The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1882-12-14

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you that the days of your babyhood are
passed. and that you are, or ought to be,
| . woman"
81 thought you said I was so obsti-
nate" whined Amina.
$50 you are" he returned, reddening
and spluttering. obstinate as mule,
and why, how are you, Mrs. Baker? l
am very glad to see you"
And unlou btedly he was, for he was
sorely puzzled.
Aunt Baker looked at the breakfast ia
BILE, the sobbing Amina, and the splut.
tering Boabdil, in evident astonishment
Poor little Mrs. Boabdil, hastily wiped
her eyes, and came forward, trying to
smile.
Dear Aunt Baker, am so glad to see
you. have such a shocking headache,
and am such silly, nervous creature,
was crying about it,"
"Amina," exclaimed her husband in
his deepest bass! "When will you ever
be truthful? My wife has no headache
at all, Mrs. Baker. The plain truth of
the matter is. am forming her charac.
ter, aud she takes it very hard, and re-
sents my efforts as actual injuries. 1t is
in vain for me to say to her, 'Amina, you
are perfect child, you know you are.
You have always been petted and
spoiled, and need the guidance of
strong will and great common sense to
make a woman of you She is deaf to
all my arguments, and treats me to this
sort of scene every time 1 open my
mouth; so that we're not my duty snperi-
or to all other considerations with me, I
should give up in despair"
and you are snre you are pursuing
the best method?" asked Aunt Baker,
qnietly.
"Sure? Positive ma'am. Only way
in the world-only way in the world,
ma'am. Be a perfect child all her life,
if 1 Cont. Good morning, ma'am.
Aniin.,, be snre that the trunk is ready
precisely at three"
Amina sank down on footstool and
buried herself again in the depths of her
handkerchief. Aunt Baker waited till,
from the window, she had seen Mr..
Boabdil quite out of the gate. Then she
seated herself beside her niece and drew
the pretty little auburn head down in
her lap.
''Now, you little goose, what is it all
about. and what has become of the
honeymoon that was to shine over your
graves?"
"Oh don't, please don't. Aunt Baker"
shifted Amina. "There is no honey
moon at all, and it's perfectly dreadful,
and it gets worse all the time. He will
go away this time; l know he will. l
never have seen HIM so dreadfully in
earnest before, and l shall die if he
doesr'
"No you WON'T" returned Aunt Baker !;
"you are worth twenty dead women yet.
But.why is Mr.. Boabdil going away?"
sob! everything goes wrong; and I'm
suca a silly, foolish thing, can't help
it; and he likes his steak Just so; and
the cook says there must some of it be
done; and he hates weak coffee, aud
three tablespoonfuls isn't enough for
that dreadful urn, and he won't allow
four. And then you see, Aunt Baker
this is a dear little place. with a lawn in
front, and creepers, and vines, and
things, but the rooms are SO small you
can't turn round in them; and though
the kitchen is as romantic as can be, and
looks out in an arbor on the top of rocks,
the cook isn't satisfied and is all the time
giving warning; and Arthur isn't half as
kind and attentive as he used to be. You
know how he used to be at parties-why,
he never ate thing himself, he was so
busy helping me; and only two days
after we were married, there was plate
of chicken salad right in front of him,
and 1 had to ask him for it three times
before he helped me, though he knows
that is my weakness. But bore it in
silence, and wasn't going to tell it, even
to Lizzie, because know it is a woman 8
duty to suffer, and there are some griefs
that are sacred. But wasn't it hard?"
Dreadful" returned Aunt Baker.
gravely.
And then went on Amina. warming:
'He wouldn't even let me write to
Lizzie, but took away my pens and
paper, and he says = married woman
oughtn't to have friendships; and that
the less you have to do with ybody
that you ever knew or liked before mar.
rage the better; because. he says, q
woman must leave father and mother,
and cleave to her husband Is it so in
your Bible, Aunt Baker? I can't find it
| In mine.'
I'VE will look for it by and-by." said
Aunt Baker with difficulty preserving
her gravity But is this all?'
| IAN? oh! dear, no! / was 30 silly !
cried when he scol led and then he said
was q child and didn't manage the
house rightly; aud he goes into all the
closets and finds such dreadful things;
and be says am 70 extravsgsnt I am
running him; q I'd that he has made mp
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