The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1890-07-11
A DOMESTIC CHRONICLE.

OOU'GStt OtntOUlOLLt
''Well, my dear" said Mr.. Caven-
dish, entering his wife's room, ''Tvc
sent that girl of yours about her bust.
ness
Mrs. Cavendsh looked up with q
start. She was buttoning Bob's apron,
patiently following him about the room
as he frisked after the cat.
"What?" said she, in dismayed
voice.
II spoke distinctly enough, didn't /?
-have-discharged-Lucy"
What for, james,"
'Insolence; that's ALL"
'But Lucy never could have been in
solent," pleaded Mrs. Cavendish,
twitching off the last button from Bobs
apron in her perturbation.
'Oh. couldn't she, though? i just
wish you had been there, that's ALL"
What did she say james,"
II told her she was half an hour be-
hind with the breakfast and asked what
she meant by it, and she told me she
was doing the best she could and
couldn't do better if all tie world de-
pended upon it."
But, James, the poor girl is nearly
frantic with the toothache this morn
ing"
II can't help that; she has no bust
ness to answer me impudently. 1t
wasn't the words so much-it was the
manner"
Poor Lucy! And you have dis
charged her!'
That's you all over, F." said Mr.. Caven-
dish, angrily. Il 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
iu two hours or I'd fling them out of
the window"
''But. James what am to dop" said
Mrs. Cavendish, who had by this time
captured Ethel, the second child, and
was buttoning 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 me!''
That's Il 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 nowadays.s My mother had ten
work for 'em herself year in and year
out; and here YOU make such Il rumpus
because you happen to be left without
n servant for twenty-four hours-be-
cause. of course, / shall expect to stop
at Virgins and send you up Il Swede or
a Norwegian this afternoon"
Poor Mrs. Cayendish burst into tears.
James. . said she, Lucy was the
best girl have 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?"
II 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 90 downstairs and boil
the coffee myself-any one can make
coffee-and you hurry down with the
children as soon as you can. There's
plenty of bread and butter and cold
ham, anyhow. Nobody ever starved
on that"
Mr.. Cavendish had "camped out" a
good deal during his bachelor days,
and succeeded in preparing a remark
ably 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 Cavcndishes kept cow,
and the milk had not yet been brought
i'm.
Sand that is what kept Lucy!' in
voluntarily 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 'cm to it," said the father,
drinking his hot coffee in prodigious
gulps. Healthy children have no
business to be dainty"
And he caught up his hat and ulster
and made Decline for the train.
Mrs. Cavendish looked piteously
around at the disordered table, the ash
choked fire, general desolation of the
room. Her headache was gradually
working itself up to the supreme mo-
ment 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 tramp
at the kitchen winderw
But it was no tramp. 1t was Miles,
the stableman.
"Oh, Miles, am so gladr' said Mrs.
Cavsndish. You have brought us the
milkPn
Il haven't that, num-" said Miles.
'.The cows lost an it ant meself is
going to track her through the swamps
an Dogs. If the master wants his COW
took care of he's got to pay me dollar
week more wages"
Got to, Milesp"
"Yis'mr' boldly retorted the man.
81 ant to be put upon no longer, DR..
Miller's man"