Year: 1870

Everything came off on that baking day
precisely as Mary could have wished it.
Her bread was light and sweet, and white as
a snowflake, with just golden-brown Inc
OF crust surrounding it her cakes were per-
lection; her crullers crisp and delicious.
Then she knew that her preserved fruits
were nice, and if there was sponge-cake
more like solidified froth she would like to
see it. Everything was sent into Mrs. Vane
on Wednesday afternoon, and she had all
Thursday to devote to her dress.


Mary looked very pretty that night at the
tea party, for her eyes shone with a purpose,
and m s she had lust excitement enough about it
to redden her cheeks in very becoming
manner Add to this that she was dressed
with neatness and taste, and you will not be
unwilling to believe me when l say that she
was quite the belle of the occasion. Joe evi-
IDENTIFY thought so himself; for strange to
say, he made no remarks on her appearance
that night calculated to lower her self-esteem
but con trariwise, gazed at her from time to
time with the most profound satisfaction.


But murder will ont 1t came on this
occasion, when they sat down to supper.
Everybody was delighted; there had not
been such an uneXceptionable tea in that
neighborhood for a long time. Country peo-
pie are very fond Of their teas they COM
pare one with another with admirable con-
noisseurship. This one was a triumph.


Mrs. Fane, you are the perfection OF
bread-makers. Your biscuits are quite beau
tiful. Were ever such crullers made! How
do you manage it, Mrs. Vane9 What lovely
sponge cake!'


Mrs. Vane and Mary occasionally changed
glances and smiled, but nobody noticed it.


Joe had been behaving SO beautifully all
tl,a hot 10 ba afirai6 ho,,
plans had failed He came out now, how
ever, greatly to Mary's satisfaction.


This is a feast, indeed he said. "A fc-
low is fortunate who has a wife that can
make such bread as this, to say nothing of
the sponge-cakc. l can't see why it is,
Mary; you improve, it is true; l give you
credit for that; but don't see why it is that
all women cannot have the knack that Mrs.
Vane has, at cooking to perfection. If you
could make such bread as this, Mary, your
husband would be happy man.


Mrs. Vane looked at Mary, and Mary
looked at Mrs. Vane. Light had broken up
on the mind of the latter. 1t broke like a
flash Of lightning, and then there was an ex-
plosion-not Of thunder, but Of laughter.


Joe looked up amazed. He was man
who petted his dignity enormously. What
did these women mean, to laugh so at a So
UCI, oCLolUlC VI Ills Il v,
what could Mary mean, to so trfle with the
respect she owed her husband


He began to grow very red, indeed. Mrs
Yane saw it presently, and came to his and
Mary's relief; for poor Mary had already be-
gan to be little frightened at the success of
her own scheme. She did not like Joe to be
angry at any rate


Mr.. Starr said Mrs Vane, i am truly
glad you like this very excellent cookery, for
ii is all your wife's. BY your own showing
you ought to be a happy man.


Here the whole company caught the intcc-
ton, and joined in the laugh against Joe.
It was of no use to get angry with SO many
people; so, before long, Joe Joined in the
chorus himself.


And so the tea party broke up with the
greatest good nature all round and Joe went
home with a lesson he never forgot; for it
was the last time that Mary ever heard any
complaints from him. He is now the most
easily pleased Of any husband for ten miles
round