The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1889-01-02

should have the blame. l tried to
hide my bitterness. and began to have
fear with regard to the pie; if that
should be failure l should be dis
graced indeed!
1t proved worse than ! had feared.
Reuben tasted a piece, laid down his
fork and said in tones that he tried to
have me think were those OF jest: "A
man never finds the pie-crust of to-day
what he reads of in novels. and pie
isn't fit for one to eat, any way, unless
unless he feels that his stomach is up
to the greatest effort of digestion, and
mine isn't to-day"
Then l knew that had utterly
failed-knew it before tried to taste
"A morsel of the heavy stuff l had so
recklessly put together, and had dared
to hope it might be even better than
my husbands mothers pie.
why do you try to make fun OF
mep" l burst out. "You at least might
have respected my intentions" | ad
ded, as | rose from the table flushed
and excited. Reuben followed me into
our little parlor, and tried to explain,
but it was not an explanation that
wanted. | had prepared myself for
unqualified praise; nothing but that
would satisfy me. can not tell how
il became a quarrel, this discussion OF
ours; but when Reuben turned with a
simple goodbye with no kiss, felt as
If my married happiness was already
wrecked. The afternoon wore away,
and was bathing my eyes in my room,
when heard a gentle knock, and Aunt
Patience entered. / ran to her, and
cried: "Oh, auntie! never needed you
more in my life than do now" With
out seeming to notice my wet eyes and
swollen face, she said: II suppose so,
my dear. ] hear that your girl is
gone, and young housekeepers find il
very hard getting on alone before they
have had experience.
Then sank into her friendly arm:
and told her all, not sparing myself in
the least. and trying to take most of
the blame OF the falling out between
Reuben and myself. "Oh, auntie, "
| sobbed, II remember your words on
that first night of our marriage; If l
had only believed it possible for me to
speak word that was unkind to my
husband, might have been saved all
this"
"Poor child!' she whispered, as she
did when | was a little girl and in
trouble, lit has come sooner than
could have thought, but let us rejoice
that there is time to save your married
joy"
] had dried my eyes, dressed myself
in a manner that Reuben liked, and
was full of the purpose to make up
with him. when / heard his we'll.
known step. He came in, gathered
me to himself, and said: my dear
wife, have been a miserable man all
the afternOon!' Then he tried to take
all the blame to himself. which / would
not allow, and it ended by our going
down hand-in-hand to meet Aunt Pa.
tience, who sat cool and calm in the
parlor. She had few words of ad
vice and warning for us both, and she
said to my husbands:
"Your mistake lay in supposing thai
any woman could make a success O.
her first weeks housekeeping wher
sac had never received the training O
experience. Could you have gone into
your Office and have made things rur
smoothly at first triale No man il
wise who supposes that his wife
though she has all the gifts and gracc'
in the world, can be allowed a roya
road to perfection in this department
He must be willing to witness with pa
thence many failures in her expert
ment in this direction.
When she had finished her littl
lecture, she said: 'Now, Annie, If 70,
will come with me to the kitchen,
will make some tea rolls, and you ma,
watch me-"
l followed meekly, and looked on
observing the smallest detail. and the
returned to invite my husband out t
supper.
Aunt Patience remained with u
through the week. She was the teach
err, and the learner, and when m
girl came back was the mistress nc
only of the parlor and dining-room
but of the kitchen as well. tried ez
periments, made failures, had SUE
cesses, but watched results from Gel
tain causes, and conquered at last, nc
surely without labor and thought, br
the gain is worth all l gave to it, an
now l can do thing gracefully with
out fear, and seemingly without etfor
and Reuben's praise is more to m
than that of all the world beside.
Mrs. ". r. BaidWin, in Christian I
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