Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1876-05-26

II
ford another, | must be as ecoaomi-
cal as possible"
Julius Ives made queer grimaee;
he didn't at all ike the operation of
swallowing his own words. And Me-
lissa walked into the presence of his
friends faded old dress and all.
"Five o'cloek-isn't dinner nearly
ready!" asked Mr.. Ives, consulting
his chronometer, with sort of warn
ing glance at his wife. Melissa rose,
and the same instant dinner was an.
nouneed ~ 1'saf 5'''"
Now, Mrs. Ives was a capital
housekeeper, who possessed the fac
ulty of getting up tempting dinners
on the shortest possible notice, so
that Julius naturally expected a re-
past suitable to the occasion. What
was his dIsmay on beholding the
cold, hacked joint Of yesterday
fanked by few potatoes, and no
visible desert. Elmer and Lamarque
took the seats designated 10 them
with polite Inconsistencies, but Ju-
lius Ives looked as black as thun-
der-cloud.a aofi sF SOS =
sMelissa, what does this mean," he
whispered. aail .sasst ae'.-s' -H
"Does what mean, my love?" ask
ed Melissa, with a face of the most
astonishment in the world. ~
Just at that moment the six little
IveSes burst into the room, shabby
and patched, like SO many candidates
for cold victuals. As a general thing,
Julius was passing proud of his pref
", well-dressed children; now pa
rental complacency was at dis
count, and he stamped his fsot i'm
patiently. sas
$50 and get dressed, my. dears,''
he said, sternly. "What does nurse
mean by allowing you to come down
stair in this outlandish manner"
1--WE are drethed, papa!" lisped out
Master julie, with boldness of. con
scious rectitude. "Mamma laid out
the clothes for -nth-the thays it ith
econAecon''- -
But Julius Ives hurried and hus,
tied the little ones out of the room
without waiting for any further ex-
plantations.
sMelissa," he said, earnestly
drawing his wife aside into the bow
window-"what' is the matter? Are
you erazy?" 7a s'A1
HNot crazy, love-" returned Melis-
sa, "only endeavoring to follow the
illustrious example Of Mrs. Jones,
and 'retfench.' "sF 5ge ftl.'5 go
"But, my dear''--- d iaeea q
"Pardon me, Julius-you said that
my extravagant housekeeping was
wasting you out of house and home.
Ithink that after this you'll hardly !
venture to make that accusation a
second time.' g7ia bfz sa
"My dear--I was afool, y said Ju-
lius,ewith a choking sensation under
the bow of his cravat. 81 81 won't in
terfere in housekeeping affairs again
IIpromise you. | am quite convinced
that | know nothing whatever about
the subject. Hereafter / will leave it
in your hands" aa ~
Entirely and without interfer-
ence?" asked Mrs, Ives, doubtfulIy.
entirely, and without interfer- /
ence," returned Mr.. Ives, decisivelv.
Mrs. ives turned to her puzzled
guests: aGentlemen, will you walk
into the other room?" she asked with
calm seIf-possession that rather as
tonished them. AS she spoke, the
folding doors were thrown back re-
vealing an elegant little apartment
beyond.
Julius walked to the head of a sec
ond dinner-table with a most whim-
sieal face. There were delicate roast
fowls and ham, while, savory pGtes
were ranged in tempting proximity.
The glass and silver were in glitter
and a dainty little desert was neatly
arranged on the beaufet.
: Julius Ives whole countenance
cleared up with magical prompt
tude. He turned round and gave h is
wife hearty kiss before he began to
carve the chickens. What Elmer and
Lama rque thought just then is not
oh re cord, but when Melissa came in
subsequently to the after dinner ci-
gars, bright and smiling in her Sbest
silk" with the little Ives clustered
around her, as fresh and rosy as so
many pink and white daisi es, they
must assuredly have concluded that
Julius knew what he was about when
be married that pretty woman, with
her brown eyes and coral=red mouth.
And be fore the evening was out,
Mr.. Ives fancied that his domestic
discontinue was too good a joke to
keep to himself; and so he confded
the whole story to his friends.
"Of course Mrs. IYes was right"
said Elmer. Iii ~.
'To be sure she was" assented
Lamarque. 81 tell you what, julie,
you made a donkey of yourself that
time.n @ r f,. 5....
Nor did Mr.. Ives venture to deny
the seif-evident fact. From that
day to this he has never said a word
good, bad or indiferent-against
the housekeeping b bills.
THE RECOVERED TREASURE.
I. Must you go out again. dearest?