Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1870-09-16

Turning the Tables.

| wonder what is the reason everybody
else has things right and we always
have things wrongs
Why Joe, l am sure the corn bread
has never beer so before. You see the
fire had fit this morning and could not
be made to burn"
"Oh, yesl you are always ready with
some excuse. Now, there is Mrs. Smith
her stove never has fits, and she always
has the lightest, sweetest bread, and the
incest preserves and cake | ever ate. |
wish you would take pattern by her."
Well, I'm sure do my best, Joe,
and | think | succeed oitener than Ifail
| wish l could suit you always; but ]
suppose that, can h rrdly be expected,
and Mary gave weary sigh.
Mary Starr had been married about a
year, during which time she had found
housekeeping rather uphill work. She
was neat little body, and conscientious
ly did her best to please her husband
but he, whatever might be the reason
was very hard to please-in fact seemed
determined not to be pleased with any
thing she did. Perhaps like the old sol.
dier in one of Dickens stories, he had a
vital and constant sense that discipline
must be maintained" At any rate he
never allowed Mary to be pleased with
herself on any occasion if he could help
it.
Mary was an amiable wife, fortunate
ly, and not easily irritated, though to
tell the truth, there were times when her
forbearaDce was severely tried. For in.
stance, whenever she and Joe took tea
out, or went to a party, or even to church
he seldom allowed the opportunity to
pass unembraced to auimadvert on some
deficiency in cookery, or manners, oil
dress on the part of his wife; and that
pro bono publico. For instance, it would
be:
"Mrs. Jones, what beautiful sponge
cake you make. Mary, take notice how
light this cake is. l wonder why you car
never have it SO puffy ?" Or, :" Mrs
Brown, you certainly are an adept al
entertaining company. l wish Mary,
you would try and steal Mrs. Browns
art" Or, +" Mrs. Green, your dress is
always most becoming. Your taste is
exquisite. I don't see why it is Mary
that with all 1 spend for you, you never
reach the, je ne sais quoi, of Mrs, Green
| On the e occasions Mary would blush
and bite her lips, and would be inward
ly annoyed, but she was woman of too
much pride and good sense to make
display of her chagrin and she was
really too good natured to let it change
her feelings toward Joe, whom she knew
to be, after all, very fond of her, and o
lust man at heart. After while, too
seeing that the fault was probably cura
bic. she bethought how she should pro
eeed in order TO break him of his disa
greeable habit.
Fortune favored her. One day, la
DIV. one of her most valued friends anc
best neighbors. called to invite Joe ant
Mary to tea-party at her house.
"It will be small affair" said she
"but pleasant l think. You only ar
wanted to make the circle of harmon,
com olete."
"Well," said Mary, " will come oil
one condition, Mrs. Vane."
"Conditionl Is it come to this, tha
YOU must make conditions /? Well m.
dear what is your demand ?"
"The condition is" said Mary, "tha
vou will ALLOW me to furnish all the re
freshments.
"Well, that is an oddidea. Mary. m,
dear, hope you don't mean to intimat
that I am getting poor?"
9No. Hattie, thank fortune, she ha
-bowered her favors on you quite liberal
lIv But I have notion for this. which
if YOU please, l will not divulge; onl
let me have my way this once, just 10
the odditv Of the thing.