The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1882-09-23

"If Mrs. Flint married me with the
idea OF squandering my money in silks.
furbelows, and things, she'll find it diff
fcult in my establishment. I don't in
tend to encourage female insubordina-
ton. I believe the husband was born to
govern-the wife to obey. If more hus-
bands had my firmness, my tact in gov
erning, things would be different at the
present day.
Mrs. Flint, left at home, summoned
the housekeeper.
IT learn that my husband has given
you weeks Warming she said.
Eyes, ma'am."
Is it your wish to leave us?"
"Oh, no, Mrs. Flint, for don't know
where / could find another place, and I
have to pay my little girls board out of
my wages.
ct believe there is considerable work
to be done here?"
Eyes, Mrs. Flint, great DEAL Then
Mr.. Flint is SO peculiar-he wants every
thing done just SO. Aud that's why I'm
sorry to go just as you come. I know you
are easy to please
"How do you know?"
.'By your facet looks SO good-na-
tured. Major Flint says, ma'am," she
continued, hesitatingly, "that I am to
show you some about the work. But if
you try to do it alone, unused to hard
work as you are, it will make you sick
81 think very likely it would, Mrs.
Burns. But have not the slightest
idea of doing the work. AT. all
events. you must not secure another
situation until you hear from me again.
I am very confident" she added, smil-
ing, ''that If Mr. Flint sends you away,
Mrs. Burns, he will be glad to take you
back"
The week passed quickly.
Mrs. Burns leaves tom orrow," said
the major, at the tea-table.
s'Theh you have quite decided upon
it?"
Eyes; believe / announced the fact
to You some days ago.
II thought it possible that my objec-
tions might have weighed with you and
induced you to change your mind"
Il never change my mind, said her
husband, loftily.
"But warn you that have little ex-
perience as cook"
"You can learn"
Perhaps may not cook to suit your
taste, she persisted.
That is my affair"
Had he been aware of the plot forming
in the lady's fertile brain, he might not
have felt SO confident in regard to the
quality of his bread and butter; and he
retired for the night all unconscious of
the discipline to be meted out to him.
So the following morning Mrs. Burns
received her wages and was sent off. At
| ten o'clock the marketing was brought
home. At the usual dinner hour Major
Flint made his appearance. The table
was laid with more than its usual neat
ness. Major Flint congratulated him.
self on this fact as a personal triumph
on his part. But he badly felt so COM
| placent when the dinner came up. The
beef was terribly overdone; the vegeta-
bles. on the contrary, were not half
cooked. In short, there was nothing on
| the table fit to eat. This Major Flint
rather angrily remarked.
81 dare say, am not very good
cook, said his wife.
With his appetite only half satisfied,
| he rose from the table.
The following morning breakfast was
delayed more than half an hour; and
| when it was ready, it was scarcely eata
BILE. Major Flint was quite out of hu
NOR; but in reply his remonstrances his
| wife said:
1T warned yon that I might not cool
to suit your taste.
And to matters deteriorated rather
than improved. The tea and coffee pre-
pared by his wife were nauseating to
him, while the bread was not only sour
but hard and clammy, requiring consid
erable effort to masticate it. And wha
rendered it all the more exasperatinp
was that, no matter how inferior in quail
ity. or distasteful to himself his wife pro
fessed her inability to discover any faul
in what was prepared for the table, pro
testing that it just suited her taste.
The following day Major Flint seated
himself at the dinner table, his mine
filed with various emotions. He wa
growing thin, he felt sure; not decen
meal had he eaten for three days.
''This woman will be the death of me
as sure as fate, he said to himself, gaz
ing at the food placed before him.
Here was the rich, juicy steak that h
himself selected and sent from the mar
ket, after all his instructions as to hoy
it should be broiled, shockingly over
done-in fact, almost burned to crisp
his wife, meantime, partaking of it wit
great apparent relish.
"What taste that woman must have?
he said to himself.
II have made you an extra cup Of tea
to-day" said the lady opposite. handin
him the cup with his dessert.
Hitherto Mr.. Flint had been very par
ticular in regard to his cup of tea at des
sert. insisting that it should be brough
to the table both strong and hot. Ha
the tea been prepared to his taste,
would have soothed his somewhat riot
Gus emotions within; on the contrary,
was miserably weak quite lukewarm an
brackish. He took one sip at the tes
and then set the cup down forcibly o
the table, his face expressing his DISCUS
Madam glanced up at him from unde
her long eyelashes, slipping from he
cup industriously, that her facts
muscles might not betray the anus,
ment she felt.
IT knew you would think the tea 81
cellent," she said.
This was too much. His rage and di
: gust fairly boiled over.
'sTea, madam, teai'' he roared. "Yo
call such abomlnable stuff tea, do yor
=, Excellent, is it? Excellent
, SIS it excellent" said madam, sweet
taking him at his word and ignoring Il
exclamation points utterly. sMamn
J taught me to make tea when
Major Flint lad stood fire for thr
{ whole days, but flesh and blood cou,