Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1890-05-08
A DOMESTIC CHRONICLE.

girl of yours about her business.
Mrs Cavend1sh looked up with start.
She was buttoning Bob's apron, patiently
following him about the room as he
frisked after the cat.
WHAT" said she in q dismayed
voice.
Il spoke distinctly enough, didn't l? I
-have-discharged-Lucy.'
What for, james,
''Insolence; that's all.
But Lucy could never have been inso-
lent" pleaded Mrs. Cavendish, twitching
off the last button from Bob's apron in her
perturbation.
"Oh, couldn't she though? just wish
you had been there, that's all.
What did she say, james,
Il told her she was half an hour behind
with breakfast and asked her what she
meant by it, and she told me she was
doing the best she could and couldn't do
better if the world depended upon it. "
But, James, the poor girl is nearly
frantic with a toothache this morning
81 can't help that; she has no business
the words so much - it was the manner. "
Poor Lucy! And you have discharged
her!"
That's you all over, said Mr.. Caven-
dish, angriIy. Il believe you'd take any
body else's part against me. Yes, of
course, I discharged her. I told her to
have her things outside of the house in
two hours or I'd fling them out of the
window
But, James, what am [ to do?' said
Mrs. Cavendish, who had by this time
captured Ethel, the second, and was but
toning her boots with nervous rapidity
with one of my sick headaches coming
on, and Willie and Ben down with the
measles, and not a soul to lift hand for
mel
That's pretty question to ask said
Mr.. Cavendish, standing with his hands
. in his pockets. ''One would think you
women were made of sugar or salt now
adays My mother had ten chiIdren--ten
and did every stroke of work for 'em
herself year in and year out; and here you
make such a rumpus because you happen
to be left without d servant for twenty-four
hours-because, of course | shall stop at
Virgins and send you up a Swede or
Norwegian this afternoon.
Poor Mrs Cavendish burst into tears.
James said She Lucy was the
best girl ever had. You should not have
sent her out of the house in this way.
How would you like it if | went down to
your wholesale boot and shoe place and
discharged your clerks?
Il should say you did perfectly right, >
returned Cavendish, IF they answered
you mpertinent!y Now don snivell. If
there is anything hate it is a scene. I'll
go down stairs and boil the coffee myself
and you hurry on down with the
children as fast as you can. There's
plenty of bread and butter and cold boiled
ham, anyhow. Nobody ever starved on
| that.
Mr.. Cavendish had ''camped out ii
good deal during his bachelor days, aid
! succeeded in preparing a remarkably good
pot of coffee. The bread and butter and
cold ham were not bad Of their kind. but
the children cried aloud for milk. The
! Cavendishes kept a cow, and the milk had
not yet been brought in.
And that is what kept LUCY" invol-
UNFAIRLY cried Mrs. Cayendish.
CONDENSED milk is good enough for
anybody asserted Mr. Cavendish.
But Bob and Ethel declined to drink it
on any terms.
"Starve EN- to it, said the father,
drinking his hot coffee in prodigious
gulps. =" Healthy children have no bust
ness to be dainty.
And he caught up his hat and ulster and
made bee line for the train.
Mrs Cavendish looked piteousl y around
at the disordered table, the ash-choked
fire, the general desolation of the room.
| Her headache was gradually working it.
selfup to the supreme moment of despera-
! ton. The children above stairs were cry
ing for breakfast; Bob was sailing his shoe
| in the cedar pail of water; Ethel was feed
! ing the kitten from the can OF condensed
milk.
Ma, piped up Bob ''theres tramp
! at the kitchen winder!'
| But it was no tramp. 1t was Miles, the
! stableman
ooh Miles, I am so gIad!" said Mrs
! Cavendish. You have brought us the
milk?"
Il haven't that, num-" said Miles.
The cows lost an it isn't mesself is
going to track her through the swamps
and the bogs. If the master wants his
COW took care of he's got to pay me a
dollar a week more wages"
Got to. Miles?''
''Yis'm!' boldly retorted the man. Il
amt to be put upon no longer. DR..
Miller man.
Very well, said Mrs. Cavendish; you
may GO"
Ma ami" echoed the astounded SER
want.
You are discharged, said Mrs
Cavendish, frml y-''at once!'
Miles skunk away and disappeared
! Mrs Cavendish went up to her room,
and after ninistering as well as she could
to the wants of the poor little victims OF
measles she threw herself on the bed with
a wet towel bound around her head and
despair in her heart.
There's one comfort, said Mrs. Cav
endish, gloomily smiling, ''if he discharg.
ed Lucy have sent away Miles"
Mr.. Cavendish had an unusually busy
day in the city. As he was hurrying to-
ward the depot in the afternoon he re-
membered that his mission to Mrs. Wig
gins famous intelligence bureau was
yet unfuIflled.
"Confound it, said Mr.. Cavendish tc
himself. However. tomorrow will dc
just as well: My mother did without any
help at all
At the station no buggy was in wait
ing.
L wonder what that lazy villain Mile:
is about?'' said Mr.. Cavendish, darl
frown gathered upon his brow. He may
think he's got a snug place of it. bu
I'll teach him m not to be trihed with. ;
When he reached Althea lodge every
thing was disorganized. Ethel was pull
ing the feathers out of the peacock tail
Bob was galloping around the barn-yart
on the back of Pounce, the pony.
Were having such fun. pa he cried