Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1895-04-18
AN ARCADlAN DREAM.

said the young wife, sobbing. "Bere-
nice is a. name for a princess or a
countess. Peggy or Polly would do
well enough for receiving orders
through the kitchen speaking-tube.
And what was the use of making up
nv mind to be an old mans darling
rather than a young mans slave when
it turns out like this
But it can't turn out just as you
say, my dear, said Mrs. Royal. "Give
me the particulars. More is to be
gained by submission than revolt, es-
pecially when the husband is much
older than the wife.
Submit cried young Mrs. Fisher.
"Nol I will never do that-never +.
Do you suppose l married rich man
to do the housework ?'
LET me hear the particulars, Bere-
nice, repeated Mrs. Royal.
"Well, mamma, said young Mrs
Fisher, "you know l went into "a house
full of servants-excellent ones, too
Josiah was very atfectionate, as he al
WAYS is, and all he asked me to do was
to tie his cravat, and pin rose into
his buttonhole, and to go to the door
and throw kisses to him of morning.
And after while it was, Get my slip
pers, darling. Run for my umbrella.
Where is my handkerchief? Very
tiresome, but to be expected. Then
very soon it was, Let us send the SER
wants away at meal times, and wait on
ourselves at table. It's so delicious
to be quite aloneH OF course ! agreed !;
and now comes this astonishing prop
osition-dissmis all the servants; live
for each other I'm to do the cooking
for him, iron his shirts--black his
boots, for all l know Not for econ
omy's sake, but to make life beauti-
ful Oh, | sha mt endure it. can
not, mamma | shall quarrel If he
persists l did not marry rich man
to be cook and laundress. /
"Be quiet, darling, " said Mrs. Royal
Listen to me little while. Let him
have his own way, that you may have
yours in the end. 1t is an amiable
caprice humor it. -
A long conversation between mother
and daughter followed, and the result
was that when Mr.. Fisher returned to
his home that afternoon he found his
wife fairly beaming with smiles
"Well, Berenice, my pet, have you
been thinking of the ideal life | pro-
posed? You did not seem to appre-
ciate the notion quite as thoroughly as
I expected this morning.
I'm afraid l did not, darling, said
young Mrs. Fisher. "But l ran over
IN mamma :. and she was so enthusi-
astic over it. "
"Was she? was she?' cried the hus-
band in amazement. Il fancied that
she would rather oppose it."
"Oh' you don't know mamma,
said Berenice. Josiah, while you are
doing it, why not get cottage and a
COW and chickens? | would like to
milk, and make butter, and hunt for
eggs. And we might have few pigs. -
well begin by degrees" said Mr..
Fisher.
a suppose We'll have to, Josiah, -
said Berenice; "but I'm wild to take
things in hand. Pay the servants up
to the end of their months tomorrow,
and pack them off, and you'll have
nice, homemade cooking right away.
Dear me !" said he, II shall spend
most of my time watching you at work,
in little white apron, with your
sleeves rolled up
ooh, how nicel" she cried, kissing
him. ooh, make haste about it, Jo-
siah.
Josiah obeyed. By the following
night the servants had all departed.
Only Berenice remained in the house,
though she had visit from her moth
er. The table was set for grand
dinner, and as Mrs. Fisher opened the
door small figure appeared at the
head of the basement stairs.
who's that?" he cried.
Your little wife" was the reply.
Berenices face was adorned with
smears and smudges, so were hef
hands, SO was her white apron.
"Some accident, darling?' be cried
in alarm.
mo, love" answered Berenice.
"Why do you ask ?
He did not like to tell her that she
had dirty face, so he laughed, and
as she threw herself into his arms en-
braced her like very knight of cour-