Year: 1871

The New Home.


did not intend to take dinner with Frank
Holman when went home with him the 9th.
er day, but there was no refusing Mrs Hol-
mans quiet taking it for granted that | would
-cmain. "You will take dinner with us
you shall see some of the pretty things Of
our wedding on the table" she said, aud
there was an air in it that settled the mat.
ter


had been a little curious to see how the
young wife would accept the bringing home
by her husband of friend Just before dinner
1t is within my observation that if you wish
to test a womau's amiabiIity and equanimity,
contriye to 90 home with her husband unex.
pcctedly, and time it so that you shall arrive
with him about ten minutes before dinner.
Then observe how his wife receives him. OF
course, she will not say anything disagrceable.
but quietly see whether her face hushes or
not, whether she iorgets to kiss him. whether
she grows nervous and begins to hustle around.
If you notice any Of these things, you
may be toleraSly sure that there will be a
breeze when you are gone, and a, IL think
you might let me know when you are going to
bring home company to dinner"


| am happy to say that Mrs. Frank Hol.
man bore well this test. She was quiet aud
self-posaessed, and evidently felt satisfied
that all was right. | think that Frank went
out at her hint to order the ice.cream that
made our dessert but, if so, it must have been
given in some cablistic way that did not
understand, while she made the acquaintance
which | had with her as girl ripen at once
into a friendship Of wife for her husband
friend


We went into her little dining-room, where
a small round table, covered with the neatest
and whitest service, welcomed US. As we sat
round it, we three--l sort of iather.friend,
and they, two children with smiles that spoke
the happiness Of two young lives just in its
iull-it was but the expression Of what was
10 our hearts as we bowed our heads with
brief words of thanks to God. We could not
but bless the heavenly Father for the good oil
that hour. Indeed, do not see how a young
husband and wife, whose hopes God has
crowned with fruition, can bear not to thank
him together in prayer.


could not help saying to Mrs. Holman,
" You must have been unusually fortunate in
securing, at the outset, SO admirable a cook
her excellent products praise her."


"1here how mistaken you are" she tri.
umphantly exclaimed "my girl is very
young, and, | must whisper it, very raw /;
you know that it would not exactly comport
with our establishment to have a confessed
cook, as mothers Dinah calls herself. That
sort of article is expensive. had to content
myself with a low-priced one"


But some one has used brainwork, some
one has known how to do it, and am Of the
opinion that your own experience was not
worldwide in the cooking department"


THAT is true" she said, laughingy, we
did not do much of that work at home.


Where, then, did you learn ?"


Oh, that is not so difficult, after all. Do
you see that book on the window-sll? ? That
is my kitchen literature, which | study dill.
gently. Then used something in here, \" and
she tapped lightly on her white forehead
" so it is all very easy. A good cook-boo
and some brains are all one wapts and then,
with willing and not too stupid servant, all
comes out well.n


! have time now" she went on in her
captivating way, while Frank looked on with
considerably more than content in his face
q" for these things | don't practice or play
much now we have no room"-it was said
with significant laugh" for a piano it
would fill that paror so that we could not
move around. Some of these days, when we
have grown out of these snug quarters, per-
haps it will come. And then | don't have
quite so much shopping to do now, nor so
many calls to make, nor so many parties to
attend as in the old time. Frank comes home
tired, often, and when | have gotten him in
his slippers, we are too indolent to 90 out
again. am afraid we shall grow unsocial
by-and-by, for, somehow, we foolshly think
that our little home is the incest place we
know of. A call or so week, with our
church meeting, ordinarily does for US. We
do not give such large parties our rooms are
not quite saloon-like enough for that. In
deed, Mr.. Elwood," she said, with playful
tone, and yet with meaning hidden in it, 4" we
live within our means. 1 don't intend that
Frank shall always be clerk, even with so
kind an employer as you. By-and-by we in.
tend to have business and home of our
own, and there was a mock Importance, but
with it look that proclaimed the woman
true and noble in the words. 80, expensive
concerts, suppers, and all that sort Of thing
are now out of our line. Indeed, we don't
feel the need of them"


But | will not tell you all that young wife
said. She said enough to make me think, as
| looked upon her stately figure SO full oil
youthful life. and in her face, beaming with
sweetness and sympathetic with character
that Frank Holman had found that treasure
which the good book says is above rubies "
Christian Weekly