Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1873-11-19
A WORD FIFTY SPOKEN.

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This was most unfortunate remark,
and Mr.. Penney was conscious of it as
soon as the words were out but this
did not hinder him from going on much
In the same strain.
E'Of course [ don't know how she
managed it, but remember she used
to talk about setting her sponge over
nigh5, and then in the morning she was
always up as soon as the girl was, and
the dough was kneaded and kneaded,
and when it came out of the oven it was
as white as the driven snow, and as
sweet as honey"
Mrs Penney's face was scarlet, &C
did my best, John" was just trembling
on her tongue, but this last elaborate
description of the bread-making
maOdus operoaadi of his maternal parent
turned the disappointment she had felt
in not pleasing her husband into gall
and bitterness, and she answered in
stead in hooking tone:
GAS white as the driven snow, and as
sweet as honey! [ have seen it stated
somewhere that men are not given to
exaggeration. Such slight coloring,
though, suppose, is excusable, when
a man is speaking of his mothers
superiority over his wife. Hereafter,
Mr.. Penney, if bakers bread does not
suit your appetite, the kitchen is at
your disposal to set your sponge, and
knead and knead and I have no doubt
that when you take your mess from the
oven it will be as white and as sweet as
ever your mothers was
Just here Mrs, Penney arose, moved
4ho hoI> % h rb oh 70
table, and, with the chubby r-old
in her arms, sought the privacy of her
own chamber Mr.. Penney. followed.
There's no need of getting In a
huff, Mary" he said, as he closed the
door. In this matter of continuation
the gentleman was swayed by two en-
tirely opposite and antagonistic mo
tives. He did not like to go to bust
ness with cloud between him and his
wife, and he did want the last word.
No doubt Mr.. Penney thought by hay
ing the last word he could dissipate
the shadows he had so heedlessly
evoked-but Of course he was unsuc
cessful
"Iti is my opinion" he proceeded,
'fthat if you were to rise little earlier,
before the dough had time to sour, you
would have just as good luck as mother
had"
CT havn't slept three consecutive
hours for the last two months, with this
baby, John Penney, and that you know
as we'll as I do; and yet you are
thoughtful enough to ask me to get up
in the morning when the cook does, in
order that your aOh5na may be salts
fed"
GA whim is il, to be careful of ones
stomach to prefer good bread to
poor Why, that bread you put before
me this morning wasn't fit for a-for a
- John Penney hesitated moment,
but finally it came out-he really did
say it, reader,- for a hog to eat"
saying something especially rasping, if
not actually insulting, but she was
checked by timid rap on the door,
and the entrance of a sad-faced, deli
cate woman. who colored slightly as
she noted the embarrassment of her
hostess.
ct found that I could spare you to-
day, Mrs. Penney" she explained;
"You know I thought should not be
able to sew for you until next week;
but Mrs. Smith was very i'll this morn
ing, and could not go on as she ILL
tended, SO, if you like, [ will COM
mence your work.
MIR. Penney withdrew with single
good morning to the intruder. In one
sense he had come off conqueror; he
had had the last word, after all, and
that was victory enough. Mary
wouldn't try to feed him with sour
bread again, he was very sure. "Hus-
bands should assert themselves some
tines" he informed himself, on the
way to business. What would become
of them if they didn't? He had been
married two years, and housekeeping
six months; while they were boarding
everything was as smooth as oil but
they hadn't more than become donal-
ciled in their own house before trouble
commenced. The baby was sick, and
the mother complaining. Then Mary