Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1883-03-16
DISAPPOINTED.

| loI IL Was plttiE anu WuOleSOIlt
enough to oplease the most fastidious
''Richard will be sure to say some
thing pleasant. she Thought She
felt that it had been a long time sine,
he had remembered that he had ;
wife dependent on him for ''thc small
sweet courtesies of life" She hao
hurried her tea that she might wall
to the gate to meet him. but he di,
not seem to appreciate her effort. ano
she might as well have rested hen
aching feet.
How cool and easy you women
seem to take life" he said. IL wisl
| could have as easy time of it.
from his tone you might have
thought that it was he who had not
rested five minutes all day. and had
been up. with a sick child half the
night His wife took his arm, but he
did not notice it.
Il do wish You would not wcal
those horrid old calicoes. Nell, They
look so outlandish. There is Harry
crying again. Seems to me he keeps
it up day and night. 1 like littl,
peace when l come home. Lucky fol
you that don't go to the saloons like
some men,
well, it is just as lucky for you
that l do not get drunk like some
women" said Mrs. Rolf, as she took
the crying child.
He fell and bumped his head on
the SOFA" said young Nora. She had
been playing with the little fellow
who was not firm on his feet yet. al
though he had been crowded ont OF
his place as the baby" by wee Jes-
sic. "As one whom his mother com
forteth'" he was soon ready for supper
and as cheerful as if nothing had
happened.
MIR. Rolf looked at the tea table
with dissatisfied air.
why don't we have dried beef any
more?" he said.
II thought you were tired of that
ard would like change, SO / got a
tongue. am sure you will like it.
if you only try it; but will get you
the beef"
oh, don't take the trouble" he
said. as she went into the pantry. 1t
does not matter what eat
The wife. who was also cook and
waiter, brought a plate of nicely
shaved beef, but he did not taste it,
while he ate heartily of the tongue.
Il saw Mrs. Baldwin to day. he
said, as he took third slice and his
wife handed him his second cup of
tea. 1T is wonderful how she keeps
her good looks. She does not look a
day older than she did ten years ago."
They say Mr.. Baldwin is very
careful of her." said Mrs. Rolf, who
looked at least two years older now
than when she met her husband ut
the gate a few minutes before. He
never lets her have any care of the
children nights, but gets up himself
if they need anything. and he does
all the marketing and saves her in
every way. He is very proud Of her,
tney say, and tries to preserve her
good looks"
well, she is woman to be proud
or" said the thoughtlcss husband. in
q tone which implied that he knew of
no other woman half SO deserving.
He buttered his excellent home
made bread in silence, evidently
thinking of the handsome. we'll
dressed woman, who had left her
children OF three and five years old
with the girl, and vino dressed and
went out shopping as leisurely as if
she had not care in the world.
Her delicate silk was very becoming.
The white hat, with its costly lace
and plumes, set of her pretty face to
advantage, and the dainty accessories
of her toilet indicated we'll filled
purse as well as good taste.
Il do wish, Nell, that You would
take more pains to fix mp. am fairly
ashamed to have you come into the
store"
Il will try and not shame you
again." she said, as her face flushed
hotly, "but you know, Richard, that
there is great difference between
the Baldwin's circumstances and ours.
She keeps girl to do her work. and
gives most of her sewing out, and
has only two children, while l have
four; and these little ones who have
to be taken up so often are pretty
hard on my fixing up much, for they
do spoil ones clothes dreadfully.
do my own work and see to the
children. I do not know when
should wear nice clothes, if 1 had
ever so many, especially as Inever 60
on fashionable shoppings, to dawdle
around whole afternoons pricing
things that never think of buying.
When l must have something from
the store, 1 slip into my duster and
go after it, and then come home and
90 to work again. ] am always tidy,
at least, and, for woman who does
all her own work. that is consider
able.
"Well, you do not seem so very
much fatigued when you came hum
ming down to the gate. But sup
pose you're just about gone" and
there was n positive sneer in his tones
now. Il wish you conld manage as
mother does. 1t seems to me that
when have to work so hard for you
and the children. you need not grum-
bic about your little work.
Did you ever hear me complain OF
my works 1 think | ought to do it,
and l am glad that | can; but it does
not seem right for you to expect me
to dress as well as those who have
nothing to do. Icannot get my work
all done up in the morning, for l have
to see to the children all the time, and
there is tea to get. and the dishes to
wash, and after that the children are