Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1877-06-01

ter is always dissatisfied with her cooking
Indeed, Aunt Prue, it is great pleasure
for me-if l could only please him; but
since baby came it is not always possible
[ had a nurse for a time, but Walter OBJ
jects to a+nurse; and it IS hard to get a
good one.''
GLOW often do you go ou?" asked Aunt
Prue.
Chow often? Oh, dear me! I haven't
been outside the house for months, hard
ly,' was the answer. with a nervous little
laugh.
SHOW men do yoke and goad their an.
gels!' said Aunt Prue, half to herself.
"What did you say, Aunt.Prue?'
81 was thinking of an expression in one
of Walters love4etters''
"Oh!' and Bessy's cheek grew radiant
with a girlish blush.
81 mean one of his letters to me, when
he was in love, in which he makes mention
of d certain angel"
''Indeed?" And Bessy laughed in her
olden fashion,
"We must take him in hand, }" said Aunt
Prue, seriously. ssThis all ', ork and no
play will never answer. I'm sure, my
dear, if you always give him half such nj ce
meals as that of this morning, he has no
right to complain"
''But you saw" said Bessy, timidly.
Yes, yes, saw that he was trying to
make the food more palatable by under
rating it. But never mind; We'll try and
establish a cure. Now, to-day, III get up
one Of my best dinners, and you shall do
nothing but look on. Just give me a
kitchen apron, my dear, and wish M good
speed"
They had merry time of it that morn
ing. Baby was happy and jolly under the
superintendent of her mother; the oven
worked to a charm, and everything was in
readiness for the lord of the household,
who awaited dinner with more than a
little trepidation, quite unconscious that
the aunt, paler than usual from exertion,
and the wife over flushed from anticipa-
ton, had changed places expressly on his
account.
o they sat down to dinner, each one
more or less expectant. Walter ran his
eye over the table.
''Bessy, dear, don't think it's an i'm
provement to stack the knives and forks
over the napkins, like parcel of guns, .
he said. Tell Mary like the other way
the best. All, quite too rare, I'm afraid
DC Il nj, bn 70 ;y,fo 10
"Aunt Prue, Pm afraid can It suit you to-
day. L remember how thoroughly your
roasts were always done. and yet were
juicy. The gravy is browner than usual;''
he added, dipping into the dish. II don't
know about the butter beans; yours were
always delicious And so on to the end
of the chapter. For every dish there was
some hint Or glance of disparagement, and
1t was all Bessy could do, with her almost
painful sense Of the ludicrous, to keep from
laughing outright, as occasionally Aunt
Prue's sparkling eyes met hers.
I'm so sorry, Aunt Prue,'' said Bessy,
at last, mastering all the gravity she could
command, 'sthat after your having taken
the trouble to get up this nice dinner ex-
pressly for Walter, he should have found
fault with everything you have done.'
"What?" cried Walter. expIosively, half
rising, and looking from one to the other
MY dear! after your cooking, I expect
ed he would,'' said Aunt Prue quietly.
''The sample you gave of your powers this
morning was quite beyond my poor eff
forts.''
Then a bright red flush covered the
mans face, even to his brow. Were these
two women making sport of him? Hadh
heard Alright In his own opinion, he was
one of the most acute men alive. That
nobody could deceive him, had always been
a faqorite maxim of his.
81 wanted tc make the experiment" said
Aunt Prue in the most innocent manner
Imaginable, land find, Walter, that you
have been quite spoiled by your wife,
''Bessy Aunt Prue! why didn't you
tell me +? Oh, hang it'll And he turned
away too deeply mortified TO express HIM
self fittingly.
PRAY, don't mind it, said Aunt Prue
~ GU know, myldear, am getting a little
fashioned"
But Walter had received his lesson. He
was too keen not to see that it had been
given; and he was man enough
to feel profoundly ashamed Of himself. In
deed, i'll time, he confessed as much, and
applauded the ingenuity that had so com
pletely taken background from under his
feet.
Aunt Prue's visit proved SO delightful to
all parties, that she made arrangements to
remain with them for an indefinite time;
and henceforth Bsssy's cares were tighten
ed, and she became, as in former days, the
angel and blessing of home. But she al
ways maintained that she owed something
of it, at least, to Aunt Prue's New Years