| So I'll comfort myself with that, and when I'm ready, I'll up again and take another
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
Like most other young matrons, Meg began her married life with the determination to be a model housekeeperJohn should find home a paradise, he should always see a smiling face, should fare sumptuously every day, and never know the loss of a buttonShe brought so much love, energy, and cheerfulness to the work that she could not but succeed, in spite of some obstaclesHer paradise was not a tranquil one, for the little woman fussed, was over-anxious to please, and bustled about like a true Martha, cumbered with many caresShe was too tired, sometimes, even to smile, John grew dyspeptic after a course of dainty dishes and ungratefully demanded plain fareAs for buttons, she soon learned to wonder where they went, to shake her head over the carelessness of men, and to threaten to make him sew them on himself, and see if his work would stand impatient and clumsy fingers any better than hers
They were very happy, even after they discovered that they couldn't live on love aloneJohn did not find Meg's beauty diminished, though she beamed at him from behind the familiar coffee potNor did Meg miss any of the romance from the daily parting, when her husband followed up his kiss with the tender inquiry, "Shall I send some veal or mutton for dinner, darling?" The little house ceased to be a glorified bower, but it became a home, and the young couple soon felt that it was a change for the betterAt first they played keep-house, and frolicked over it like childrenThen John took steadily to business, feeling the cares of the head of a family upon his shoulders, and Meg laid by her cambric wrappers, put on a big apron, and fell to work, as before said, with more energy than discretion
While the cooking mania lasted she went through MrsCornelius's Receipt Book as if it were a mathematical exercise, working out the problems with patience and careSometimes her family were invited in to help eat up a too bounteous feast of tiffany style necklace successes, or Lotty would be privately dispatched with a batch of failures, which were to be concealed from all eyes in the convenient stomachs of the little HummelsAn evening with John over the account books usually produced a temporary lull in the culinary enthusiasm, and a frugal fit would ensue, during which the poor man was put through a course of bread pudding, hash, and warmed-over coffee, which tried his soul, although he bore it with praiseworthy fortitudeBefore the golden mean was found, however, Meg added to her domestic possessions what young couples seldom get on long without, a family jar
Fired a with housewifely wish to see her storeroom stocked with homemade preserves, she undertook to put up her own currant jellyJohn was requested to order home a dozen or so of little pots and an extra quantity of sugar, for their own currants were ripe and were to be attended to at onceAs John firmly believed that `my wife' was equal to anything, and took a natural pride in her skill, he resolved that she should be gratified, and their only crop of fruit laid by in a most pleasing form for winter useHome came four dozen delightful little pots, half a barrel of sugar, and a small boy to pick the currants for herWith her pretty hair tucked into a little cap, arms bared to the elbow, and a checked apron which had a coquettish look in spite of the bib, the young housewife fell to work, feeling no doubts about her success, for hadn't she seen Hannah do it hundreds of times? The array of pots rather amazed her at first, but John was so fond of jelly, and the nice little jars would look so well on the top shelf, that Meg resolved to fill them all, and spend a long day picking, boiling, straining, and fussing over her jellyShe did her best, she asked advice of MrsCornelius, she racked her brain to remember what Hannah did that she left undone, she reboiled, resugared, and restrained, but that dreadful stuff wouldn't `jell'
She longed to run home, bib and all, and ask Mother to lend her a hand, but John and she had agreed that they louis vuitton galliera pm bag would never annoy anyone with their private worries, experiments, or quarrelsThey had laughed over that last word as if the idea it suggested was a most preposterous one, but they had held to their resolve, and whenever they could get on without help they did so, and no one interfered, for MrsMarch had advised the planSo Meg wrestled alone with the refractory sweetmeats all that hot summer day, and at five o'clock sat down in her topsy-turvey kitchen, wrung her bedaubed hands, lifted up her voice and wept
Now, in the first flush of the new life, she had often said, "My husband shall always feel free to bring a friend home whenever he likesI shall always be preparedThere shall be no flurry, no scolding, no discomfort, but a neat house, a cheerful wife, and a good dinnerJohn, dear, never stop to ask my leave, invite whom you please, and be sure of a welcome from me
