thank fortune-she has show
cred her favors upon you quite liberally. But
have a notion for this, which, if you please,
will not divulge; only let me have my own
way this once just for the oddity of the thing"
"If anybody but you, Mary, had made such
a reollest of me, | certainly should have taken
offense. But I.never could be angry with you.
So, if it will be any satisfaction 10 you, though
for the life Of me, l can't imagine what your
drift is, will comply with your condition.
When may | expect my supplies y
"Letme see. To,morrow is my baking day,
and yonr tea party is not to be before ThuFs-
day Wen, on wednesday afternoon you shall
be supplied with bread, biscuit cake, ana all
other accessories; and mind, the only ihlng l
allow you 10 furnish is butter WHICH DO not
make"
"Vcry Well IFS all settled, then, and will
leave Won. On the whole, this arrangement
suits me it relieves me of great responsible.
itv for your cookery is well known to be par.
ticularly nice. So good by till Thursday"
"Mind you say nothing about this, Hattie,
to any one ; tits a secret Of mine"
"Very well, as you say; l will keep mum
Good-by again, for you win have your hands
full, and must not int rrupt you"
So of Mrs. Vane went inwardly wondering
what crochet, demure, little Mary bad set
into her steady little head.
Tfr--KN