Iron County register., 1881-12-29

Six O'Clock and tea time came, but no
John, and the fine lines in Emma's fore.
head began to show very plainly. The
fried chicken would be all dried up, the
baked custard whey, the biscuits hard
If left in the oven, and s'stone cold' if
taken out, and the tea bitter from stand
ing so long; but there was no help for
it.
Emma began at ten minutes past six
to fret and worry. Why couldn't John
| come? He knew very well it was New
Years Eve, and ought to have the
sense to suppose that she would have a
nice supper all ready for him, and be
dressed in her best. But it was just like
him! 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 now?
Poor Emma! she had entirely forgot
ten her good resolutions of the morning.
s. 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 shame to treat me
so, and after I 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-
ioned 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 a face
of dismay. "Oh, dear! oh, dear! it is all
Johns fault; why didn't he come back
at six o'clock? ?'' ea
"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'am? I'd have dished it up for you.
Shall L put the rest of the things on the
table?''
"No," said Emma, with a sob. 81
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 leave the table set for
Mr.. Chester, ma'am?'
i" No; if he comes he can get some
thing out of the pantry for himself"
answered Emma as she left the kitchen.
81 never can wear the thing again, -
she said, as she took the ruined dress
off, and surveyed it sorrowfully. "And
to think that paid two dollars and a
half yard for that black satin! I sup
pose John will be just stingy enough to
refuse me the money for another"
She took out from her wardrobe the
plainest delaine wrapper she possessed,
and, when she had put it on, went again
to the glass.
"He would like me to look just so
plain always" she murmured. Z" He
thinks it is extravagant to want to dress
well. I'm sick of having economy
preached to me; and he needn't tell me
that it costs much to run this farm, for
I don't believe it; there is only the hired
man to pay,as far as 1 can see, and what
is fifteen dollars monthp''
1t certainly must be admitted that
Mrs. Chester was very cross. Her
nerves were surely in anything but a
quiet state now.
But she grew even worse. AS hour at
ter hour dragged slowly by and still
her husband did not come, anxiety
was added to her anger. It was snow
ing hard, and suppose some accident
had befallen him! He might be even
now lying on the road frozen and life
less! One moment Emma was uttering
reproaches against John; the next she
was distracted with dread over the pos
sibility of his having met with some &C
cident
| She had plenty of time to think over
the past, present and futnre, for she sat
up until nearly three. O'Clock. She re-
membered, with throb of pleasure, the
New Years Eve, just two years ago,
on which she had first met John. A
party of young people had gathered at
the house of Mrs. Ferris in the town
of Stapleton, with the intention of see
ing out the old year and welcoming in
the new. and John had come all the
way from Barnville to attend, for he
was nephew of Mrs. Ferris, and her
favorite.
Emma and the young farmer had
been mutually pleased with each other,
and John had staid in Stapleton week,
obtaining her promise to correspond
with him when he left; and their en-
gagement soon followed.
Emma was the daughter of a poor
but indulgent mother, who had gratified
the extravagant tastes of her child as
far as her circumstances permitted, Of
ten making great sacrifices in order to
carry out q whim of Emma's. But the
girl had never learned the value of
| money and when she hecame a wife did