The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1871-10-12

and to go to criticising the household
arrangements Of your hostess!' "But
it is not that" said. "She is young
and inexperienced. have seen much
of life. have seen such unhappiness
come from neglect Of this kind. If she
could only see the matter from my point
of view she would change her course
at once. But how to make her see it,
that was the question. Probably if l
should set it before her in the clearest
light, her eyes would not discern it tru.
ly. She would regard me as an inter.
meddler in her concerns. false alarm
ist." Then these lines came to me:
BE thou like the first apostles; tt-..8
Be thou like heroic Paul;
| IT q free thought seek expression.
Speak 1t boldly, speak 1t all.
And, If thou hast truth to utter,
Speak, and leave the rest to God"
But l did not fulfill what was plainly
my duty in this matter. postponed it
indefinitely, as we do many painful du-
ties, until it is too late.
spoke of a breakfast, and of the beef.
steak that came to table, At dinner we
had some Of the beef roasted. 1t was
dry and hard. Stephen liked bit rare.
He cut into the heart Of it, but could
get none. Here was dinner spoiled as
well as a breakfast.
| Not many days after, Stephen brought
friend home with him to supper-an
| acquaintance of some years before, who
lived in neighboring State, and had
come to the little village on business.
| Stephen had not time to apprise Pru-
dence of the coming Of this guest, for
he had met him on his way home to
supper, and invited him to come with
him. Prudence and were in the par.
lor, and he b,ought him right in there.
His name was Nathaniel Evans. He
was lawyer, and very gentlemanly and
Intelligent.
1t happened that Prudence was dress
ed very becomingly, and looked her
prettiest. | was glad of this, as looked
at her, and saw that Stephen glanced
at her with pride as he introduced his
friend. Prudence was graceful, and
could talk agreeably upon trities. She
never was at loss for word to
| say. So far all was well. l must con-
fess that my mind went forward to the
supper with some misgiving, though it
would not appear to be any business of
mine. ! felt uneasy. wondered how
Prudence could sit there so unconcern-
/ ed, talking, when there were biscuits in
| the stove for Phoebe to burn, and eggs
to be cooked, and ham to be broiIed
And Phoebe never could think of but
one thing at time, hardly that.
/ | felt sure, too, that Stephen was
thinking of the same thing. l saw him
| look at Prudence several times, with an
uneasy expression Of countenance
Then he got up and took two or three
turns up and down the room. He sat
down again, then he said, What time
will supper he ready? Mr.. Evans and
l are going to take little drive after
tea"
SNy t7'''t e"'o 'ohSiSC, dti
then she got up and went out, and pres
emily / heard the dishes rattle in the
dining room. She was setting the ia.
bio. She was always particular about
that. There was usually clean cloth,
and things were arranged with much
taste
| followed, after few moments, and
left the friends together. When went
in and took my seat i'm the corner by the
CRATE. "What do you think I found
when l went in the kitchen?" said
Prudence. "Why, that stupid Phoebe
had let the fire nearly go out. The bis.
cults hadn't begun to bake and the tea.
water vast warmed. She's so trying
and Stephen and Mr.. Evans in hurry
for supper! | made her put in some dry
wood. The thing will be ready now in
a little while" She had finished set
ting the table, and she came up to me
and said low, "What do you think of
Mr.. Evans? Don't you think he is
handsome: ."
said l thought he looked very nice
and gentlemanly. Then she repeated
something he had said to her, and stood
there talking five or ten minutes, /
should think, with one hand on the
mantel, as if there were no such thing as
supper in the world.
A smell as of something burnt came
to our nostrils; we shifted simultane.
ously. Prudence started toward the
kitchen door with an exclamation which
l will not repeat. I heard Gathering
and rafting about the stove for few
moments, some loud tones from the mis-
tress and a whimpering from the maid,
and then the door opened and Prudence
put in q very red face and safe, "What
In the world shall do? That stupid
Phoebe has burnt the biscuits to cin-
ders, and there isn't meuthful of bread
in the house."
l thought. How easily might this
have been prevented-this vexation to
you and modification to your husband!
The punishment is just, so far as you
are concerned said, Are they all
burned? Can't you pick out few of
them?' and hobbled to the kitchen
door ia my anxiety. She brought the
pan and We selected three that were
eatable.
How it will look to put three biscuits
on the table for four of us :" she said.
"What shall l do?'
"If it was my case I should tell them
frankly just how 1t is" said, "and
then you can let the men eat the biscuits
and we will wait"