Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1881-12-24

dressed in her best. But it was just like
himl He always thought of his own
comfort and convenience first, and was
indifferent to his wife's feelings. He
wouldn't have treated her SO when en-
gagged to her, and why should he nowp
Poor Emma! she had entirely forgot
ten her good resolutions of the morning. y
81 won't wait another minute for
him. she cried at last, when the old
clock in the kitchen struck seven. 81
won't have my supper spoiled, anyhow,
and when he comes he can eat burned
chicken, bitter tea and cold biscuits, or
go without. It's a shame to treat me
so, and after / worked so hard, too,
making cream-cake, jelly, custard, and
blanc-mange he likes so much"
She forgot that John knew nothing Of
her labors in behalf of the supper. She
was far too angry to be at all just.
She did not call Hannah TO put the
supper on the table, but went into the
kitchen herself, unmindful of the fact
that she wore her best dress. She was
too much excited to be careful, and seiz-
ing the frying-pan in her hand she hast
lily emptied its savory contents into the
large stone platter.
There was sudden tilt, and over the
platter of chicken went, and though
Emma started back she was not quick
enough to avoid the deluge of gravy
which went pouring down her beautiful
new dress.
And the platter, the great, old-fash-
Toned stone platter, which had belonged
to Johns mother, and only been taken
down from its shelf to grace this special
occasion, was broken into fifty pieces.
"My dress! my dress!" cried Emma,
surveying the ruin she made, with face
of dismay. "Oh, dear! oh, dear it is all
Johns fault; why didn't he come back
at six o'clockPn
"You put the platter too far on the
edge of the stove, guess" said Han
nah, who had been upstairs at the time
of the accident, but had heard the crash,
and lost no time in appearing on the
scene. "Why didn't you call me,
ma'amP I'd have dished it up for you.
Shall l put the rest of the things on the
tablePn
"No," said Emma, with sob. ~
don't want any supper. Clear up the
chicken and give it to Rover and Snap,
and you can put away all the dishes. ]
am going upstairs to lie down."
"But sha'n't l leave the table set fol
Mr.. Chester, ma'amP"
"No; if he comes he can get some
thing out of the pantry for himself, y
answered Emma as she left the kitchen
81 never can wear the thing again, y
she said, as she took the ruined dres;
off, and surveyed it sorrowfully. "And
to think that | paid two dollars and 9
half a yard for that black satin! l sup
pose John will be just stingy enough tC
refuse me the money for another"
She took out from her wardrobe the
plainest delaine wrapper she possessed
and, when she had putt on, went agar
to the glass.
ale would like me to look just 81
plain always" she murmured. eli
thinks it is extravaganza to want to dres
. well. I'm sick of having econom.
/, preached to me; and he needn't tell M
that it costs much to run this farm, TO
l don't believe it; there is only the hireC
man to pay,as far as | can see, and wha
: is fifteen dollars month";"
1t certainly must be admitted tina
Mrs. Chester was very cross. He
nerves were surely in anything but
quiet state now.
But she grew even worse. AS hour al
: ter hour dragged slowly by and sti
= her husband did not come, anxiet
= was added to her anger. 1t was snow
= ing hard, and suppose some accider
!, had befallen him! He might be eve
= now lying on the road frozen and life
-, :. less One moment Emma was utterin
4 reproaches against John; the next sh
- was distracted with dread over the po
q sibility of his having met with some az
- cident
y She had plenty of time to think ovt
% the past, present and future, for she Sc
). up until nearly three O'Clock. She r,
, membered, with a throb of pleasure, tt
" New Years Eve, just two years agC
= on which she had first met John.
=, party of young people had gathered
= the house of a Mrs. Ferris in the tow
! of Stapleton, with the intention of Sc
g ing out the old year and welcoming
- the new. and John had come all Il
way from Barnville to attend, for
" was a nephew of Mrs. Ferris, and h
- favorite.
ID Emma and the young farmer ht
y, ~ been mutually pleased with each othe
81 and John had staid in Stapleton awee
. obtaining her promise to correspor
- with him when he left; and their e
q gagement soon followed.
~ Emma was the daughter of a pc
n. but indulgent mother, who had gratiti,
rt the extravagaht tastes of her child
g far as her circumstances permitted, {
il ten making great sacrifices in order
at carry out within of Emma's. But t
n girl had never learned the value
of money, and when she became wife d
Id not understand the first principles
m economy, q fact which it did not ia
of John long to discover. The you
farmer was ambitious and prudent, b
r. would have willingly gratified eve
in wish his wife expressed had he be
10. able to do so. But he was not rich, a.
or there was mortgage on the farm, viii
". he was trying by hard work and ecor
he my to pay off Therefore, it annoy
and grieved him to hear Emma's &C
o. slant complaints and reproaches, a
Il accusations of stinginess and seltishne
he But no sooner did he begin to explain
her why it was so absolutely necessa
rs for them to practice economy than S
in began to cry, talk about her "shatter
,er nerves." and declare she could not {
dure his scoldinp. and that from MOI