Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1889-10-03
HOUSEHOLD TYRANTS.
The Species Il by No Means Con-
fined to One Sex.

The man who stints his family in
order to indulge himself has for SO
long been held up to the sccrn of the
reading public that the other side of
the subject has been entirely lost sight
OF. Some time ago I was calling on an
acquaintance. who had a number of
new purchases to display-articles of
furniture, decoration. ETC., and some
lovely table ware. Knowing her in
come to be no larger than my own I
asked:
"But how can you afford such hand
some things? I can not even think of
making such purchases"
She gave me an intent look, then,
dropping her voice confidentially,
said:
81 save it out of the housekeeping.
For a long time have saved at least
half of my monthly allowance, and
to buy me now silk-something
really elegant"
But" said, "can you save so
much and still make your family COM
fortable?''
II suppose they are comfortable
enough" she said, as if offended.
'I'm sure what's good enough for
me is good enough for them!'
She had detained me SO long bring
ing out one thing after another to dis
play, that tea-time approached, and
her little boy, child of nine or ten
years of age, came dashing in, say
ing:
20 ma! I'm so hungry! Is there
any thing for supper tonight"
Certainly. my son, we will have
the supper we always have"
1000 ma! Nothing but cold corn
bread and milk! ORR
flush! If corn-bread and milk is
good enough for me, it ought to be
good enough for the rest OF you,'' she
answered, sternly.
Eyes. but, ma, you lake it and all the
rest of US hate it. Why can't we ever
have any thing the rest of US like?"
THAT will do. If you are not hun
cry enough to eat what we have, you
can go without"
hastily took leave. AMI as I shut
the front gate heard the poor little
fellow burst into a perfect storm of
sobs. l no longer envied her the
beautiful things she had bought. She
had paid too dearly for them. After
that used to watch her children
passing by on their way to school.
Their once rudy faces grew sallow
and pinched. while deep scowls of dis
content and discomfort became habit
ual to them. In a few weeks the
mother returned my visit, arrayed in
the ''really elegant silk dress. AS
soon as there was an opportunity l
asked:
''And how are your childrenP" She
frowned.
Il don't know what ails them, they
seem SO droopy and cross. They
were such healthy babi es, and their
father and /. too, have always been
strong-I don't understand it, sup
pose 1 shall have to take them some
where for a change. but it seems an
awful Extravaganza
May not such woman be, without
exaggeration, Hkened to vampire,
draining the life blood, or it's equiva-
lent, from the family to indulge her.
self? / never returned that visit, and
could only think of her afterwards
with loathing.
A friend used to have lived a short
distance from town, on a fruit farm.
One spring day heard she was get
ting ready for her usual summer trip,
80 I, thimble in pocket, went out to
spend the day and help with her
preparations. She received me joy
fully, and We were soon deep in the
mysteries of ruffles and cores. Though
not intimately acquainted, had loved
her dearly. That night went home
thinking her selfish little beast At
dinner time her husband came in tired
and hungry. She had left me sewing,
and gone out half an hour before to
the kitchen and now called US out to
dinner. The table was set with beau
tiful china, and there was a dish of
squash and small plate of bread and
butter, and pitcher of water, moth
ing else. She made no reference to
the scanty fare, but seemed to think it
was all as it should be. did not care
for myself, knowing that i would be ut
my own bountiful table at tea-time,
but did pity her husband knew
that he could have eaten every mouth
full upon the table and still be unsatis-
fed. The bread plate was soon
emptied. He looked hesitatingly 1T
his wife and then said:
my dear. is there any more breada"
EYES," she said, withou. moving.
81 only cut what / think will be eaten;
# gets so dry"
THE plate Il empty" he said