Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1879-10-14

growing thin, he felt sure; not good,
square meal had he eaten for three days
This woman will be the death of me,
sure as fate" he said to himself, gazing
at the food placed before him.
Here was the rich, juicy steak that he
himself had selected and sent from the
market, after all his instructions as to how
it should be broiled, shockingly overdone
in fact, almost burned to a crisp, his
wife, meanwhile, partaking of it with
evident relish.
"What taste that woman must
have" he said, with Mortified eyes.
Il have made you an extra cup of tea
today" said the lady opposite, handing
him the cup with his dessert.
Hitherto Mr.. Flint had been very par
ticular with regard 10 his cup of tea at
dessert, insisting that it should be brought
to the table both strong and hot. Had
the tea been prepared to his taste it would
have soothed somewhat the riotous emo
tions Within on the contrary, it was
miserably weak-quite lukewarm and
brackish.
He took one sip at the tea, and then
set the cup down forcibiy on the table,
his face expressing the disgust he really
felt.
Madam glanced up at him from under
her long eyelashes, slipping from her cup
industriously, that her facial muscles
might not betray the amusement she felt.
Il knew you would pronounce the tea
excellent this time she said.
This was too much. His rage, his
disgust, fairly boiled over.
Tea. madam, tea" he roared. "Such
abominablc stuff tea, is it; Excellent, is
it:-excellent.
ut IS excellent" said madam, sweetly,
taking him at his word and ignoring the
exclamation point utterly. Mamma
taught me to make tea when | was ten
years of age"
Major Flint had stood fire for three
whole days, but flesh and blood could
endure it no longer. Not waiting to hear
more. he bounded to his feet and rushed
into the hall. Here he seized his hat in
both hands, jammed it down over his
ewes and started for the street. Then, as
if forgettul Of something, he rctraccd ms
steps, and. thrusting his head through
the partially-opcned door, almost shouted:
"In Heavens name, madam, can YOU
tell me where Mrs Burns went when she
left here"
Il think. said madam, deliberately,
if my memory serves me rightly, | heard
her speak of stopping with her little girl
AZ Mrs. Marsh's till she could secure a
situation
Il thought the tea would finish him,
said Mr-. Flint, amuscdly, watching from
the window her husbands rctTeatmg
form, the click of hi, boot-hccls ringing
ike bell as he brought his feet yigor-
ou,ly down on the pavement, the small
BOYS cycius him askance, and Fastening
out of his way, wondering II he was
racing for a wager.
1t it, perhaps, needless 20 say that be-
fore evening closed Mrs. Burns was again
installed in her old rooms at the Flint
mansion
1T i, useless. said the Major, mourn
fully, that evening, in the solitude OF hiS
apartment. Il might as well attempt to
move the huge bowlderS on yondcr noun
tain-top as to contend with that woman
wife number two"
And he never did. For whenever his
wife appealed to him in regard to the
children or the domestic arrangements,
he would answer, meekly:
MY dear, do as YOU think best.
And Mrs. Flint owed her success TO
the fact that see never trenched upon her
husbands real prerogatiyes, but respected
them as she claimed respect for her own.
And so that is how she managed him.