The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1890-01-03
A DOMESTIC CIRCLE.

sent that girl OF yours about her busi-
ness"
Mrs. Cavendish looked up with a
start. She was buttoning Bob's apron.
following him about the room
us he friskcd after the cat.
"Whatp" said she, IN a dismayed
voice.
II spoke distinctly enough. didn't
II I-have-discharged-Lucya"
"What for, Jamesp"
"1nsolence; that's ALL"
"But Lucy never could have been in
solcnt," pleaded Mrs. Cavendish.
twitching off the last button from Bob's
apron in her perturbation.
"Oh, couldn't she, thought just
wish you had been there, that's ALL"
"What did she say, Jamesa"
Il told her she was half an hour be.
hind with breakfast aud asked her
what she meant BY 1t. and she told me
she was doing the best she could and
couldn't do better II all the world de.
pended upon it."
but, JauaastAs poor girl is nearly
frantic with toothache this morning. I"
Il can't help that; she has no busi-
ness to answer me impudently. 1t
wasn't the words so much-it was the
manner"
Poor Lucy! And you have dis
charged her!"
"rhat's you all over" said Mr..
Cavendish. angriIy. II believe you'd
take anybody else's part against me.
Yes, of course, discharged her.
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 child, and
was buttonihg her boots with nervous
rapidity. with one of my sick head
aches coming on, and Willie and Pen
down with the measles, and not soul
to lift hand for mel"
"rhat's pretty question to ask, :"
said Mr.. Cavendish, standing with his
hands In his pockets. "One would
think you women were made o; sugar
Or salt nowadays. My mother had ten
children-ten-and did every stroke of
work for 'em herself year in and year
out; and here you make such rumpus
because you happen to be left without
q servant for twenty-four hours-be-
cause, of course. shall expect to stop
ut 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 have ever had. You should
not have sent her out OF tho house in
this way. How would you like 1t If I
went down to your Wholesale boot and
shoe place and discharged your
clerks ?''
II should say you did perfectly
right" returned Cavendish, "if they
answered you impertinently. Now
don't snivel! II there is anything l
hate 1t is scene. I'll go down stairs
and boil the coffee lnyself-eny one
can make coffee-and you hYyry down
with the children as soon aak You Gun.
There's plenty of bread and butter and
cold-boiled ham, anyhow. Nobody
ever starved on that. '
Mr.. Cavendish had 1e4mped out" q
good deal during his tichelor days,
and succeeded in prep4Yng remark
ably good pot of coRye. The bread
and butter and cold m were not bad
of their kind. but children cried
kept COW, and vi milk had not yet
been brought inZ
"And that is Enat kept Lucyr' In
voluntarily cH "a Mrs. Cavondish.
"Condensak milk is good enough for
anybody" asserted Mr. Cavendish.
But Bob gDd Ethel declined to drink
iton my tefms.
"Starve'em to it," said the father.
drinkingihls hot coffee in prodieious
gulps. Ji'Healthy children have no
business to be dainty"
Aud he caught up his hat and ulster
and made IL bce-linc for tho train.
Mrs. Cavcndish looked piteously
around at the disordered table. the ash
choked fire, the general desolation Of
the room. Her headache was gradual
ly 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 tho
kitten from the can OF condensed milk.
MA" piped up Rob, "there's q
tramp at the kitchen windcr!''
But it was no tramp. 1t was Miles,
the stablcman.
"Oh, Miles, am so gladr' said Mrs.
Cavcndish. "You have brought us the
milk?''
II haven't that. num-" said Miles.
THE cows lost. an it ant meself is
going to track her through the swamps
an bogs. If the master wants his COW
took care of hos got to pay me dollar
a week moro wages"
"Got to, Miles?"
"Yis'm!" boldly retorted the man.
II ant TO be put upon no longer. DIR.
Miller's man"
"very WE'LL" said Mrs. Cavendish;
"you MAY go"'
"Ma'm!'' echoed the astonished SER
want
You are discharged" said Mrs.
Cavendish. firmly-"at once!'
Miles skunk away and disappeared.
Mrs. Cavendish went up to her room,
and after ministering as we'll 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, I have sent away
Miles!'
Mr.. Cavendish had an unusually
busy day in the city. As he was hur-
rying toward the depot in the after
noon he remembered that his mission
to Mr.. Virgins famous "intelligence
bureau was yet unfulfilled.
"Coniound it!' said MIR. Cavendish
to himself. "iowever, tomorrow will
H. :,,nk ~. ..~n ...s.S