Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1877-08-18

ONOA bhC
Widespread table.
=" Oh, decidedly, never saw better
cooking in my life, and for neatness and
order not to be equaled. In fact, some
| persons might be satisfied with less pre-
cision and neatness. For instance, she
prefers that l should enter at the back
door ; and thinks it best to hang nv
coat and hat in the closet under the
stairs. Then, too, L can't always find
my books and papers ON the table and
desk where l am accustomed to leave
! them.
Servants can never understand these
matters, [ observed. "It takes wife
to accommodate things to mans tastes and
habits"
"Maybe so but I have no idea of
giving up my independence. 1 prefer
to rule alone in my own house" said
Granger, with an air of authority.
When Mrs. Mix re-entered with a
fresh relay of toast and tea Granger said,
very much as if requesting favor:
" Mrs. Mix, will you be good enough
to bring the Cheshire cheese? My
friend here is partial to it. :"
Mrs. Mix elevated her chin and looked
down ON Us. ..-..
"That cheese, Mr.. Granger, sir" she
said with dignity, that cheese amt in
exactly in the condition to be ornament
to this here tea table"
"Why, what has happened to ii? ?"
Rats, sir, has been at it, and nat rally
didn't calkelate that pared cheese
would be the correct thing to set before
a gentleman's frien's."
Mrs. Mix retired as before, and
Granger, after timid and suspicious
glance toward the door, remarked in a
subdued tone:
cit is really singular about the rats.
had no idea that they we're so destruc-
tive in housekeeping. | can't say how
many pounds of sugar, butter, -four, tea
and coffee they have made away with in
the few weeks that I've been here"
"Set traps" l suggested.
"I have done so, but without success.
Not a rat have I succeeded in captur-
ing"
Il rather think that I smell one now, u
I limited.
"Indeed Where ?" inquired Gran
ser, with interest, as he looked around.
"Oh, nothing-only it strikes me that
Mrs. Mix may not be sufficiently eco.
nomical."
ooh, yes, I think she is. I don't
complain of her wastefulness, only |
fear she is little careless at times. Fol-
instance, on Sunday had fine fowl,
which did not touch, preferring it cold
but, ON inquiring for it at breakfast next
day, she informed me that while enter
tanning her cousin she had carelessly left
it in the kitchen window, whence a
strange dog had stolen it. 1t was the
same story the week before, in regard to
a ham and that cat also does O good
deal of mischief among the pies and
sweetmeats in the pantry. should
think that woman of Mrs. Mix's sense
and prudence could guard against such
accidents; but women are so contradic.
tory"
GA wife - commenced but Gran
ger interrupted me.
"You see, I'm too old to think of that
now. Besides, wife is too expensive.
can't afford it.
On my next visit to Woodbine Cottage
found things progressing not so favor
ably as had been anticipated. Some of
the vegetables had not come up at all,
while others, especially the melons and
cucumbers, had grown so rapidly, that
being planted only a few feet apart,
they had naturally fatally encroached
upon each other. The currant and
gooseberry bushes had been attacked by
mold, and had beside, in their rapid
growth, become entangled across the
narrow walks, which would have to be
widened. The chickens had scratched
up the flower seeds the watch dog (of
which Granger obviously stood in awe)
was given to eating hens eggs the bees
| for which he had sent per express to
Texas) had declined residing in the new
hives, and the vulgar minded small boys
of the neighborhood had not only wor-
ried Granger by looking over the fence
and inquiring if he were "raising sup
plies for the Rooshian war;" but had
made target of the shepherdess, and
knocked off her head and her gilded
crook.
"The garden is rather discouraging in
fact" Granger admitted. "The place is
too small. could succeed better with a
model farm, if [ could afford to buy one
Meantime I think of making some i'm
provements in the house--adding a tow
er to the east end, and high peaked
gable on the opposite side-something
between q cottage and castle, you
know What do you think of it {? I
would plant ivy around the tower, you
see, which would make it picturesque.
About week after this Granger paid
us a visit, and I could but notice how
uncommonly bright he looked Inquir.
ng about his little place, he replied:
"Oh, things are promising much bet
ter. now. Fact is, there is very pleas
ant family next door-a young married
couple, with an aunt-ahem A very
intelligent lady, who knows all about
gardens, poultry, bees and such things,
having country place of her own. She
-ahem !-she has given me some very
valuable information concerning these
things-ahem !"
Changers face was little more forid
than usual; but that might be the effect
of his slight cough.
On leaving he invited my wife and
myself to tea at Woodbine Cottage on
the following Saturday to meet the Den
nys and their aunt, Miss Timms.
1t was very pleasant little tea party,
and to make it pleasanter, Miss Timms
turned out to be an old boarding-school
friend of my wife, She was nice, mid
dle-aged lady, pleasant and sensible,
and also good-looking, and, as my wife
informed me, remarkably cheerful and
kindly in disposition. Why she had not
married, Mary Jane declared to be to
her mystery, especially as she posses
sed quite snug little property of her
own. She herself asserted, laughing,
that it was because the right man had
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