The Washington critic., 1885-12-09
"nrt IS !.ntnre wc 10 doY"

-
Why, lave u picked7up dinner
answered Ella "You just leave me 10
manage it for you.
But I'm afraid the Deacon won't
like it, said Mrs. Smart
"Wcll and II he docsnt2 YJU don't
like the pcddlcr business. do youH'
quickly retorted Ella
At ! O'Clock The table was all spread
with threc huge central platers care.
fully shielded with the covers which
were ordinarily brought out only on
STATE occasions, and Mrs. Smart aud
Ella were pccping ont OF the window
ant wondering what kept the Deacon
so lu,c.
There he comes now" said Mrs
Smart. Good gracious, mel Aud
there is Willis Mildmay coming home
with him. We never counted on his
bringing company to dinlcr, ELLA"
"W hat signifies company" asked
Ella, stoutly maintaining her compo-
sure, although her pretty face had
turned pink all over, like II June rose.
willis Mildmay wont care when he
comprehcnds it all. Willis is a sensi-
Bile man
Come in, Mr. Smart-comc in Mr..
Mildmay," said Mrs Smart. you're
half an hour late, Ebonezcr. Ella and
] could not imagine what had become
of you"
II hope ! am not intruding /" said
Mr.. Mildmay looking ut Ella as If one
glance at her rosy face was all the din.
ner that Lie wanted.
ooh, not in Tie least" said Mrs
Smart. "Pray sit down. We hare
but plain dinner to-day, but it is all
that my housekeeping allowance would
admit"
'CNo apologies, my dear, said Dca-
con Smart-''no apologies. Hunger IS
the best sauce, as we well know"
And thereupon they all seated them
selves at the table, and the Deacon
wbislicd off the big plutter-cOycrs,w with
countenancc of expectation.
"Hello" said the Deacon.
There upon the center platter lay the
eighteen pale green papers of pins. At
the right and left, on smaller plattcrs,
were arranged the cards of porcelain
buttons. and the rolls of tape, and the
shoe-strings, while the bottles of ma
chine oil and packages of stove black.
ing were arranged like a child block
llbuNt VII IL clOt lubit, DtuNttl IL W llllt
napkin, by way of dessert.
Ella burst out laughing. Mrs. Smart
joined in. Willis Mildmay, spurrcd on
by the infectious sound, laughed too,
although he had not the least idea what
he was laughing at. The deacon
stared as if he had suddenly become all
eyes.
"Julianna," he said, "what is the
meaning of thisY'
at means, Ebenezer," his wife re-
spondcd, chat you have spent my
housekeeping money for peddler's
cheap wares, and that Ella aud deter
mined to serve them up to you for din
ner And what you don't cat, we are
going to burn; and henccforward,
whatever is bought has got to be Of
good quality, or | won't have it'in the
house! Because | have come to the
conclusion thai charity is one thing,
and justice is another And If you
give me money for housekeeping. it
isn't fair for you to spend it in buying
articles which no one can use.
Certainly it isn't said Ella, com
ing valiantly to the rescue.
The dcacon's under jaw dropped; he
had half a mind to be angry. but he
thought better of it, and broke into Il
| slow chuckle.
MIR. Midway" he said, turning to
| the young man. "be warned in time!
You see what tricks these women folks
will always be up tor
But Mr. Mildmay, who had some.
how or other got hold Of Elias hand
under the folds of the table cloth, did
not seem to heed these words of wis
dom as deeply as he should have done.
Ladies'" he said, there's bushel
of oysters out in the wagon, that | was
taking home. If you will build up a
good fire well have roast, and I'll be
head cook. | suppose you've got
plenty Of good bread and butter2'
Eyes, and nice hot coffee" said Mr.
Smart. make hast, Ella, and start
the fire TO blaze, and Wen stimulate
il with machine oil and cheap pins"
The deacon sat by and made nc
dcmur.
He only laughed in shoepish, silen
sort of way.
And they dined Off hot roast oysters
bread and butter and coffee.
Towards the close of the rcpast {
stout, itinerant vender, with baslie
on his arm, tapped on the door,
81 hope ! see your honor we'll" sale
he, with the regular professional
whine. "Will zee buy something to
day2 Pins, needles, shoe-lGces, hair
pins, or a little"
But Deacon Smart shut the door il
the very midst Of his oily Grafton.
mo" he said.
And that monosyllable sealed Mrs
Smart's triumph for good and all
Helen Forest Graves.
TIC doulourouX or neuralgia can be per
| mnncntlY CURED by the nso OF Salvation oil