The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1876-06-02

NdUcG.'
Not a week later, another friend was
invited on the spur of the moment, ar
irving when the dinner was actually
served. But Amy asked for only a few
minutes, and magically there was served
an exquisite repast, perfectly cooked.
Again and again Oliver came home with
a friend, and a delightful certainty of a
good dinner. Amy Burton never COM
planned now of his hospitality, gave his
friends a smiling welcome, and Oliver
found home more charming than ever.
Two months passed, and the occa-
sional friend came very often to dinner.
The slight restraint Oliver had felt was
quite removed by the new and delight
ful change in Amy's management; and
yet the variety and quality of the COM
pany dishes never failed. But Mrs. Bur-
ton, consulting her account book, un-
derstood that the time was rapidly ap-
preaching when Oliver must understand
how this magic machinery was kept in
order; must see where the mysterious
delicacies that appeared so promptly
were procured.
So, one evening, when husband and
wife were enjoying a quiet tete-G-tete,
the servant handed in an envelope di-
rected to Mr.. Burton, saying:
'The boy will call in the morning."
"Boyler' said Oliver, reading the
printed advertisement in the corner of
the envelope; "why. it is the restaurant
keeper around the corner"
"Yes," said Amy.
"But I never owed the man a cent,
and here is bill" cried Oliver, opening
the folded paper in the envelope.
"I think you will find it all right,h
l A ii 1F,,1x fhnnorh rod
sport burned in each cheek as she spoke
"All right % said the amazed Oliver;
''the man must be crazy. One turkey
and dressing, five dollars; one lemon
pie, seventy-five cents; cranberry sauce,
sweet potatoes, and parsnip fritters,
three dollars"
"That was the day Mr.. Ferris dined
here" said Amy, without looking up.
"One pair of roast ducks, five dol
lars" read Oliver "currant jelly, one
dollar"
"That was the day Mr.. Hill dined
here"
Oliver gave a long whistle.
$50 that's the way you did it?"
"Yes, dear"
"Hum quail, grouse, chickens"
"YOu did not suppose l procured and
cooked such things at minutes notice,
did you ?" as Amy, demurely.
"No-but-"
"You didn't suppose they came down
the chimney ready cooked, like Santa
Claus gifts, did you?" she asked, still
looking intently at her sewing.
"Well, not exactly that, but"
'You told me 1 was not to mind the
expense"
"Yes; but-What is the expense ?'i
turning over the paper. "By Jove it is
one hundred and twenty-five dollars"
Eyes, that is right. kept an account
of the items"
There was a long silence. Oliver wa:
trying to persuade himself that it was
impossible his habit Of promiscuous hos
pitality was really so eXpensive; but the
items stared him in the face, and a very
slight effort of memory recalled nearly
every dish. Jones had complimenteC
the lobster salad; Smith had been en-
thusiastic over the nldyOnndise of fowl
Hayward had pronounced this putt
equal to DelmOnico's; and Curtis haC
protested he never ate such pigeon pi,
before.
With deep sigh, Oliver said:
"Since it is all right, l suppose / mus
pay it; but-was it quite fair, Amy, t.
spring such mine on me? I did no
realize the expense, it is true; but thi
bill, coming in so Unexpectedly, will
really hamper me terribly"
mo, it won't, Oily. / only wanted
you to understand how expensive ant
troublesome it is to have uneXpecteC
company. Only let me know, and
will gladly prepare for your friends, a
only a small additional expense"
''But they won't pay this bill"
mo, but this will" And Amy lai,
before her husband three crisp fifty-dol
lar bills.
why, Amy! Where did that com
: "You have heard me speak of Uncl
} Charles, the captain in the navy, VIII
was away at the time we were MAJ
; ried ?"
r "But who came home month or tw
r ago, you told me?"
"Yes; but did not tell you thatin tn
letter he wrote telling me he was a
fathers he sent me check for two hun
dred dollars to purchase a nice weddin
present"
"And you have spent more than haI
, in turkeys and geese for my friends"
5 81 don't repent it, Oily, for it ha
, given you pleasure to entertain them
, but we cannot afford to keep it up.
? don't want to be unreasonable; but yo
see now, do you not, that the habit
better brOken?
2 "Yes, do see it. You have brough
+ it home to me now, Amy, and will no
( vex the dearest little wife in the werl
2 again by adding unexpected compan
t to her household cares"
r So Amy lost her grievance, for Olive
t gave her due notice from that time for
t ward when he meant to invite a guest
i True, it was strong temptation, whe
, he met his friends, to run the risk an
= take them home, but the vision O
4 Boyle's bill, and Amy's sacrifice of he
r uncle's wedding present, rose before hi
q eyes, and he gave the invitation for an
e other day, or let it pass. For, after all
: he found, when the appointed day came
: he cared very little for the expecte
pleasure, and would have enjoyed
e quiet dinner and evening with Am
s quite as well as the company of an oC
t casional friend.-Lddy's Almanac.
: WAIT.-Wait, husband, before yo
I wonder audibly why your wife doesn'
q get along with the household affairs ga
II ! VOur mOthar did ~ Gha iS dOiDO he