The Placer herald., 1872-01-13
A WOMAN'S STRATACEM.

things right and we always have them wrong?
"Why, Joe, I'm sure the corn bread has
never been in this state betore You see,
the fire had fit, and couldn't be made to
burn this morning"
go, yes! you are always ready with an
excuse. Now, there is Mrs. Smith; her
stove never has fits. And she always has
the incest, sweetest bread, and the incest
cakes and preserves | ever ate. l wish
you'd take pattern by her.
"Well, am sure, Joe, do my BEST
and think succeed oftener than fail. !
wish | could suit You always; but that, |
suppose, could hardly be expected;" and
Mary gave weary sigh
Mary Starr had been married about a
year, during which time she had found house
keeping rather uphill work. She was a
neat little body, aud conscientiously 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 anything she did. Perhaps
like the old soldier, in one of Dickens sto-
ries, he had 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, fortunately,
and not easily irritated, though TO tell the
truth, there were times when her forbearance
was sorely tried. For instance, whenever
she and Joe took tea out, or went to party
or even to church, he seldom allowed the
opportunity to pass uncmbraced to animad-
Il Iaftc
ners, or dress, on the part of his wife; and
that pro bono publtco. For instance, it
would be:
"Mrs. Jones, what splendid sponge cake
yon make! Mary, take notice how light
this cake is. | wonder why YOU can ne, er
make it so pufy!' Or, "AIrs Brown, you
certainly are an adept at entertaining COM
pany. wish, Mary, that you would try
to steal Mrs. Browns art. Or, "Mrs.
Green, your dress is always most becoming
Your taste is exquisite don't see why it
is, Mary, that with all spend for you, you
never can reach the .je ne sais quOi' of Mrs.
Green"
On these occasions Mary would blush and
bite her lips, and be inwardly annoyed, but
she was woman of too much pride and
good sense to make display of her mortifi-
cation or chagrin; and she was really too
good natured and Christian person to let it
change her feelings toward Joe, whom she
knew to be, after all, very fond of her, and
very just man at heart. After while,
too, seeing that the fault was probably cura-
ble, she bethought herself how she should
proceed in order to break him of his disa-
greeable habit.
Fortune favored her. One day lady,
one of her most valued friends and best
ncighbors, called to invite Joe and Mary to
tea party at her house.
"It will be small affair" said she, "but
very pleasant, think. You only are wanted
to make the circle of harmony 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"
"lhe condition is, said Mary, "that you
will allow me to furnish all the refreshments"
"Well, that is an odd idea! Mary, my
dear, hope you don't mean to insinuate
that am getting poor?
"No, Hattie; thank fortune, she has
showered her favors on you quite literally
But have a notion for this, which, if you
please, | will not divulge; only let me have
my own way this once, just for the oddity Of
the thing
eff anybody but you, Mary, had made
such request of me, | certainly should have
taken offence. But never could be angry
with you; so, if it will be any satisfaction to
tb &c
agine what your drift isl will comply with
your condition. When may | expect my
supplies p :.
"Let me see-to-morrow is my baking
day, and your tea party is not to be before
Thursday. Well, on Wednesday afternoon
you shall be supplied with bread, biscuit,
cake, and all the other accessories; and mind
the only thing allow you to furnish is but
ter, which do not make"
every well. It's all settled, then, and l
will leave you. On the whole this arrange
ment suits me; it relieves me of great re-
sponsibty, for your cookery is known to be
particularly nice. So, goodbye till Thurs
day" :.
sMind, you say nothing about this, Hat
tie, to any one; it is a secret of mine.
every WE'LL as you say, III keep mum.
Goodbye again, for you will have your
hands full, and will not interrupt you.
So. off Mrs. Vane went, inwardly won
dcring what crochet demure little Mary had
got into her steady little head.
Everything come off on that baking day
precisely as Mary could have wished it. Her
bread was light and sweet, and white as
snowflake, with just golden brown line OF
crust surrounding it; her cakes were periec-
ton; her crullers crisp and delicious. Then
she knew that her preserved fruits were nice
and if there was sponge cake more like SOL
idifed froth she would like to see it. Every
thing was sent into Mrs Vane on Wednes-
day afternoon, and she had all Thursday to
devote to her dress.
| Mory Looked very pretty that night at the