Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-08-16
For THE LADIES.
How to Abolish q Common Household
Tyrant

How to Abolish Common Household
Tyrant.
Ny friend Marcia is subjected to petty
tyranny in her own household, felt also,
suspect, in other households more or less
consciously, and from which there should
be relief, for the most tyrannical tyrant is a
domestic one.
The oppressor in this instance is not, as
you might suppose the last new baby, nor
an unreasonable husband, nor even cook ;
for her babies are charming, her husband is
the most considerate of men, and her cook
owing to some tanning process known only
to herself, is a model of good nature. My
friend is no weak-minded woman, tyran-
nized over by her own uncertain moods;
she has herself well in hand, is intelligent
well read, and has a mind of her own on
the questions of the day.
Perhaps if you will secrete yourself in
Marcia's pretty sitting-roOm you may get
glimpse of the tyrant-the gentle reader be-
ing the only individual in whom such
course is honorable, and who may fairly
expect to hear no i'll of himself while listen
ing.
II is hot afternoon in August, and Mar
cla comes in looking cool and sweet in her
muslin dress, except for a flush on her face.
"See here, Nette," she says to her young
sister, who LAYS down her book to listen
here is a telegram from my old friend,
Alice Gustorf and she is going to stop over
twenty-four hours with her husband on
their way to Nebraska. They will be here
at halfpast five; what shall | do?"
30? Why, be glad to see them, l should
think, replied Nette.
ooh, yes, of course, only it's Tuesday,
the driest day in the week in the larder, and
not a crumb of cake in the house, and l
can't buy any in this country town. you
know. Do you think, If | hurried, could
get loaf of cake baked, and see to getting
a room in order, tooY
Why, Marcia, you would be all hot and
tired and Hurried; what is the difference if
we don't have cake?"
This same Nette, be it remarked, always
walks up and looks at things with her own
original, independent eyes.
Her sister answered, half vexed That's
just like you but you never kept house,
and don't understand. OF course, if l don't
have things nice they will think am no
hOusekeeper-and Mr.. Gustorf is used to
having everything at home. Nobody thinks
of sitting down to tea without cake, par
ticularly with company"
Now, see here Marcia, Just let me see to
the tea, and you devote yourself to looking
beautiful, and to giving some extra touches
to the guest-chamber. You shall find that
younger sisters are of some use even if they
never did keep house; and, whatever you
do, don't heat yourself up and bring back
your headache?'
So, as she really did not see how TO help
it, Marcia left the dining room in her sis
ter's hands, and was able to give her friends
welcome with an air of being entirely
ready to see them. 1t was, however. not
without some misgivings that she ushered
her friends out to tea when the bell rang.
She was sure the table would look bare, and
the feast meager, without the basket heaped
with her famous cake.
But when the blessing was asked, and
she ventured to look around she had to
confess to herself that the table looked well
enough. 1t was set, as usual, with the most
exact and perfect neatness. There was
platter of delicately-sliced ham in the cen
ter, with q handful of nasturtiumS blazing
away in the middle of ii, two or three of
which served to each person would make a
far dantier relish to the ham than any
coarse condiments ike pepper and mustard.
There was 4 cut-glasS dish of pickles. and
one of cheese, cut in oblong blocks, and
piled like childrcns cob house, on a
green maiolica leaf. There were peaches,
with real cream, and pretty little prints of
grass butter, and the bread, if not 50 fresh,
was still moist and light.
Nobody seemed to miss ANYTHING, and if
Mrs. Gustorf did, it was to excaim, men
tally, If one woman can serve her guests
so delightful Il tea without cake, know
another who will try it
The next day, when the guests had gone,
Marcia and her sister had it out on the
cake question; Nette, for once, doing most
Of the talking. % tell you, my sister" she
said, " I've been watching you, and I'm
surprised to see how often you, who seem
in many things to be so Independent. have
sacrificed yourself to this Unwritten social
law that there must be cake for tea though
the heavens fall. Do you know, the day
Professor y spent here, and he and
your wise husband were having such de
Hghttul talk, Just dropping pearls all about
that you would have gathered up for your
self and the children, and | knew you
wanted to listen, you spent two mortal
hours in the kitchen getting up dessert for
dinner and cake for tea. Well, | noticed
that the learned man took Just three
mouthfuls of your charlotte russo, and
politely shook his head at the cake basket.
And since | have the opportunity pur-
sued the memorable Nette, " I must ask you
if you would not have invited the minister
ard his wife to stay to tea the other night
if it had not happened that the cake was
very dry? They would have enjoyed it. |
know. after their round OF calls; and cup
of tea and one of your songs after it, would
have rested them. Not that l never would
let YOU make cake, she added, magnani-
mously only don't allow yourself to be
driven by it
Well, my dear" said Marcia, " sus-
pect you are wise beyond your years, and
have thought out a subject that has dimly
troubled me now and then, | confess. 1t
is the day of emancipation for women. Let
US preach her emancipation from the
tyranny of cake - HELEN N. Wright, in
Christian Union.