Orange County observer., 1903-07-16

rived, and with it the guests: all eager,
suppose, to see how Bob's wife could
entertain. I had cut flowers for the
occasion, and had ordered the ice cream
to be nodded in the form Of hearts. l
proposed to show them that ours was
an ideal maria age-none of the marry
you-for-y your-money kind Of partner.
ships, SO common nowadays.
AFTER We were all seated and fairly
launched I pressed the bell for Mary
Ann. AS she passed the currant jelly
to Aunt Amelia in the cut-glass dish
that Aunt Sarah had given us for that
purpose thought detected peculiar
look Oh her face. In fact, she looked
up two or three times as though She
We're going to speak, and then she set
tied back in her chair again. I began
to get nervous, for didn't know but
that in opening the jar Mary Ann had
broken the glass, and accidentally
sprinkled some of it in the jelly. But
when it came around to me [ could
see nothing wrong with it. I've al
ways understood that it was a trying
ordeal for young wife to be passed
upon by her husbands relatives, but
never did l imagine it was anything
like what I was suffering that day. AS
each dish was passed with it's respect.
i've fork OF spoon-each a gift from
some one OF those present -reposin.
carelessly on it, I watched to see this
smile Of qualification which I couldn't
but believe would show itself upon
the face OF the donor, but to my sur
prise and modification, each helping
seemed to evoke the same peculiar
Amelia's face when she helped herself
to the jelly.
Il began to feel like a martyr at the
stake and I resolved, then and there,
never to invite another relative OF my
husbands to break bread with me
again. I noticed that they all seemed
to have a dreadful time, somehow,
managing their tea in the new cups
which mothers sister sent us from
New York. However. l thought that
possibly this was the first time in their
lives that they had ever been to q
swell luncheon, and pity rather than
| fear filed my heart. From then Oh
ness. and only prayed that the meal
would soon come to an end. AS the
| ice cream made its appearance, with
the spoons Aunt Mary had given US
lying alongside, on the cUt-Slass ice
| cream saucers that my Cwn uncle mac
given us, I again straigltcncd up and
grew talsative.
"I think those spoons, Aunt Mary,
[ called to where she sat, at the Other
end Of the table, ARE just as sweet as
they can be! What odd handles the3
have, too-so long, / thought I WcJll6
show her that the kind of ice-cHean
spoons that 1 had been accustomed t<
were entirely different.
eyes. my dear she answered
sweetly, that's so they can reach ti<
bottom Of the glass to stir uD the lem
onade'
II could feel the color rush to m!
checks I was so fustered that JUS
said, Silly, why, of course
"'That's what I told you I though
they were for, put in that husband O.
mine, but you said you knew better
and as it was only trlflng matter
anyway, I made up my mind that
|. shouldn't allow it to get us into ou
first quarrel And he smiled at N
from across the table. Now tina
you've met Aunt Amelia, why don
:. YOU find out what that spoon with tn
. holes in the bowl is for. I've mad m
| doubts all along about it being TO
jelly
"'Weu, I was going to tell you, NJ
dear. when the maid passed it to m
! with the jelly; then I was afraid you
r think me meGdlesome old woman,
l 1 concluded to let it CO. spoke up Aun
j: Amelia in such q friendly way, 'Dut
e really is a spoon for cracked Ice.
] never saw one before myself, and S
e I bought it because I wanted to slV
e YOU something that wouldn't be apt
t be duplicated The dear soul! 81
?, put it so sweetly that just got u
Il and went over to where she sat al
gave her a kiss.
: "sAnd now,' with a glance at m
r husband, that we're all so well a
e cuainted I don't suppose it would |
q out of place if I should ask some
V the others to explain the uses OF the
q sifts. would it?' At this they q
Y laughed good natured.y.
y "'Well,' began Uncle Harry. tho
It forks you used for oysters, the cle1
n told me were for strawberries, but
J. reckon it's all the same
That's what made the oysters