Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1870-05-25

delicious. Then she knew her preserved
fruits were nice, and if ever there was
! sponge-cake more Ike solidifed froth she
Yoald like tolsee IT. Everything was sen.
to Mrs. Fane<0n Wednesday afternoon,
! and abe had all Thursday to devote to
dress,
Mary looked very pretty that night at
the tea-party, for her eyes shone with a
<purpose, and she had Just excitement enough
] about It TO redden her cheeks in very
bee6mihg manner Add to this that she
was dressed with ~neatness and taste, and
you will not be unwilling to believe me
when l say that she was qnite the belle of
the occasion Joe evidently thought so
himself for, strange to say, he made no
remarks on her appearance that night cal
culate6 to lower her self-esteem but on
the contrary, gazed at her from time %
! time yi.s.s the most profound satisfaction.
But smurder will out 1t came out on
! this occasion, when they sat down to tea.
Everybody was delighted; there had not
been such an unexceptionable tea in the
neighborhood for long time. Country
people are very fond of their teas !; they
cempare one with another with admirable
con6oisseurship. This one was tri-
a@pArs yane YOU are the pcrfecttcr CT
full. Were ever such crullers made How
do you manage it, Mrs. Vane What lovely
sponge-caken
Mrs. Vane and Mary occasionally ex-
changed glances and smiled, but nobody
noticed it.
Joe had been behaving so beautifully all
the afternoon, that Mary began to be afraid
her plans had failed He came out now,
however, greatly to her satisfaction.
This is feast, indeed he said. "A
fellow is fortunate who has q wife that
can make such bread as this, to say moth
ing of the sponge-cake. Idon't see why
it is, Mary you improve, it is true, give
you credit for that but don't see why
it is that all women cannot have the knack
that Mrs. Vane has of cooking to perfec-
ton. If you could make such bread as
this, Mary, your husband would be happy
man.
Mrs. Vane looked at Mary, and Mary
looked at Mrs. Vane. Light had broken
upon the mind of the latter. 1t broke like
a fash of lightning, and then there was an
explosion-not of thunder, but of laugh
ter.
Joe looked up amazed. He was a man
who petted his dignity enormously. What
did these women mean, to laugh so at
sober, sensible remark of his? Particularly
what did Mary mean, TO so trife with the
respect she owed her husband? e?
He began TO grow very red indeed. Mrs.
Vane saw it, presently, and came to his
and Mary's relief; for poor Mary had be-
gun to feel little frightened at the success
of her own scheme. She did not like to
make Joe angry, at any rate.
Mr.. Starr said Mrs. Yane, am
truly glad you like this excellent cookery,
for it is all your wife's, By your own
you ought to be a happy man.
Here the whole company caught the in
fsction, and Joined in the laugh against
Joe. 1t was no use to get angry with so
many people, so, before long, Joe joined
the chorus himself.
SO the taa-party broke up with the
greatest gor1u IA Are all rouRS-a aaad Joe
went home with a lesson he never forgot
for it was the last time that Mary ever
heard any complaints from him. He is
now the most easily pleased ofany husband
for ten miles around.