Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1873-02-07
GeIeltc0 MlisfeIIanD.
TURNING THE TABLES.

Breakfast had just been cleared away
and the little sitting groom was very bright
and cheerful in the yellow food of the
April sunshine. There were pots of
purple-blossomcd violets in the window
seat, and a blue-ribboned guitar laying
on the sofa, and books piled on the table.
and close by the fire Mrs. Haven had
seated herself at her desk to write some
letters.
She was trim, compact little woman,
with bright brown hair, and eyes to
match, and a resolute mouth that somehow
carried out the expression of nose that
our French neighbors phrase 'retroussc. ;
Mary Haven had character that you
might see at distance
AS she sat there selecting her pen,
and unscrewing the silver top of her
inkstand, the door opened very softly,
and round fullmoon face appeared.
" Mrs. Haven, mem, if you please. "
F." Yes" said Mary Hagen, deserving
at once by the infallible barometer of a
woman's ear the rising thunder storm in
the domestic atmosphere below. "What
is it cook 2"
Its not that you are not a kind mis-
trcss, men," said the cook twisting the
hem of her checked apron, "and the wa
ges is good, not to say company allowed
once week, and Sunday evenings al
ways ours, but there are some things
flesh and blood can't stand, no more they
can't men; and / hain't no patience with
such doin's, and if you please suit your
self, mem, at months warnin-"
Why, cook, what the matter 2"
Some can abide meddlin' with, mem,
and some can't; and if the barrel O
mackercl sets on the wrong corner, an
the sugar boxes amt kept proper, it's
the mistress should tell me of it, not the
master, an if Mr.. Haven wants to be
cook, mem, well and good but | won't
stay in the same kitchen !"
And cook founced out, maltreating
her apron, having her say.
Mrs. Haven flushed scarlet. She arose
and went down stairs to the cellar, where
her husband, minus his coat, was en-
deayoring to move huge washing ma
chine.
"You see, Bridget" he called out,
"this is the worst possible place the thing
could stand in, and-why, Mary, is it
you?
!" Yes it is T." said Mrs. Haven. II
thought you had gone to your Office,
Henry ?"
I'm going presently" said Mr.. Ha-
ven. "But you see, Mary, everything
down here is by SKIES and sevens It's
well | come down occasionally. Cook has
no more economy than wild savage,
and Bridget puts everything where it
shouldn't be. My dear, have you looked
over the grocer's bill for month p
No, haven't" said Mrs. Haven.
Well, it's quite alarming There
must be leak somewhere; and that
reminds me-the molasscs keg is drip
ping at the rate of half pint day."
~ will see to it" she said.
But you don't see to it, my dear
I found box Of stale eggs on the top
shelf-sggs, my dear, that are complete
ly wasted, when eggs arc five cents
apiece p
Mrs. Haven turned and went up stairs
again, with round, red spot glowing on
either cheek, signal pennons of the dis
turbance within. She was not fault
less angel, any more than other women
are, and she was very much out Of tenn
per, as she walked up and down the
room with her hands behind her, and
her brown eyes glittering with an omin-
Gus sparkle.
Mary, have you seen my memoran-
DUN book p asked her husband, pulling
on his gloves.
"No, l have not. Probably you will
find it on the pantry shelf, or under
Bridgefs machine" answered Mary,
shortly.
Now, puss, you are out of temper"
said Mr. Haven, good humoredly, "and
how very unreasonable that is Of you"
Henry" said Mrs Haven, laying
one hand appeaIingly on his shoulder,
and looking up in his face, "you don't
know how it mortifes and annoys me to
have you interfere in my domestic af-
fairs"
aren't we not firm, Henry Haven