Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1871-06-30

presentable to eyes that had seen so
much, and pleasant resting-place to
| feet that had wandered so far. The
guest chamber was swept and garnished,
| the parlor was made fresh and sweet
with the soft wandering airs Of summer,
and the breath of roses and heliotropes.
The baby was tied into his high-chair,
and pounded away upon the kitchen
table, while hannah and tossed to-geth-
er light, golden drifts of sponge-cake,
and moulded ,jellies clear as amber. We
roasted chicken-and ourselves as
well-that it might be ready to slice for
supper and, through much tribulation
and stress of body and mind, prepared
a salad after an approved French recipe
that | had never tried before.
Doubtless | did twice as much as I
should have done that day twice as much
as was in any way needful. But l was q
young wife, young housekeeper; and
/ could not bear that Miriam Delama-
ter's critical, fastidious eyes should find
any lack in my home or its appoint
ments that forethought or labor of mine
could supply.
Look your prettiest tonight, Babet-
te," Walter had said, when he went out
after dinner I'll have Miriam here by
a quarter past five at the latest"
| meant that evening, Of all evenings
in the year, to leave myself ample time
to make such a toilette as my husband
best liked. But the moments flew
apace, and when at last took Allie
and went up to my chamber it was long
after four. ...
The child was uncomfortably warm
and tired from long confinement in the
high-chair and his little frock was
creased and soiled, for Hannah had CIV
en- him all sorts of things to play with.
Hastily stripping him, gave him a
bath, arraying him in fresh garments,
and brushed the golden hair that coiled
about my fingers in host of tiny curls
| Then | placed him on the bed, to keep
him out of harms way, and began my
own preparations.
But Master Allie raised his voice in
wild lamentation and refused to be COM
forted, although I gave him my best
bracelets and my watch-chain. He had
been left to his own devices long
enough, he thought, and no coaxing or
cajolery sufficed to restore his good
| humor.
| | called Hannah.
"Dear me, Miss Barbara I'd come if
| could, goodness knows. But the bis
cults IL burn to cinders if l leave 'em,
and besides, Fm picking over the rasp-
| berries for tea."
"Then you must cry, Allie" / said
desperately as | turned to my dressing
table, and tried to arrange my hair with
hands that trembled so l could not per-
form my task. Braids would not stay
in place, and curls were incorrigible.
1t was just ten minutes past five, and
| was still in my dressing g-sack, with my
hair upon my shoulders, after a third
attempt to put up the heavy mass, when
| | heard the sound of wheels. A mo-
ment more and there were footsteps in
the hall below, and my husbands voice
called.
" Barbara! Barbara"
Allie screamed louder than ever, and
| answered as we'll as | could from out
the din.
~ will come presently-as soon as l
cam"
heard the two walk into the parlor,
and in another minute Walter came
| bounding up stairs two steps at time.
His cheeks were flushed, and his eyes
bright as with some hidden joy.
"Why, what's the matter ?" he asked,
as his eye took in the state of the case !;
anybody sick? Is Hannah dead? or
what's up?''
" L am tired to DEATH" l answered" :"
and Allie is cross as the mischief, and
Hannah's busy, and-I am not dressed" !"
$50 I see," he said, curtly. You
ought to have begun earlier, instead of
fussing so long in that confounded
kitchen"
Now | knew this as we'll as he did {;
but [ did not care to be told of it just
then. So, woman-ike, | began to
sweep little weep"
"There, there f" exclaimed Walter,
don't go to crying now, and spoil your
eyes. | wanted you to look your very
best tonight, and am so disappointed,
Barbara I'll go down town tomorrow
morning and get another girl, if things
60 on this at this rate
This was Walters standing threat :
while at the same time he knew, and [
knew, that one servant was all that we
could afford. And one would have been
enough, even in this emergency, if |
had not been too ambitious. His words
stung me to the quick.
Go back to Miss Delamater," [ said
"and have Hannah show her to her
room. Supper will be ready by the time
she is dressed,-and so will /. am
sorry | was not ready to receive your
friend, Walter; but by the time she
has been married two or three years,
and has fretful baby on her hands,
she will have learned to make allow
ances."
Diverted by his fathers entrance, AL
lie stopped crying. Pride and little
splicing of anger gave me strength and
calmness, and | was soon dressed.
Miss Delamater accepted my apollo
gies with gracious sweetness, praised the
| house and the baby, and the beauty of
the little village nesting among the
hills. She congratulated Walter upon
his patriarchal dignity, and told him
that he wore his new honors as if " to
the manner born" Then we went out
to supper; and while she did full jus,
tice to the biscuits and cold chicken,
she remarked to him that she perceived
he had done wisely in chosing a wife
from the country. Country girls devot-
ed themselves so much more exclusive
ly to domestic affairs that it could not
be doubted that they made better house
keepers than those who had been taught
to regard literary and social culture as
the I" one thing needful."
Was there latent sarcasm underlying
i q r
| felt shy and I'LL at ease, and was glad
| whop 7 could riSn from, tho toLla oDd