Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1883-03-02


tact in governing, things woull be diff
| ferent at the present day..
Mrs. Flint, left at home, summoned
the housekeeper.
II learn that my husband has given
you a weeks warning" she said.
eyes, ma'am."
"Is it your wish to leave us ?"
ooh, no, Mrs. Flint, for don't know
where could find another place, and 1
have to pay my little girls board out
of my wages"
81 believe there is considerable work
to be done here?'
eyes, Mrs. Flint, a great deal. Then
| Mr.. Flint Ia go peculiar--he wants
everything done just 80. And that's
why am so sorry TO 60 just as you
come; know you are easy to please. -
Chow do you know that 2"
tured. Msjor Flint says, ma'am," she
continued, hesitatingly, ''that am to
show you 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 got secure another situation
until you hear from me again. / am
very confident" she said, smiling "that
if Mr.. Flint sent you away, Mrs. Burns,
he will be glad to take you back"
| The weeks passed quietly.
"Mrs. Burns leaves tomorrow" said
the Major at the tea'ab!e.
"Then you have quite decided up
on III"
Eyes; believed announced the fact
to you some days ago."
81 thought it possible my objections
might have weighed with you and
induced you to have changed your
mind"
Il never change my mind" said her
husband loftily.
"But warn you have little exper-
fence as q cook"
"You can learn"
perhaps / may not cook to suit your
taste," she relpied.
That's my affair"
Had he been aware of the plot form
ing in the lady's brain, he might have
not have felt 80 confident IN regard to
the quality of his bread and butter
and he retired for the night all uncon'
sCious of the discipline to be melted out
to hins.
So the following morning Mrs. Burns
received her wages and was sent OF. Al
ten o'clock the marketing was brought
home. At the usual dinner hour Ma
jur Flint made his appearance. The
table was laid with more than ordinary
neatness. Major Flint congratulated
himself on this fact as personal trl
umph on his part. But he hardly fel
80 complacent when the dinner came
up. The beef was terribly overdone
the vegetables on the contrary, were
not half cooked. In short there wal
nothing fit to eat on the table. Thu
Major Flint rather angrily remark
ed.
81 dare say; am no. very goot
cook" remarked his wife.
With his appetite only half satisfied
he rose from the table.
The following morning breakfast
was delayed over an hour, and when
it was ready, it was scarcely eatable.
Major Flint was quite out of humor;
but in reply to his remonstrances his
wife said:
" / warned you that 1 might not
cook to suit your TASTE"
And SO matters decorated rather
than improved. The tea and coffee
prepared by his wife were nauseating
to him, while the bread was not only
sour, but hard and clammy, requirir 6
considerable effort to masticate it.
And what rendered it all the more ex-
asperating WAS that nc matter how in
ferior in quality or distastetul to him
self, his wife protested her inability to
discover any fault with what was pre-
pared Tor the taple protesting that II
just suited her taste.
The following day Major Flint seated
himself at the dinner table, his mind
growing thin, he felt sure; not a de-
cent meal had he eaten for three days.
This woman will be the death of
me, rs sure as fatel" ne said TO him.
self, gazing at the food place2 before
him.
Here was the rich, juicy steak that
| he himself selected and sent home
from market, after all his instructions
rs to:how it should be broiled shock
ingly overdone-In fact almost burned
to crisp, his wife meantime partak-
ing of it with great apparent relish.
"Wnat q taste that woman must
have!,' he said to himself.
81 have made you an extra cup of
tea, to-day" said the lady opposite,
handing him the cup with his des-
sert.
Hitherto Mr.. Flint had been very
particular in regard to his cup of tea
at dessert, insisting that it should be
brought to the table strong and hot.
Had the tea been prepared to his taste.
it would have soothed somewhat the
riotous emotions within; on the con
trary, it was miserably weak, quite
lukewarm and brackish. He took one
SUP a. the tea, and then set the cup
down forcibly on the table, his face
expressing his disgust.
Madam glanced up at him from UNI
der her long eye,ashes, slipping from
her cup industriously, that her facial
muscles might not betray the amuse-
ment she felt.
al know you would think the tea ex-
celleut," she said.
This was too much. His rage and
disgust fairly boiled over.
'Tea, madam, tea !" he roared.
"You call such abominable stuff tea,
do YOU? Excellent, is itP Excellent"
at is excellent" said madam, sweet
ly, taking him at his word and ignor-
ing the exclamation points utterly.
madam taught me to make the tea
when"
Major Flint had stood fire for three
whole days, but flesh and blood could
endure it no longer. Not waiting to
hear more, he bounded to his feet and
rushed into the hall. Here he seized
his hat in both hands, damned it
down over his eyes and started for the
street. Then rs if forgetful of some
thing, he retraced his steps, and thrust
ing his head in at the open door, he
shouted;
Can you tell me where Mrs. Burns
went when she left here?"
81 think" said madam, deliberately,
eff my memory serves me rightly, |
heard her speak of stopping with her
little girl at Mrs. Marshes till sac Sc
cured situation"
The Msjor departed.
81 thought the tea would finish him."
said Mrs Flint smusedly Watching from