Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-12-09

BLESS my life, what a voice! Has the
woman swallowed a tin trumpet?" he
exclaimed in an aside to my husbands;
she must think me as deaf as she, is her.
SELF
II am not deaf at ALL stammered,
putting down my sleeves and preparing
to leave the room.
mot deaf he asked in the same key
as before; then why do you shout SO
loud?''
Because I thought you We're So" I re-
piled, lowering my voice to it's natural
pitch.
"Pshaw!' he said, coloring with vexa-
ton: that's one of your stupid practical
jokes, Tom. Excuse me, madam"
| laughed and made my escape from
the room. my family pride and dignity
fairly upset. l was vexed and angry
though tried not to show it.
| had some soup left over from the day
before; I told Betty to warm it over,
and she. thinking to "liven it up a Bit"
as she said, let the cover fall from the
pepper box and nearly the Whole con-
tents went into the kettle of our =.
I was too bashful to attempt any
apology. 1 felt ready to sink when I
saw my new brother-in-laW, after taking
a few spoonfuls push the plate away.
and hastily swallow some water. | had
SKINNED the soup several times, but it
was as eppery as ever.
why, Mary, what nave we here?' said
my husband. following his brothers ex-
ample, while tears came to his eyes as
he looked up. half %strangled.
l stammered out something about not
expecting anybody to dinner. since he
had told me that his brother was not to
com for a couple of days yet; and then.
perceiving my blunder, tried to cover 1t
by Offering some excuse for Betty's care
lessness. l had better been silent for
Betty was just in time to hear this, and
1 had 80 added Apo 1on -AirrI, + n ,,1Vy
troubles.
But the crowning disaster was yet to
come, through my weakness Of trying to
make the best of things. Perhaps now
that l have had so much experience, 1
may call it by another name, and say it
arose from the foolish love Of making
things appear better than they were. In
plain English, love of display had Tempt
ed me to purchase this handsome. snowy
tureen, because having one handle
broken off, l could get it at about half
price. l thought I could fasten it On with
cement and the dish would be such a
handsome decoration upon the table at
Christmas time. At all events the desire
to possess so handsome an article over
came my prudence, and I bought 1t. in
stead of a plain, substantial one, and
this day my modification was to be COM
pletcd by means of it.
hen BETTY came to remove the things
to place the dessert upon the table, to my
horror and CONSERVATION, the cemented
handle gave way, and the tureen slipped
from her hand while the contents Went
pouring over the table. spattering upon
and smearing the clothes Of our guest,
and tricklins down upon the nice carpet.
Betty, whose temper was never one OF
the sweetest, forgot herself entirely, and
exploded, venting the little spite she had
been nursing for the last hour upon me.
"There, I told you, Mrs. Barnard, that
would hammer before the wear was out.
Pound foolish, and penny wise l never
see any good come of puttied things yet"
| Knew Wen enough what my husband
thought on the occasion, for he had many
times, and in SO many ways, tried to im-
press upon my min the value of plain.
substantial worth over outside show OF
any kind, that l was humbled and morti-
fed beyond expression. He hated preten-
sion of any sort, and nothing disturbed
him like an attempt on my part to make
things appear what they were mott. L
| burst into a flood of tears and left the
room.
| discovered afterwards that my hus-
band'S brother was more matter-Of-fact.
and hated outside show more heartily
thar my husband, and he would have
liked me all the better for my blackened
fingers. if l had not been so weak as to be
slammed of them. 1t was my useless at
tempt at display that made him think
that 'Brother Tom had made a fool Of
himself, and married a girl for her pretty
face, who had no COMMON sense"
But thanks to the forbearance of both
my husband and his brother, I was per-
suaded that it saves a great deal of
time and trouble, to say nothing of the
morality of the subject, to pass things
for just what they are worth, and the
rest of the holiday season was spent
PLEASANTLY and profitably by us all