Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1881-10-13


and busted with will; got down their
best dishes, polished their best glass
ware, and the spoons and forks which
constituted their stock OF silver, until
they shone again; ransacked their
brains to invent dishes which should
please the palate, and have an abiding
place in the memory Of their guests
forever; arrayed themselves in their
best; in short they did everything
cheertully and heartily too-that could
be done to add to the general pleasure.
But when they were alone it was diff
ferent. 1t took so much work to keep
the parlor in order, and it was such
trouble to carry everything IN and out
of the dining-room, and 1t was such
bother to dress twice every day. So
as a general rule, they took their meals
in the kitchen, and spent their evenings
when at home, huddled around the
cheerful kitchen stove, and their toilets
were not what is usually regarded as
evening dress, and, moreover, they
were apt to betray the manner of work.
in which the wearer had been engaged
during the day; the folds and creases
too, gathered and retained all the
pleasant odors of the kitchen, so that
any ore with an acute sense Of smell
might have given the Lawson's daily
bill of fare to a dot.
On this particular evening, things
were little worse than usual, for they
were saving themselves for tomorrow,
when the whole house was to be put in
order, TO do honor to the new pastor.
You can imagine, much better than
l can describe, Mrs. Lawson's feelings
when the open door revealed to her as
tonished gaze, not the familiar, dirty
visage of John Grimes, but the hand
some, smiling countenance of their new
minister. She retreated step, then
stood staring in silent dismay at the
unexpected visitor. Mr.. Lawson and
the boys scrambled up and began to
look for their coats, while Mary Jane
added to the general interest of the
scene by pouring a stream Of hot tea
on the back Of the sleeping cat, who,
with a loud "meow," at being so rude
ly Awakened, started in straight line
toward the door, Mr.. Dent involuntari-
ly stepping aside to let it pass.
At this critical juncture Mrs. Law
sons wits returned to her. Stepping
forward, she shook hands with Mr..
Dent, assuring him, when he had made
his explanation, that it made no differ
ence, and that she was real glad to see
him--a breach Of truth, by the way,
for which she suffered many con-
science pang. Mr.. Lawson blundered
promptly after her, and was likewise
called to account by his conscience.
Sam took his hat and coat and depos-
tied them on the dusty table in the
next room, while Johnny obligingly
moved along to make room for the
plate, knife and fork which Mary Jane
brought from the cupboard, behind
whose screening doors she had remain
ed long enough to tear down the row
of curl-papers across her forehead, and
to tuck the ends smoothly away.
Mr.. Dent saw through it all at once.
His experience in boarding houses, and
as lone of the family" had been wide
and varied, and included more than
one presentation Of the worst" as
well rs the "best foot" He felt sorry
for them all, especially the pretty
girl, whose scarlet cheeks and down
cast eyes told how keenly she felt the
awkwardness of the situation in.which
his thoughtlessness had placed them.
Nevertheless he managed to make
hearty meal. The plain bread, and
fresh, sweet butter, the cold, juicy
meat and SIMPLE sauce, were great
deal more to his taste than the heavy
indigestible food to which he had been
accustomed of late.
Little it mattered to him Just then,
that the table cloth was on awry, be.
sides bearing the marks ofseveral days
usage, that the cup which Mary James
trembling hand passed him, had lost
It's handle in some past conflict; that
the butterdish bore evidence of having
been used at the two preceding meals,
and that the meat dish had chips and
cracks enough to render it almost sa-
cred III the eyes of those harmless luna
tics, the china collectors.
Their embarrassment and efforts to
| keep up conversation was so evident
tina. Mr.. Dent concluded it would be
an act of mercy to shorten his visit as
much rs possible, so shortly after tea
was over he shook hands al around,
and was escorted to the door by Mr..
Lawson, who. for the first in his re-
membrance, was heartily glad to see
the door closing on a guest.
The next morning, the boys noticed
that their mother and sister, who sat
up talking the night before, long
after the Others had retired, both APP
peared in clean dresses and aprons.
Also, that Mary Jane had forgotten to
put her hair in papers, and that her
eyes and nose We're red and swollen, as
though she had been crying.
With presentiment of something
they hardly knew what--they hurried
home the moment school was out.
They found the kitchen empty, but the
door between it and the dining room
was open, and, peeping in in search of
their mother, they saw, much to their
astonisnment, pretty, white-draped
dinner table, with row of chairs placed
invitingly around it. A second glance
revealed the fact that the best dishes
were all there, even TO the cherished