Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1893-11-02


sort. and frequently have to go over
one sentence several times. asked
Augustus to rclread once or twice, but
II annoyed him, so only listened moro
intently, and said nothing II did not
understand. had just put my dough
on the molding board when Mrs. Eos.
ter came into tho kitchen, she is my
ncxt-door ncighbor and never uses any
ceremony. Augustus does not approve
OF her. because he thinks she is such
gossip; and so she is, but she is kind.
hearted aud IA excellent neighbor, and
well, ! suppose am not as adverse TO
hearing a little gossip as ought TO
be, having such high-toned husband
but wished she was in Guinea just
then. She and Augustus both looked
sheepish when they saw each other,
and she set down the cup OF
starch which she had borrowed,
and, saying thnt she could not
stay minute, turned again TO
the door. followed, for thought
ought TO be civil. She stopped to tell
me that the head of the family that
had moved In opposite was detective,
and that there was a case of scarlet
fever on tic next block. Augustus had
a resigned look when | returned, but
he magnanimously said nothing. In
five minutes more the grocer's boy
came for orders, but that did not de-
tain us long. 1t seemed as though my
rolling-pin had never made SO much
noise, and my head began to throb with
the effort to listen, and it became still
worse when began the lively process
of baking and rolling out at the same
time; every now and then Augustus
would glance up, as much as to say:
"Thcre's fine passage for YOU" and !
would smile in vacant sort of way to
show him that appreciated it. At one
place he stopped and enlarged upon the
subject in way which was very inter-
esting, but knew ought to look in
the oven, and hated to interrupt him,
so waited till he turned to his volume
and then found two tins of cakes
burned black. was so thankful he
did not notice 1.-THE is such an econo-
mist; but it is very true that he is mot
man whose train of thought is inter-
rupted by trifles."
After the cakes were rolled out and l
had nothing to do but watch the oven l
managed to grasp the thought little
better; but just as was removing the
cakes from tin and my attention was
momentarily diverted he turned to me
with the exclamation: "Therel isn't
that we'll put?" Eyes, indeedr' said
with emphasis; and the lie troubled my
conscience for two days thereafter.
Our little three-year-old Isabel, who
had been playing in the sunshine on
the front porch, now came in, wheel
ing her doll-carriage. "You must be
very quiet If you stay here" whis-
pered; papa is reading" The little
darling meant to be very obedient, and
it was amusing to hear her talking to
her doll in pretty, broken accents:
200 must be till, dolly, and hear papa
wead." In spite of myself was more
interested in her than in the momentous
questions which were being settled by
| her father and his old instructor. l
had turned toward the child, and sup
pose Augustus glanced up as he had
done before, expecting to meet re-
Spouse on my face, and found me nap
ping. He came to an ominous stop. lis
it possible, Maria. that you are not in
terested?" he said, coldly. "0h, yes!"
l answered, humbly. "Do excuse me,
Augustus, but she is SO cunningr'
THAT is true" he replied, his severity
disappearing as he looked fondly at the
little prattler; for, as remarked be-
fore, he is very affectionate father
The cakes were now all out of the
oven, and sat with eyes fixed upon the
reader, determined that nothing should
divert eye or brain; but there came q
knock at the door; answered it; it
was tramp, Misunderstanding fell
low who wanted something to eat
Augustus never allows me to feed these
Migrants, and | dismissed him quite
CURLY, and turned away. He opened
the screen door and followed me into
the kitchen; he beat a hasty retreat us
soon as he saw Augustus, who has such
a commanding presence that even a
tramp is affected by it.
| Iseated myself again, and in about
three minutes Isabel, the enforced
quiet having become irksome, began to
trundle the doll carriage over the bare
floor in most distracting manner.
ooh. do wait minute, until can dis
pose of this childl'' / cried. l took her
into the dining-room and brought out
some toys which she is allowed to have
only on state occasions, and hurried
back. The end Of chapter was soon
reached, and Augustus announced that
he thought that would do for that
morning, and disappeared up the back
stairs. | thought afterward that
did not express my gratitude
as ! ought; but / had happened
to glance at the clock as ! came
in from the dining-room, and l was
startled to find how near dinner-time
it was. Augustus is SO punctual, and
does not want the time of his meals to
vary minute; so, though it is great
help toward forming correct habits tc
live with such person, am extreme
ly nervous II get behindhand Another
aggravation was that when went tc
set the table found that Isabel hat
marred in shocking manner the face
of the handsome wax doll that Angus
tus' mother gave her last Christmas
saying that with care it would last un
til she was done playing with dolls. Il
was all my fault. too, for giving it t.
her.
Dinner was late, of course. / know
Augustus was annoyed, though he wa!
kindly silent on the subject. 1t seemed
as though | never should get my
dinner dishes washed, and then hat
to go to bed with a nervous headache
Augustus has never offered to read t.
me since, nor referred to the book