Milford chronicle. [volume] (Milford, Del.) 1878-1974, 1885-10-23

waxing vehement as she went VH'
"Ebenezer is unwilling to give me
money to buy decent darning-needles
and respectable tape. He wonders
why I can't make my dresses last a
little longer, and thinks am extrava-
CANT in wanting a new feather for my
old velvet hat He announces that
use too many raisins and spices, and
asks me why 1 can't raise eggs and
poultry to exchange for groceries at
the village store. And yet-oh. the
inconsistency of menl-he expects me
to give a bowl of coffee and a sand
witch, to say nothing of wedges OF
apple-pie and three-cornered bits of
cake. to every able-bOdied tramp and
stout peddler- who comes
along"
doesn't he make any allowance for
it in the housekeeping money! said
Ella
"Not hel Just look here" Mrs.
Smart opened the drawer of the kitch-
en-table. This is where l keep the
house-money, which he gives me every
week-and he came here twice this
morning to get a quarter for lame
beggar, and to hunt up ten pennies
for that same outrageous paper of
pinsl"
And she cast baleful glance at the
article, which still lay on the dresser.
"This is piracy" said Ella, judicially.
'It's highway robbery" declared
Mrs. Smart. "And there comes the
butcher's-cart, and haven't money
enough left from my weeks allow
ance to buy a single steak, and here it
is only Wednesday,"
Cant you buy on credit?'
'NeverT said Mrs. Smart, with
spirit. "Its thing that never have
done, and that I never will dol"
Elias brown eyes sparkled, as she
shook her head vehemently at the
butcher, who was just checking his old
horses at the door.
"Nothing to-day" said she. "Go orr
Mrs. Smart dashed away tear.
"Give me some of that shelled corn,
Ella said she. 81 suppose I can
catch chicken for dinner"
"Do nothing of the Sort my dear,
said Ella Dale.
But what are we to do?"
"Why, have a picked-up dinner, to-
be-surer answered Ella. "Just leave
me to manage it."
"But Pm afraid the deacon won't
like it."
"Well, and if he doesn't? You don't
like the peddler business, do you" re-
torted Ella Dale.
At one o'clock the table was all
spread, with three huge central plat
tiers carefully shielded with the covers
which were ordinarily brought out
only on state occasions, and Mrs
Smart and Ella were peeping out OF
the window, and wondering what
kept the deacon so late.
"There he comes now" said Mrs.
Smart. Good gracious mel and there
is Willis Mildmay with hlml We never
counted on him bringing company ia
dinner Ella"
"What signifies company?" said
Ella, stoutly maintaining her compos-
ure, although her pretty face had turn
ed pink all over, like a June rose
'WiIis Mildmay won't care when he
comprehends it all. Willis is a sensi
bic man."
"Come in, Mr.. Smart-come in, Mr.
Midway" said Mrs. Smart. "You'r'
half an hour late, Ebenezer. Ella ant
1 could not imagine what had become
of YOU"
II hope 1 am not intrudingP' sale
Mr.. Mildmay, looking at Ella Dale al
if a glance at her rosy face was all the
dinner that he wanted.
ooh, not in the leastP said Mrs
Smart. "Pray sit down. We hay'
,, but a plain dinner to-day; but it is al
that my housekeeping allowance
would admit"
mo apologies, my DEAR" said Dea
con Smart-"nO apologies. Hunger i
the best sauce, as we well know"
Aud thereupon they all seated them
selves, and the deacon whisked off thu
big platter-covers, with countenanc
of expectation.
"Hellop said the deacon.
There, upon the centre plate, lay tn
eighteen pale-green papers of pins
At the right and left, on smaller plat
t tiers, were arranged the cards Of pOrce
lain buttons and the rolls of tapl
!, while the bottles of machine-oil an
packages of stove-blaclling were al
! ranged like a child's block-house on
: side-table, beneath white napkin, b
!, way of dessert.
1 Ella Dale burst out laughing. Mr.
Smart joined in. Willis Mildmay
: spurred on by this infectious sounC
+ laughed too, although he had not tn
b least idea what he was laughing a
: The deacon stared as if he had sudden
q " become all eyes.
; "Juliana." said he, "what is tn
= meaning of this?"
{; ut means, Ebenezer." his wife II
i; sponded, "that you have spent m