Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1877-02-16
HOW Mr.. MIMBLEUF KEPT HOUSE.

HOW Mr.. MIMBLIUF KEPT HOUSE.
Not much to do, did you say, my dear?'
remarked Mrs. Mimbleuf, .pausing before
her'liege lord and gazing at him iudig.
nantly.
YES" growled the gentleman; sits a
mystery to me what women have to grum-
BILE about, especially you, my love, with a
small house, and only four children to at
tend to. Whereas, we men have an intol-
cradle burden resting upon our shoulders,
and when we return, weary and perplexed,
TO our homes, expecting to find rest and
quiet, we are greeted with the old, old sto-
ry-so much to do-tired to death-ch1l-
dren so troublesome-and a thousand 9th
| er complaints
Mrs. Mimbleuf turned away to hide the
two pearly tears which rose to her large
blue eyes and rolled slowly down the fair
cheeks, and made 10 reply; while her hus-
band lighted his cigar and walked leisure
ly up to his office. 4
He was somewhat %astonished at noon by
his wife's announcing her intention of
leaving the house in his care. and accept
ing an Invitation to spend a few weeks
with her cousin in the country.
"You need a little rest, jeremiah, and
while l am gone, you can close your Office,
and stay at home, and have a nice easy
time, with only d few household duties to
attend to-" declared Bellina kindly. .
Mr.. Jeremiah Elijah Mimbleuf scowled.
"Do you mean to say that I am to de-
vote my whole attention to household mat
ters? Why, madam, l can easily do what
little there is to be done, and see to my
I business atso.f
"But the children ?" suggested his wife.
You will take them with you of course,' y
he replied, indifferently.
80. no! I couldn't be bothered with
them," answered Bellina, stiff1y.
Mr.. Mimbleuf looked somewhat blank
at her declaration, but noticing the least
p%erceptible twinkle in her eyes. he hasten
ed to say:
Every well, leave them at home; four
children are nothing to look after, and 1
shall manage beautifully
NOW, Thought our hero, the morning
of his wife's departure, IN begin by
Strengthening up the dining room, and
washing the Dishes"
Two plates, one saucer and the china
tea urn were broken in clearing off the
table; but he was not discouraged. and
oonrrotu1at od hjnacolf thot IF uac =, uor,o
The fire had gone out in the kitchen stove.
so that he was obliged to use cold water
for washing the dishes, which only hard
ened the grease without removing it, and
he was in Il ~quandary; for Jeremiah was a
very fastidious person, and abhorred a
plate that was was not perfectly clean. So
he rubbed and rubbed, but with no sue
cess; and to make matters more serious,
he found himself completely drenched in
greasy water. His handsome dressing
ed slippers wet and soiled.
He built a rousing fire at noon, and put
the meat directly over it to boil; then he
rummaged around for half an hour to fnd a
cook book, and after accomplishing this
feat joyfblly announced his intention to
have biscuits for dinner. He accordingly
got all the tinWare out upon the table, and
succeeded in dirtying some half-dozen
pans, three cups, and six or eight spoons
When they were at last made, he referred
once more to the cook book.
at says, bake ina quick oven,'" unused
Mr.. Mimbleuf Il wonder if ours is a
quick oven?' 1 guess it is, for Bellina al
ways has irst-rate biscuits-so here they
CO." and he showed in the pan.
A fame suddenly burst out all around
the grid-lron, and removing it he found
that after getting well smoked, the meat
had burnt to a crisp on the side next te
the fire.
Now, if there was one thing more than
another that jeremiah was particular abou,
it was his steaks being rare, and he remem.
bered a certain occasion when he had risen
from the table in disgust, and lie, t the house
in a rage, because the meat was cooked toe
much-two of the children being Ill an6
his wife without a servant. Still. that was
no excuse in the austere eyes of jeremiah
Mimbleuf, and he showed his great dis
pleasure by slamming the front door forci
bly, after him, and absenting himself from
home for three days. Yet here was the
same thing happening to himself. and what
should he do
He went into the dining-room to set the
table. and returned just in time to smell
the biscuits burning. Hurrying to thf
stove, he found them unfit to eat. burnt te
a cinder. He was in despair ;ethree O'Clock
and no dinner, breakfast at six O'Clock or
account of his wife's departure, and him.
self and family on the verge of starvation
His dressing-gown was in a deplorable
state, between the grease n a thick coat
ing of flour IN the elbows, but he was tor
desperate to care for appearances. and de
termined to buy up a supply of bread anG
cakes at the bakery; he therefore locked
the children up in his study and started
running all the way.
In the meantime Sammie, aged seven
amused himself by manufacturing a kit
! out of a valuable manuscript which Law in