Beverly banner. [volume] (Beverly, N.J.) 1877-1964, 1885-10-17
MRS. TRAOY'S LESSON.

Dinner time was approaching, but
dinner dragged Bridget had away of
forgetting the coal fire until it was so
far gone as to require lengthy petting
up, to be in time for cooking. Mrs.
Tracy had to hurry to the kitchen and
do her best TO hasten things forward.
"Never mind" she said to herself,
as she returned to the nursery, "Har-
vey will probably be late, too. He
usually is. I'm glad for once"
But to her dismay, Harvey was even
then coming up the walk with a quick
step: >,
DINNER ready, l hope, Amy?' he
said Business is pressing to-day"
mo, indeed, it is not" she said,
with cloud spreading over her face.
ut really seems as though the only
time you ever come punctually are the
days when there is trouble in the kit
chem
1t did seem so. Harvey was so
habitually late at meal time that Mrs.
Tracy felt justified in feeling cross as
she again went into the kitchen, and
after fifteen minutes Of exertion, which
bore poor results in the observed din
ner, seated herself, hot and worried, at
the table, in mood which would have
prevented her enjoyment of much
better repast.
Did you get good seats p she asked
after the children had been helped.
"Seats? What seats? Bless me if
Eve had a thought of those seats since
| went away this morning. I'm sorry
Amy, I'll step in on my way down"
'You needn't. Mrs. Rice was here
a little while ago, and said every good
seat was taken two hours after the plat
was opened"
GIVE been more than usually bother
ed of late, Amy. I've been trying to
make arrangements to get safe for
my office, for have great many
valuable papers and don't feel like
risking them. Fused all the morning
but still failed of it. But I'll get. the
tickets for tomorrow night"
at will do no good, / had all my
arrangements made for tonight, and
| can't 60 out tomorrow night"
The manner was more ungracious
than the words. Mr.. Tracy looked
appealingly at her as he expressed his
real regret for the carelessness which
had brought her such disappointment.
He had 9ery tender appreciation OF
the fact that his wife's cares were very
pressing and burdensome. She seldom
got out, and this missing of fine must
cal entertainment was no light thing
to her.
There was no response to his apollo
gies. She was recalling the time, only
few weeks since, when he had promis-
ed to go out with her, then he had be-
come absorbed in business, sent her a
hasty note to say he could not dine al
home, and she had seen no more OF
him until halfpast ten at night. 1t is
not to be wondered at, that the cloud
on Mrs Tracy's face deepened. 1t
reflected itself on the faces Of the three
children, one of whom, after few
whimpers Of discomfort over with sharp
words from his mother.
"Well. well!" exclaimed Harvey, Il
few minutes later impatiently pushing
away his plate, eff man is to treated
like a criminal because he has for
gotten some concert tickets, he'd better
look for pleasanter place than home. "
He strobe away, leaving her, with
some reason perhaps, to consider her
self very ill-used woman.
She was always busy about the house
or always trying to bring up arrears
of sewing. Intervals of leisure for
reading or going out were rare, and
always becoming rarer, She was will
ingly giving her best energies to the
work Of making. the most out OF small
means, taking her full share in the
struggle which her husband was carry
ing on to get a foothold in business
But she was forgetting that husband
and children should not be left to live
by bread alone-that they looked to
he for SOM thing mere valuable than
the mere keeping of a house. She was
many a time so wearied with her round
f duties in the care Of their bodies
that she lost sight Of their higher needs
not realizing that smile of a CHEEKY
word from her could 60 far toward
making amends for much more ser
ious household failure than poorly
cooked meal. Her face was rapidly
taking on look of combined anxiety
and iInpatience, and she was forgetting
the sweetness Of loving forbearancs
toward little faults and shortcomings
"Tug, tug, tug she said, fretfully
"I'm tired of it all. Harvey has NJ
more thought of me than if | were
packhorse. How would he like it if ]
thought no more Of his comfort thar
he does of mine, | wonder"
The fretful mood and the fretful ex
preston, fast coming to feel at home
by long indulgence, stayed by her a.
the hours wore on. The children look
ed inquiringly at her when occasion
brought them in her way, but wisely
made such occasion as few as possible
As the tea hour approached Mrs
| Tracy would not have acknowledge
to herself that her brow was taking OF
an added cloud at the prospect of he
hvsk,nd,o ,.atnrn Ha had left her il