The Sumter watchman. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1855-1881, 1871-01-18
TURNING THE TABLES,
THE WIPES STRATAGENI.

I wonder what is the reason everybody
else has things right. and ne always
have things wrong"
"Why, Joe, l am sure the corn-bread
has never been in this state before J.
You see, the FIRE 'had fit and, couldn,'
be made to burn this morning" :
"Oh, yes! you are always ready with
an excuse. Now, there is Mrs. Smith
her stove never has fits. And she al
ways has the lighsest, sweetest bread
and the incest cakes and preserves
ever ate. 1 wish you'd take pattern by
her."
"Well, 1 am sure, Joe, 1 do my best,
l think succeed oftener than l fail
l wish 1 could suit you always but that,
l suppose, can scarcely be expected"
and Mary gave weary sigh.
Mary Starr had been married about a
gear, during which tins she had found
housekeeping rather uphill work. She
was a neat little body, and conscientious
ly did her very best to please her has
band; but he, whatever might be the
reason, was very hard to please-in
fact, seemed determined not to be
pleased with anything SIZE did. Per
haps, like the old soldier in one Of
Dickens stories, he had a vital aud con~
slant sense that "discipiine must be
maintained" At any rate, he never
allowed Mary to be pleased with herself
on any occasion if be could help it.
Mary was an amiable wife: fortunately,
and not easily irritated, though, to tell
tbe truth, there were times when her
forbearauce was severely tried. For
instance, whenever she and Joe took
tea out, or went to party, or even to
church, be seldom allowed the oppor,
tunity to pass uneubraced to auimadvert
on some deficiency in cookery, or man
ncrs, or dress, on the part of his wife
For instance, it would be
"Mrs.. Jones, what beautiful sponge
cake you make! Mary, take notice ho"
light this cake is. 1 wonder why you
can never have it so puffy" Or, "Mrs.
Brown, you certainly are an adept at
entertaining company. wish. Mary,
that you would try to steal Mrs.
Browns art" Or, "Mrs. Green, your
dress is always most becoming. Yosr
taste is exquisite. l don't see why it
is, Mary, that with all spend for you,
you never look quite as nice as Mrs.
Green,"
On these occasions Mary would blush
and bite her lip, and be inwardly au-
noyed, but she was woman OF too
much pride and good sense to make a
display CT her chagriu /; and was really
too good-natured aud Christian person
to let it change her feeling toward Joe,
whom she knew to be, after all, very
fond of her, and very just man at
heart. After a while, too, seeing that
the fault was probably durable, she
bethought herself how she should pro
ceed in order to break him Of his disa-
greeable habit.
Fortune favored her. One day .
lady, one of her most valued friends and
neighbors, called to invite Joe and
Mary to tea-party ct her house.
"is will be small affair."" she said,
"but very pleasant, 1 think: You only
are wanting to make the circle Of har-
mony complete"
"Well," said Mary, 81 will come,
Mrs. Vane, on one condition"
"Condition Is it come to this, that
you must make conditions Well, my
dear, make your demand"
aThe condition is," said Mary, "tha'
YOU will allow me to furnish all the re-
fresbments."
"well, that is an odd idea! Mary
my dear, l hope you don't mean to
ipsinuate that am getting poorw
ono, Hattie ; thank fortune, she has
shovered her favors on you quite liber-
ally. But 1 have a notion for this.
which, if you please. I will not divulge
only let me have my way this once, just
for the oddity of the thing"
"If anybody but you, Mary, had made
such a request Of me, certainly should
have taken ofense. But 1 never could
be angry with you. So ifit will be any
satisfaction to you-though for the life
of me l can't imagine what your dritl
isl will comply with your conditions
When MAJ, i expect my supplies f"
"Let me see ; tomorrow is my bak-
ing day, and your party is not before
Thursday. Well, on Wednesday after
noon you shall be supplied vith bread
biscuit, cake, and all other accessories
and mind, the only thing l allow you t.
furnish is butter, which I do no: make. !.
every we'll, it's all settled, then, and
I will leave YOU. On the whole this
arrangement suits ne it relieves me ol
a great responsibility, for your cookery
is we'll known to be particularly nice
So good bye till Thursday"
"Mind you say nothing about this
Hattie, to,apy, ooe; i is . secret o.
NINE" Gr1 = = TO-
every we'll, as you say, I'll keel
mun. Goodbye again, for yog vii
have,gonr hands full 'and I must no
interrupt you :,
So Of Mrs. Vane went, irwardl!
vonderiSs what crochet dshurs ll l!tsl'
Mary had got Into her steady littl'
head.
Everything came of on that baking
das Syshss sEss'slz a bad aiF e.. GYBs Ssa '.s az.
sweet. and white asa spoW.Aake, viii
iust = oolden. brown line Of crust sur