St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1889-11-30
LEARNING A LESSON.
There May Be knowledge Not
Worth the Purchase.

mot happy" cried Mrs Secor.
genuine amazement. as she sat lool
ing at the pretty rose-cheeked brid
who had been her graduating scholar
six months before. and who had no'
attained 10 the dignity of wedding
ring and the prefix OF Mrs"
I'm the most wrc:ched creature i
the world" said Lally Vane. crushin
back a great hysterical lump out o
her throat, so that the dry y-goOds clerl
who stood on the opposite side of tn,
counter. showing Mrs. Sccor som,
domestic shectings," should not sur
mise her inward disturbance.
..Lally." said the good lady pre-
ceptress of St Sigmunds Academy
''are you in earnest?"
''Never was more so in my life,
dolorously answered Mrs. Vane, pre-
tending TO be absorbed in the fringe o
a pile Of toweling. I've only com,
up to town because Icouldn't be happy
down in the country"
''But your husband?"
''Oh. he's all right" responded the
bride. ''Only. of course, he can't rc
spect me. now that he sees what Z
wretched nonentity he has married. y
Mrs. Secor paid for her goods, wrote
out the address to which they were te
be sent an6 then. taking Mrs. Vane't
arm. led her out into the bright. spark.
ling autumn air, and looked her full in
the face.
.'Now. Lally," said she, "tell me
what all this means"
The young creature threw her arms
passionately about the old lady's neck
'Oh. dear! Mrs. Secor!' she cried
out, ''why didn't you teach me to make
bread and pies. and churn butter, and
weave rag carpet instead Of loga-
rithms. and guitar practice. and an
cient history? I'm failure. Mrs. Secor
"a dead failure in life. My mother
in-law says that I'm no better than a
wax doll, and she's right And if l
knew of any way to help Joe to a d.
vorce. Id do it,"
oh" said Mrs. Secor. beginning
dimly to comprehend matters. Il see.
You don't succeed as housekeeper"
That's it. exactly" said Lally.
The griddle-cakes burn. and the bread
is scOrched. and the rice pudding
tastes smoky, and the recipes cont
come right. and my plum pudding
looks like mud. Oh. dear!-and Joe's
cousin. Melissa, is impertinent, all be-
cause she knows what little silly stu
pid l ar3r'
M. DEAR" said Mrs. Secor. ..all
this is very foolish of you. There is
no reason that you should not acquaint
yourself thoroughly with housekeep-
ing. The same brain that conquered
Mathematics and mastered history
need not quail before few details ap-
pertaining to porcelain kettles and
spice-boxes."
"Ah! but" sighed Lally. ':you don't
know how hard it is"
Try" said Mrs. Secor. PUT YOUR
whole soul into it. Determine that
you sciH succeed"
So Mrs. Vane went back, deter
mined to succeed!''
Meanwhile. Joe Vane, the handsome,
warm hearted young Hercules of a |
husband. was pleading his wife's cause
with the domestic Vehmgcricht at |
home.
.'She is SO young. you know" said
ne.n
..She's twenty" said old Mrs. vane,
/ Medusa-like female. with high cheek
bones. and light blue eyes like balls Of
steel; land when was twenty l did
he whole work of your fathers farm.
Joseph, and had twins into the bar
.ain."
"And she's inexperienced. too"
dded Joe; '.just out of boarding.
chool. you must remember"
STUFF and nonsense?" said Miss Me-
issa. the elderly cousin, who had been
when Joe married the
retty young girl instead of her au-
umnal SELF lis a woman expected to
c set on the mantel-tree. and covered
p with glass shade? Folks has got
, work. say |. If they expect to eat"
I'VE are none of us human butter
ies," said grandmother. mildly; ''and
your wife really loves you, Joseph.
will be her greatest pleasure to save
our money and study your interests. +,
Joe whistled in an unconcerned sort s
way. La!ly was Lally. he thought
OF Melissa, nor grandmother, nor yet
Id Mrs. fana u