Year: 1879

Maria Ann recently resolved to 90 to u
picnic. Maria Ann is my wife, unfortu-
nately.. She had determined to go alone 50
far as l was concerned, on that picnic ex-
cursion; but when heard about it deter
mined to assist. She pretended that she
was very glad, but don't believe that she
| was.


cit will TO you good to get away from
your work Il day, poor fellow ~ she said,
''and we shall so much enjoy cool morn
ing ride in the cars, and dinner in the
grove"


On the morning of that day, Maria Ann
got up at five o'clock. About three min
ulcs later she disturbed my slumbcrs, and
told me to come to breakfast. told her
wasn't hungry; but it didn't make any
difference, had to get up. The sun was
up! | had no idea that the sun began
business so early in the morning but there
he was.


;'Now," said Maria Ahu, "we must fly
around, for the cars start at half-past six.
Eat all the breakfast you can, for you won't
get anything more before noon"
could not cat anything at that time in
the morning, and it was well that 1 could
not, for had all l could do. There was ice
to be pounded, to go round the pail of ice
u. i
thought l never should get the legs of the
chickens placed 80 that could get the COW
CT Oh the basket. Maria flew around and
picked up groceries for me to pack, giving
directions TO the girl about taking care of
the house, and putting on her dress all at
once. There Is deal of energy III that
woman-pcrhaps tritle too much.
At twenty minutes past six stood on
olyni
and Maria Ann on the other and a pail in
each hand, and bottle Of vinegar in my
coat skirt pocket There was camp -clur
hanging on me somewhere, too, but l for
get just where.


"Now," said Maria Ann, eve must
rum"


'Mara Ann," said I, that is an unrcas-
enable idea How do you suppose 1 can
run with all this frcight5"


''You must, you brute! You always
try to tease me. If you do not want
scene on the streets, you will start too." So
| ran.


had one comfort, at least !; Maria fell
down and broke her parasol. She called
nc brute, because l laughed She drove
me all the way to the depot on a brisk trot,
and we got on the cars, but neither of us
could get scat, and could not lay the
things down, 50 l stood there and held
them.


"AIaria," said I in winning accents,
Chow is this for cool morning ridc2"


Said she, 'syou arc brute, Jenkins"


Said l, "my love, you have made that
observation before.


kept my courage up, yet knew there
would be an hour of wrath when I got
home. While we were getting out of the
cars, the bottle in my pocket got broke, and
consequently had ono ,hnni hnlf fnjl of
vinegar all day. That kept me pretty quiet
and Maria Ann ran off with big -whisk cred
music teacher. lost her fan and tore her
dress, and enjoyed herself much after the
fashion of picnic gocrs l thought it never
would come dinner time; and Maria called
me a pig because l wantctfto open our bas-
kct before the rest of the baskets were
opened.


At last dinner-timc camc-the snicc dim
ncr in the woods" you know. Over three
thousand little red ants had got into our
dinner, and they were worse to pick out
than fish-boncs. The ice-cream had melt
cd, and there was no vinegar for the cold
meat, except What was in my boot, and of
course that was no immediate use. The
music teacher spilled cup of coffee on
NIaria's head, and pulled ali the frizzlcs out
trying to wipe of the cuffeo with his hand
kerchief. Then I Sat OH a raspberry
pic and spoiled my pants, and concluded I
didn't want anything more. had to stand
up against a tree the rest Of the afternoon.
The day afforded considerable variety, COM
pared with everyday life; but there was
so many drawbacks that we did not enjoy
it so much as we might have done.