The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-01-03

with a sort of warming glance at his
wife. ~
!. Melissa rose, and at the same instant din
ner was announced.
: Now Mrs. Ives was capital housekeeper,
who possessed 49, --...--.. .s
tempting dinners on short notice So
Julius naturally expected repast suitable
to the occasion. What WIS his dismay on
beholding the COLI hacked joint of yester-
day, fanked by Il few potatoesl Elmer
and Lamarque took their seats with polite
Inconsistencies, but julius looked black as
thunder cloud
Melissa, what does this mean?" he
whispered.
'Doss whnt meSn, my love?" asked Ne
lissa, with face of the most innocent won-
der in the world.
Just at that moment the little Iveses all
burst into the room, shabby and patched.
AS general thing julius was passing proud
Of his pretty, well-dressed children.
"Go and get dressed, my dears," he said,
sternly. "What on earth does nurse mean
by allowing you to come down stairs in
this outlandish manner?"
1--WE are drethed, papa" lisped out
Master July, with the boldness of conscious
rectitude. Mamma laid out the clothes
for nth. The thays it ith econ-econ-"
But Mr.. julius Ives hurried and hustled
the little ones out of the room without
waiting for any further explanation.
Melissa" he said, earnestly, drawing
his wife t.Jide into the bay window, what
is the matter? Are you crazy ?"
mot crazy, love-" sweetly answered
Melissa "only trying to follow the exam.
pie of Mrs. Jones, and retrench."
"But, my dear"
pardon me, julius; you said that my
extravagant house keeping was wasting
you ont of house and home think after
this you will hardly venture to make that
accusation second time"
my DEAR, Ill was fool" said
Julius with choking sensation under the
bow of his cravat 81 won't interfere in
se-keeping affairs again, Ipro1nise you.
am quite convinced that l know nothing
whatever about the subject. Hereafter
will leave the matter entirely in your
hands"
"Entirely, and without interference?"
asked Mrs. Ives, doubtfully.
ENTIRELY, and without interference"
said Mr.. Ives, decisively.
Mrs. Ives turned to her two puzzled
guests.
Gentlemen, will you walk in the other
room?" she asked, with calm self pos
session that rather astonished them. As
she spoke, the folding doors were thrown
back, revealing an elegant little apartment
beyond julius walked to the head of a
second table with most whimsical face.
There were roast fowls and ham, while
various vegetables were arranged in tempt
ing proximity. The ssglass and silverwere
all in glitter, and a dainty little dessert
was neatly arranged on the side-board.
| julius Ives whole face cleared with magical
promptitude He turned round and gave
wife hearty kiss, before he commenced to
carve the chicken.
What Messrs Elmer and Lamarque
thought Just then is not on record; but
when Melissa came in, subsequently to the
the after-dinner cigars with the little Iveses
clustering around her, as fresh and rosy as
SO many pink and white daisies, they must
assuredly have concluded that Julius
knew what he was about when he married
that pretty woman, with her brown eyes
and coral-red mouth.
And before the evening was out, Mr.
Ives fancied that his domestic discontinue
was too good joke to keep to himself,
and SO he confded the whole story to his
friends.
"Of course Mrs Ives was right" said
Elmer.
"To be sure she was" assented La
marque 'I tell you, julie, you made o
donkey of yourself that time"
Nor did Mr.. Ives venture to deny the
self-evident fact. From that day to this
he has never said o word - good, bad
or indiferent-against the house keeping
bills.