The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1877-11-23
THE, YOUNG wIFE's CONFUSION


of you. Come when l may find tn
house as neat as bandbox and my lii
tie wife rs fresh as q rose. like that
Nell. I've always thought that if any
thing could put me ont of temper will
the woman | loved it would be to COM
home and find the house topsy-turve,
and my wife in soiled wrapper ant
with rough head. Little woman
you're treasure, and I'm proud o
youl"
And Edward Hastings kissed th,
pretty bride until her cheeks glowet
like the red June roses out in the sun
shine.
She was very, very happy, very mucl
pleased and flattered at her husband
praise.
They had been married Just 81,
months, and Nell was pattern for al
housewives.
She arose with the birds that mad,
their nests in the great apple tree, ant
did her homework in the early morning
hours.
Come when he might, her husband al
ways found his little home in order, the
cupboard stored with something goot
TO eat, and his wife dressed in fresl
wrapper, with flower in her hair ant
a smile of welcome on her fair face.
"If there is one thing more likely tt
provoke fellow than another" he wen
on, lingering moment in the sunny
portico, his arm around her waist, ''tis
to bring a friend home to dinner OF
luncheon and find everything out o
sorts. Now there Gravesley; his wife,
fine woman when you see her out-a
snowy woman, always well dressed
Well, Graveslcy invited me to luncl
that day we went out together. | went
but | was sorry enough for it. Such 6
house as we found-all heels-over-head
and caught sight of the mistress disap.
pearing upstairs in curl-papers and slip.
pers. She was indisposcd, and could
not see us, the girl said. We lunched
on bread and cheese, and Gravesley
poor fellow, though he said nothing
looked exceeding annoyed. l should
have been angry. think wife should
make it her duty to keep the house and
her person in respectable order, so that
her husband, come when he NAV, NAV
find her ready to welcome him.
$50 do l." said Nell, smiling up into
his face. "You need never be afraid to
invite q friend home with YOU, Ned
No matter if l don't know, | shall be
ready to receive you.'
Ned gave her Il ringing kiss.
every well, little woman; shall try
you one OF these days-and now must
run. Goodbye"
She watched him out of sight with
happy eyes and then went back to her
pretty sitting-room and her work table
A month latter the summer was on
the wanc and the fruits were very we'll
ripcned.
"Janc," said Mrs. Hastings, one
bright morning, returning from the gar
den-gate where she had parted with her
husband, 81 have just looked at the
currants and they are quito ripe. We
must make our jelly at once. Now Mr..
Hastings won't be home till late to-day
l want to spend The day with mother
tomorrow and should very much like
to get the job Off my hands to-day.
What do you say"
81 can pick the currants, ma'am.'
"All right, suppose you begin. We
wont clean up now. Let the house
stand, though it is drcadfully out of or
der. Perhaps We may find time TO
straightcn 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 obcyed, leaving the breakfast
room unswept and the front steps un.
washed.
1t was high noon before the first kct-
tie of juice was got in cooking order.
Making currant jelly was rather more
of an undertaking than Mrs. Hastings
imagined.
She had seen it made at home under
her mothers supervision, and making il
herself she iancicd would be quite as
easy.
Dear me, how the time flies. Dc
hurry, Jane. What II lot is vet to
strain! But we must get done. / dare
say il won't take the Juice long to thick
ell. Mamma nsed to make il in no time
What are we to do about dinner, Won
der. We can't cook the ham, there 's
no room on the fire. We must have
a made-up dinner when we have finish
ed. 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 cl.
bows, Nell worked away with all hel
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 matter?"
'There's something you put in ia
make 1t jelly, | think, ma'am."
"Oh, dear, no. Mother never did
I'm sure. I'll add more sugar and lei
it boil another hour. Dear me!
thought we should have had our last
kettle on by this time. We shall be Sc
late, and Pm tired to death now. Iwish
| had done as mother said. She advis.
ell me to send the currants over there
and let Hannah make the Jelly, but
was sure could do it myself"
The steaming kettle boiled another
hour.
The summer sun hung above the green
summit of the poplars.
"Surely il will be jelly now, Jane,
said the weary housewife, pouring some
of the hot liquid into cold water.
But juice il remained, for all the cook
ing and stewing il had undergone.
"Oh, what shall | do? Surely The
stuff must be bewitched. I've grea
mind TO pour it all away" cried poor
Nell, ready TO cry with vcxation.
81 tell you, ma'am, you put some
thing in to make il jelly" persisted
Jane.
sob, Jane, hush! You know moth
ing about it. ! tell you you don't pm
anything in. What must do? Cook i
more! Ii is burning to the kettle now
and I've wasted ever so much sugar
Jane run over to mothers and ask Han
nah to step over, will YOU? Shell
know in minute what TO do. DO
pray, be quick; il is dreadfully late"
Jane departed.
"If cooking win do, I'll make jelly o
it before Hannah gets here" she said.
But instead of boiling TO jelly the cur
rant juice boiled over in great foamy
red waves.
The fire Kissed. and n dense smok,