Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1890-02-06
A DOMESTIC CHRONICLE.

"Wen, my dear. said Mr.. Cavendish,
entering his wife's room, I've sent that
girl of yours about her business.
Mrs Clavendish looked up with a start.
She was buttoning Bob's apron, patiently
following him about the room as he frisked
after the cat.
''What?" said she, in a dismayed voice
Il spoke distinctly enough, didn't L
haye-discharged-Lucy!'
''What for james,"
''Insolence that's all. y
but Lucy never could have been inso-
lent, " pleaded Mrs. Cavendish, twitching
off the last button from Bob's apron in her
perturbation.
ooh, couldn't she though? just wish
you had been there, that's all. =
''What did she say, James ?"
II 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 all the world depended up
on it. ~
But, James, the poor girl is nearly
frantic with toothache this morning"
s. can't help that; she has no business
to answer me impudently. 1t wasn't the
words so much-it was the manner"
Poor Lucy! And you have discharged
her!'
That's you all over, said Mr.. Caven-
dish, angrily. 81 believe you d take any
body else's part against me. Yes, of
course | discharged her. | told her to
have her things outside of the house in
two hours or Id fling them out of the
window
But, James, what am | to do?" said
Mrs Cavendish, who had by this time cap
tured Ethel, the second child, and was
buttoning her boots with nervous rapidity.
with one of my sick headaches coming
on, and Willie and Pen down with the
measles, and not soul to lift hand for
MEL
That's pretty question to ask" said
Mr.. Cavendish, standing with his han DIS in
his pockets. lone would think you women
were made of sugar or salt nowadays. Ny
mother had ten children-ten-an did
every stroke of work for EN- herself year in
and year out; and here you make such a
rumpus because you happen to be left with
out a servant for twenty-four hours be-
cause, of course, | shall stop at Virgins
and send you up Swede or a 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 l 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
impertinently. Now don't SWIVEL If
there is anything hate it is a scene. I'll
go down stairs and boil the coffee myself
and you hurry down with the children as
soon as you can. There plenty of bread
and butter and cold boiled ham, anyhow.
Nobody ever starved on that
Mr.. Cavendish had ''camped out" good
deal during his bachelor days, and succeed
ed 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
cow, and the milk had not vet been
brought In.
And that is what kept Lucy!" involun-
tarly cried Mrs. Cavendish.
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. drink
ing his hot coffee in prodigious gulps.
Healthy children have no business to be
dainty
And he caught up his hat and ulster and
made bee-line for the train.
Mr.. Cayendish looked piteously around
at the disordered table, the ash-choked fire,
the general desolation of the room Her
headache was gradually working itself up
to the supreme moment of desperation.
The children above stairs were crying for
breakfast; Bob was sailing his shoe In the
cedar pail of water; Ethel was feeding
the kitten from the can of condensed milk.
Ma, piped up Bob, there's a tramp
at the kitchen winderl"
But 1t was no tramp. 1t was Miles. the
stableman.
"0h, Miles, | am so glad" said Mrs.
CayendIsh 'Rou have brought us the
milk?"
Il haven't that, num-" said Miles.
The cows lost, an it an t meself is going
TO track her through the swamps and the
boys. If the master wants his COW took
care of he's got to pay me dollar week
more wages.
Got to, Miles? p
'Yis' mi" boldly retorted the man. 81
ant to be put upon no longer. DR.. Mil
Very well, said Mrs. Cavendish; ''you
may go!'
Ma ami" echoed the astounded SER
want.
You are discharged, +" said Mrs Caven-
dish, frmly-''at once!''
Miles skunk away and disappeared.
Mrs. Cavendish went up to her room
and after ministering as well as she could
to the wants of the poor little victim OF
measles she threw herself on the bed with
wet towel bound around her head and
despair in her heart
There's one comfort" said Mrs
Cavendish, gloomily smiling, IF he
discharged Lucy, have sent away Miles,
MIR. Cavendish had an unusually busy
day In the city. As he was hurryins
toward the depot in the afternoon he re-
membered that his mission to Mrs. Wig
gins famous Intelligence bureau" wa.
yet unfulflled.
"Confound it" said Mr.. Cayendish Il
himself. However, tomorrow will d.