The Warner sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1885-1???, 1886-02-26


ness of calico, and to deprive you of
your temper just when you need it
most; six cards of porcelain buttons,
an article which | never use; nine pack
ages of stove-blacking, thirteen
bottles of machlne-oil, FIVE pa
pers of rusty needles; a dozen pairs of
shoe-string, and eight rolls Of tape,
which is an insult to ones common
sensel If | could reconcile it to my
conscience, I'd fling the whole collec-
ton into the fire; but / was brought
up to economic. What do youthink,
Ella, would it be a sin to annihilate
all these pitfalls to my equanimity?"
cit is rather a large problem" said
Ella, soberly.
"And with all this, said Mrs. Smart
waxing vehement, as she went on,
"Ebenezer is unwilling to give me
money to buy decent darning-needles
and respectable tape. He wonders
why | can't make my dresses
last q little longer, and thinks / am
extravaganza in wanting q new feather
for my old velvet bonnet. He says
that | use too many raisins and spices,
and asks me why | can't raise poultry
and have eggs to exchange for grocer
les at the village store. And yet-oh
the inconsistency of men-he expects
me to give a bowl of coffee and sand
wich, to say nothing of wedges of APP
pie pie, and hree-cornered bits of cake,
to every able-bodied tramp and stout
peddler-woman that happens to come
along"
Doesn't he make any allowance for
it in the housekeeping money!" asked
Ella.
'.Not he! Just look here!" Mrs.
Smart opened the drawer of the kitch-
en-table. "This is where / keep the
housekeeping money-which he gives
me every week-and he came here twice
this morning-oncet to get a ~quarterfor
a lame beggar, and again to get ten
pennies for that same outrageous pa
per of pins!"
And she cast a baleful glance at the
article which still lay on the dresser.
"This is piracy" said Ella, judi
ciously,
Its highway robberyl" declared
Mrs. Smart. "And here comes the
butchers cart, and l haven't money
enough left from my weeks allowance
to buy a single steak, and here it is
only Wednesday,"
Cant you buy on credit"
Never" said Mrs. Smart, with
spirit. 'It's a thing never havedone
and | never will dol"
Elias hazel eyes spanked, as she
shook her head vehemently at the
butcher, who was just checking his old
horses at the door.
Nothing to-day" she said.
Mrs. Smart dashed away a tear.
'Give me some of that shelled corn,
Ella" she said. 81 suppose / can
catch a chicken for dinner"
"Do nothing of the sort, my DEAR"
said Ella.
But what are we to do?"
"Why, have a picked-up dinner"
answered Ella. "You just leave me
to manage it for YOU"
"But I'm afraid the Deacon won't
like it." said Mrs. Smart.
"Well, and if he doesn't? You don't
like the peddler business, do your"
quickly retorted Ella.
At one o'clock the table was all
spread, and three huge central platters
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, nowl" said Mrs.
Smart. Good gracious me! And
there is Willis Mildmay coming home
with himl We never counted on his
bringing company" asked Ella, stout
ly maintaining her composure, though
her pretty face had turned pink all
over, like a June rose. willis Mild
may won't care when he comprehends
it all. Willis Is a sensible man."
"Come in Mr.. Smart--come in Mr..
Mildmay," said Mrs. Smart, Your
half an hour late, Ebenezer. Ella and
/ could not imagine what had become
of YOU"
II hope / am not intruding!" said
Mr.. Mildmay, looking at Ella as ifone
glance at her rosy face was all the DIM
ner that he wanted.
ooh, not in the least!, said Mrs.
Smart. pray sit down. We have
but a plain dinner to-day, but that is
all that my housekeeping allowance
would admit"
NO apologies my dear" said Dea-
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
whisked off the big platter covers with
a countenance 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 plat
tiers, we're arranged the cards ofporce-
lain buttons, and the rolls Of tape,
and the shoe-strings, while the bottles