Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1889-10-10
HOUSEHOLD TYRANTS.
The Species Is by No Means Con.
fined to One Sex.

No.
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
oil. Some time ago l 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 l
asked:
''But how can you afford such hand
some thingsP / can not even think of
making such purchases
She gave me an intent look, then.
dropping her voice confdentially,
said:
81 save 1t out of the housekeeping
For long time / have saved at least
half of my monthly allowance, and
this month l will save more. I want
to buy me a now silk-something
really elegant"
But" / said. "can you save SO
much and still make your family CON-
fortablep'
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 ter
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! Oh"
Hush! If corn-bread and milk il
good enough for me, it ought to b.
good enough for the rest OF you," she
answered, sternly.
Eyes, but ma, you Ike it and all thu
rest OF us hate it. Why can't we evel
have any thing the rest of us likeP"
That will do If you are not hun
cry enough to eat what we have, yol
can go without"
| hastily tookHeave. AMI as / shu
the front gate l heard the poor LITTLE
fellow burst into a perfect storm o
sobs. l no longer envied her tn
beautiful things she had bought. Sh'
had paid too dearly for them. Afte
that l used to watch her children
passing by on their way to school
Their once ruddy faces grew saliov
and pinched, while deep scowls of dis
content and discomfort became habit
ual to them. In few weeks tn
mother returned my visit, arrayed il
the ''really elegant" silk dress. A
soon as there was an opportunity
asked:
"And how are your children" Sh
frowned.
II don't know what ails them, the.
seem so droopy and cross. The,
were such healthy babies, and thei
father and |, too, have always bee
strong-I don't understand it'll sup
pose / shall have to take them some
where for change, but it seems a.
awful Extravaganza
May not such woman be, withou
exaggeration, likened to vampire
draining the life blood, or its equiva
lent, from the family to indulge her
selfp never returned that visit, an
could only think of her afterward
with loathing.
A friend / used to have lived a shor
distance from town, on fruit farm
One spring day / heard she was ge'
ting ready for her usual summer triI
SO l, thimble in pocket, went out
spend the day and help with he
preparations. She received me JOY
fully. and we were soon deep in tn
mysteries of ruffles and cores. Thong
not intimately acquainted, had love
her dearly. That night l went nom
thinking her a selfish little beast
dinner time her husband came in tire
and hungry. She had left me sewing
and gone out half an hour before
the kitchen and now called us out
dinner. The table was set with oea'
tiful china, and there was a disn
SQUASH and a small plate of bread an
butter, and pitcher Of water. notl
ing else. She made no reference
the scanty fare, but seemed to tnink
was all as it should be. did not cal
for myself. knowing that | would De
nv own hountiful table at tea-um
but l did pity her husband L kne
that he could have eaten every moull
ful upon the table and still be unsatl
6ed. The bread plate was SOC
emptied. He looked hesitatlngly
his wife and then said; =,
AMY dear, is there any more oreao'
~Yes." she said. without moVin'
81 only cut what / think will be cate
Il gets so dry.
.7st. r1ata In emutv,H ne sal