The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1879-05-28
BY HUGH WILSON AND w. G. BENET.

old darling duc!ly," at once)-" Please fin
out if corned beet is more economical whe
hashed. Ask your friend Smith, there's n L
S. P"
Could any one with ordinary intelli
gence fail to read "dear sweet precious
in those last three letters?
Then, again, what could be NOR
touching and tender than this closin
sentence: "Come up to dinner tonight
for am going to make the apple dump
lings, P. D. p" Of course that mean
"precious old pet"
But enough. I have, rs I said be
fore. an objection to make public tn
tender secrets of two fond hearts. There
fore L will pass over the rest of ou
courtship, the wedding, with its accom-
panying hustle, and our trip to Niagara
and come at once to the time when W.
began our housekeeping.
After much searching and many vexa
tious disappointments, Emily and hat
picked out a "fat"-for house we coult
not afford. The agent said that this fla
consisted of five spacious and elegan
rooms. My own impression was tina
there were one room and four closets. HI
said that it was infinitely superior tt
any house he had ever seen. differed
from this view also, but said nothing
But then there certainly was a fine bay
window in the parlor, and beautifully
tiled hearth in the dining-room; so W.
took the flat without further discussion
But when the refrigerator arrived or
the first load next day our troubles
began. must explain that this refl.ig
orator was not among Miss Vanteltuy
fels gifts. 1t was a new one, of thu
latest and most popular style, which
had lust bought. had been naturally 8
good deal influenced in my selection o.
that refrigerator by the very agreeable
and intelligent salesman at Zinc Il Co.. S
He had entered so heartily into my
views. he had been so patient while
surveyed the entire stock, and he had
laughed so appreciatively at my criti.
cisms, that felt as if I could not do less
than take his advice, after all.
And he made it plain that the very
largest refrigerator one can get is always
the right one to buy. So I bought it
and though I was certainly astounded
at the price, still that salesman's bland
and cordial assurance that had done
a wise thing. "a really sensible thing in
selecting that refrigerator, was great
comfort. But when the refrigerator ut,
terly refused to 60 into our kitchen, ]
must confess I had doubts Is to my wis
dom, though I did not express them to
Emily.
"What shall we do ?" asked she,
despairingly.
The men who had forced it up the
stairs wiped their hot faces and grinned.
"I'll tell you" said I, with sudden in
spiration. "We must get carpenter to
take down the door castings. Then it
may pass
"But, Charles" exclaimed my wife,
"that won't do. It cannot stay in the
kitchen, because then there will be no
room for the kitchen table and chairs
no, nor for the cook, either!" she added,
dolefully.
'O-h!" said I. "Well, then, my
dear, we must get mason, and knock
out these side walls at orce."
But the result was that I had to 60
back to my friend, the agreeable sales
man at Zinc & Co. IS, and ask him to ex-
change our large refrigerator for small
one, the very smallest to be found.
I did not think he was as genial this
time. supposed after what I had seen
cf him that he would have shown pro-
found sympathy at the recital of my per-
plexities. But he did not. Idon't think
that he heard all I said to him. and I
found that I had been mistaken in my
estimate of his character. He was not
such an agreeable and intelligent young
man as I had imagined. However, /
picked out a second refrigerator, and then
I was obliged to buy several articles to
make up the difference in price. So 1
took a sausage-chopper, an ice-cream
freezer, and a set of croquet.
A great part Of our furniture could not
be accommodated in our rooms, and was
therefore stored for us by Emily's
mamma. So we had to do without q
piano, a buffet, or a bureau. But then,
rs Emily cheerfully observed, small
rooms have their advantages.
For you couldn't poke the fire, raise
and lower the window-shades ard ring
the bell for Ottilia without leaving your
scat at the breakfast table, if you lived in
large rooms," she added; and certainly
that was very true.
And, by-the-way, I haven't told you
about Ottilia yet. Most people would
have called her our servant, but Emily
said she was our assistant in house
keeping" She spoke of herself in her
note answering our advertisement as
"a young person Of culture and refine
ment who had met with reveses and
had had a blight"
My own impression of her was that
she was calculated to blight any one who
might be doomed to her daily compan-
ionship. She had an unpleasant way of
becoming suddenly abstracted while in
the performance of her daily duties, and
then raising herself with prodigious
start and a succession of hollow signs.
On one of these occasions she informed
Emily confidentially that the Vision of
the Loved and Lost had glided on the
sceno."
As number of mishaps, including
much broken china, had resulted from
these inopportune appearances of "the
Loved and Lost" we did not look amia-
bly, upon them. But when + advised
Emily to change her handmade, she re-
fused, on the ground of compassion.
"Why, Charles, she is such Il we'll
educated and refined young woman that
she could not endure the annoyances OF
ordinary service, "said my wife, earnestly
"She tells me every day that she is SC
happy with us, and she looks up to me
as if was her mother"
Every affecting, Certainly" was my
comment, considering that you are
twenty, and she will never see forty
"Oh, Charles! why, she is only thirty
she told me so and you know she says
that sheis blighted being" concluded
my wife, solemnly; $50 you ought moi
to be impatient with the poor thing"
Of course Ottilia remained, and I had
to reconcile myself to her woe-begont
ways. But her cooking was our great.
est trial, and before many days Emily
announced to me her intention of joining
a cooking class"
"It's such an opportunity, my
dear!" she told me one evening. PRO
fessor Stoopann isa very accomplished
man, who has the most charming ideas
about cooking. He considers it a flint
art, and he can make any one pcrfec
cook in ten lessons. We begin to-mor
row."
Don't you think it would be wiser tt
teach Ottilia something" I observed
"and let her do the cooking, instead O
attempting to do it YOURSELF"
"No, indeed" said Emily, promptly
"I must take the lessons, and then in
struct Ottilia by example rather thar
precept. Besides lin a whisper" In
afraid the poor thing doesn't learn yer,
easily she's had so much trouble, yoi
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