Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1877-06-28
ECONOMY is the order of the day." she

1t was bleak day, toward the end of No.
vember, with raw wind, and sky overcast
with leaden clouds; and Mr.. Ives nose was
decidedly tinged with blue, as he ushered his
two shivering guests into the drawing-room.
"Walk in, gentlemen-walk in and warm
yourselves" he said, with hospitable fervor,
rubbing his hands. ........ ....
But, contrary to all his expectations
trary to the usual domestic arrangements pre-
vailing in that household, the polished CRATE
presented no glowing surface of hame-the
air was damp and chilly as that Of a mauso-
leum. ..
Julius bit his lip, and repressed the rather
demonstrative expression that was rising to
his tongue.
"Be seated, gentlemen; l will rectify this
mistake Immediately" he said, leaving the
room. &
"How is this? No fire and the room like
an ice-well!" !" was his petulant exclamation, as
be met his wife in the hall" ...-..
"Coal is thirty shillings ton, Julius-it is
necessary for US to economize," returned Me-
lissa, demurely. - 90.
"Send the maid this minute to kindle 3
fire." said JULIUS with his teeth chattering.
".And-my dear, you are surely not going into
the room in that faded, old dress ?"
"Of course, am. My best silk is begin
ming to wear; and as I can't afford another, l
must be as economical as possible" ..
Julius Ives made queer grimace; he
didn't at all like the operation of Swallow.
ing his own words" And Melissa walked
into the presence of his friends, faded old
dress and all. .. 49,.
Give o'clock-isn't dinner nearly ready?'
asked Mr.. Ives, consulting his chronometer
with sort of warning glance at his wife.
Melissa rose, and the same instant dinner was
announced. .:...
Now Mrs. Ives was capital housekeeper,
who possessed the faculty of getting up tempt
ing dinners on the shortest possible notice; so
that Julius naturally expected repast suita-
BILE to the occasion. What was his dismay
on beholding the cold, hacked joint of yester-
day, fanked by few potatoes! There was
no sparkling wine-nothing but beer, and no
visible dessert Elmer and Lamarque took
the seats designated to them, and with polite
Inconsistencies; but Julius Ives looked as
black as thunder cloud.
"Melissa-what does this mean ?" he whis-
pered.
"Does what mean, my love? asked Me-
lissa, with face of the most innocent aston
ishment in the world.
Just at that moment, the six little Ives all
burst into the room, all shabby and patched,
like so many candidates for cold victuals. As
general thing, Julius was passing proud OF
his pretty, well.dressed children now parent
al complacency was at discount, and he
stamped his foot impatienty.
go and get dressed, my dears," he said,
sternly. "What on earth does nurse mean
by allowing you to come down stairs in this
outlandish manner2"
ave are drethed, papa !" lisped out Master
July, with the boldness of conscious rectitude.
"Mamma laid out the clothes for uth-she
thays it ith econ-econ-"
Mr.. Julius Ives hurried and hustled the
little ones out Of the room, without waiting
for any farther explanations
Melissa" he said earnestly, drawing his
wife aside in the bow-window, "what is the
matter? Are you crazy?
"Not crazy, love" returned Melissa, sweet
ly, "only endeavoring to follow the illustricus
example of Mrs. Jones, and 'retrench.'"
'BuC, my dear
"Pardon me, Julius-you said that my ex-
travagant housekeeping was wasting you out
of house and home think that, after this,
you will hardly venture to make that accusa-
tion second time"
"My dear, IL was fool" said Julius,
with a choking sensation under the bow of
his cravat. 81 won't interfere in housekeep-
ing affairs again, l promise you. I'm quite
convinced that | know nothing whatever
about the subject. Hereafter l will leave it
in your hands"
ENTIRELY, and without nterference?" asked
Mrs. Ives, doubtfully.
ENTIRELY, and without interference" re-
turned Mr.. Ives, decisively.
Mrs. Ives turned to her puzzled guests.
"Gentlemen, will you walk into the other
room ?" she asked, with calm, self:possesson
that rather astonished them. As she spoke,
the folding.doors were thrown back, revealing
an elegant little apartment beyond.
Julius walked to the head of second din
ner.table with most whimsical face. There
we're delicate roast fowls, and ham; while
savoury plates we're ranged in tempting prox-
unity. The glass and silver were all in a 6 lit
ter-the wines were bright; and dainty lit
tie desert was neatly arranged on the beautet.
Julius Ives whole countenance had cleared
up with magical promptitude. He turned
round, and gave his wife hearty kiss before
he began to carve the chickens
What Messrs. Elmer and Lamarque thought
Just then is not on record; but when Melissa
came in, subsequently to the after.dinner ci-
gars, bright and smiling in her "best silk" !"
with the little Ives clustered around her, as
fresh and rosy as so many pink and white
daises, they must assuredly have concluded
that Julius knew what he was about when he
married that pretty woman, with her brown
eyes and coral-red mouth!
And before the evening was out, Mr. Ives
fapcied that his domestic discontinue was too
good joke to keep to himself; and so he con-
fded the whole story to his friends.
"Ofcourse Mrs. Ives was right, said Elmer.
ITO be sure she was" assented Lamarque.
II tell you what, julie, you made donkey of
yourself that time !"
Nor did Mr. Ives venture to deny the self
evident fact From that day to this he has
never said word, good, bad, or Indifferent,
against the housekeeping bills!
MADAME GARBETTA.
One night Madame Garbetta, the wife of
Monsieur Garbetta, found in her husbands
pocket little pink note-a perfumed note
written in womans hand, and not too we'll