Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1877-08-24
THE YOUNG WIFE'S CONFUSION.

Ncll-yOu DIE, NY JONo! anu L LII pIOuu VI
you. Come when may l find the house
rs neat as d bandbox and my little wife as
fresh as a rose. | like that, Nell. I've
always thought that if anything could put
it would be to come home and find the
house topsy-turvy and my wife in a soiled
wrapper and with Il rough head. Little
woman, you're d treasure, and Pm proud
OF you!''
And Edward Hastings kissed his pretty
BRIDE until her cheeks gloWed like the red
June roses out in the sunshine.
She Was very, very happy, very much
pleased and tattered at her husband S
praise.
They had been married just SIX months,
and Nell was q pattern for all young house
ives.
She rose with the birds that made their
nests in the great apple tree, and did her
nousework in the early morning hours.
Come when he might, her husband al
ways found his little home in order, the
cupboard stored with something good to
eat, and his wife dressed III d fresh wrap
per, with a flower in her hair and a smile of
welcome on her fair face. n
eff there is one ti'ing more likely to pro-
yoke fellow than another" he went on,
lingering a moment in the sunny pore. /,
his arm round her waist, tits to bring a
friend home TO dinner or luncheon and
find everything out OF sorts. Now, there
Gravesley; his wife's a fine woman when
you see her Out-a snowy woman, always
well dressed. Well, Gravesley invited me
to lunch that day, and we went out to-
gether. [ went, but [ was sorry enough
for it. Such a house as we found-all
heels and l caught sight of the
mistress, disappearing up stairs in curl
papers aid slippers. She was indisposed,
and could not see US, the girl said. We
lunched on bread and cheese, and Graves
ley, poor fellow, though he said nothing,
looked exceedingly annoyed. [ should have
been angry. I think a wife should make
it her duty to keep her house and her per-
son in respectable order, SO that her hus-
bard. come when he may, LAY find her
ready to welcome him.
$50 do l. said Nell, smiling up into his
face. ''Y GU need never lie afraid to invite
a friend home with you, Ned. No matter
if don't know, l shall be ready to receive
you"
Ned gave her q ringing kiss.
Very well, little woman; 1 shall try
you one of these days-and now must
run. Good-bye.''
She watched him out of sight with happy
eyes and then went back to her pretty sit
ting room and her work table.
"Jane,' said Mrs. Hastings, one bright
morning, returning from the garden-gate,
where she had parted with her husband,
II have just looked at the currants and
they are quite ripe. We must make our
jelly at once. Now Mr.. Tasting won't be
day with mother tomorrow and l should
ve-y much like to get the job off my hands
to-day. What do you say?"
81 can soon pick the currants, ma am"
''All right; suppose you begin. We won't
clean up now. Let the house stand, though
it is dreadfully out of order. Perhaps we
may find time to straighten up when we
get the fruit cooking. Hurry now, and
pick as fast as you can, and I'll step over
to Browns and order some sugar and jars -
Jane obeyed, leaving the breakfast-room
unswept and the front steps unwashed.
It was high noon before the first kettle
of juice was got in cooking order.
Making currant jelly was rather more
Of an undertaking than Mrs. Hastings
imagined.
She had seen 1t maze at home under her
mothers supervision, and making 1t her
self she fancied would be quite as easy.
"Dear me, how the time flies! Dohurry
Janet What lot there is yet to strain
But we must get done. Idare say it won't
take the juice long to thicken. Mamma
used to make it in no time. What are we
to do about dinner, I wonder? We can't
cook the ham, there's no room on the fire.
| We must have makeup dinner when we
have finished. Mr.. Hastings will excuse
US, I'm sure.''
And, arrayed in her holland apron, with
her pretty braids all pushed back and her
sleeves tucked above her elbows. Nell
worked away with all her might, picking,
boiling, straining, until her cheeks were
flushed and her head ached.
"Why, Jane, this juice won't jelly and it
has boiled so long. What can be the mat.
ter ?'
ssThere's something you put in to make
it jelley think, ma'am."
"Oh, dear, no. Mother never did, I'm
sure. I'll add more sugar, and let it boil
another hour. Dear me! I thought we
should have had our last kettle on nv this
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