How charming that was, to be sure! John quite glowed with pride to hear her say it, and felt what a blessed thing it was to have a superior wifeBut, although they had had company from time to time, it never happened to be unexpected, and Meg had never had an opportunity to distinguish herself till nowIt always happens so in this vale of tears, there is an inevitability about such things which we can only wonder at, deplore, and bear as we best can
If John had not forgotten all about the jelly, it really would have been unpardonable in him to choose that day, of all the days in the year, to bring a friend home to dinner unexpectedlyCongratulating himself that a handsome repast had been ordered that morning, feeling sure that it would be ready to the minute, and indulging in pleasant anticipations of the charming effect it would produce, when his pretty wife came running out to meet him, he escorted his friend to his mansion, with the irrepressible satisfaction of a young host and husband
It is a world of disappointments, as John discovered when he reached the Dovecotethe front door usually stood hospitably openNow it was not only shut, but locked, and omega chronograph watches yesterday's mud still adorned the stepsThe parlor windows were closed and curtained, no picture of the pretty wife sewing on the piazza, in white, with a distracting little bow in her hair, or a bright-eyed hostess, smiling a shy welcome as she greeted her guestNothing of the sort, for not a soul appeared but a sanginary-looking boy asleep under the current bushes
"I'm afraid something has happenedStep into the garden, Scott, while I look up MrsBrooke," said John, alarmed at the silence and solitude
Round the house he hurried, led by a pungent smell of burned sugar, and MrScott strolled after him, with a queer look on his faceHe paused discreetly at a distance when Brooke disappeared, but he could both see and hear, and being a bachelor, enjoyed the prospect mightily
In the kitchen reigned confusion and despairOne edition of jelly was trickled from pot to pot, another lay upon the floor, and a third was burning gaily on the stoveLotty, with Teutonic phlegm, was calmly eating bread and currant wine, for the jelly was still in a hopelessly liquid state, while MrsBrooke, with her apron over her head, sat sobbing dismally
"My dearest girl, what is the matter?" cried John, rushing in, with awful visions of scalded hands, sudden news of affliction, and secret consternation at the thought of the guest in the garden
"Oh, John, I am so tired and hot and cross and worried! I've been at it till I'm all worn outDo come and help me or I shall die!" And the exhausted housewife cast herself upon his breast, giving him a sweet welcome in every sense of the word, for her pinafore had been baptized at the same time as the floor
"What worries you dear? Has anything dreadful happened?" asked the anxious John, tenderly kissing the crown of the little cap, which was all askew
"Yes," sobbed Meg despairingly
"Tell me quick, thenI can bear anything better than thathe jelly won't jell and I don't know what to do!"
John Brooke laughed then as he never dared to laugh afterward, and the derisive Scott smiled involuntarily as he heard the hearty gucci handbags discount peal, which put the finishing stroke to poor Meg's woe
"Is that all? Fling it out of the window, and don't bother any more about itI'll buy you quarts if you want it, but for heaven's sake don't have hysterics, for I've brought Jack Scott home to dinner, and
John got no further, for Meg cast him off, and clasped her hands with a tragic gesture as she fell into a chair, exclaiming in a tone of mingled indignation, reproach, and dismay
"A man to dinner, and everything in a mess! John Brooke, how could you do such a thing?"
"Hush, he's in the garden! I forgot the confounded jelly, but it can't be helped now," said John, surveying the prospect with an anxious eye
"You ought to have sent word, or told me this morning, and you ought to have remembered how busy I was," continued Meg petulantly, for even turtledoves will peck when ruffled
"I didn't know it this morning, and there was no time to send word, for I met him on the way outI never thought of asking leave, when you have always told me to do as I likedI never tried it before, and hang me if I ever do again!" added John, with an aggrieved air
"I should hope not! Take him away at onceI can't see him, and there isn't any dinner
"Well, I like that! Where's the beef and vegetables I sent home, and the pudding you promised?" cried John, rushing to the larder
"I hadn't time to cook anythingI meant to dine at Mother'sI'm sorry, but I was so busy," and Meg's tears began again
John was a mild man, but he was human, and after a long day's work to come home tired, hungry, and hopeful, to find a chaotic house, an empty table, and a cross wife was not exactly conductive to repose of mind or mannerHe restrained himself however, and the little squall would have blown over, but for one unlucky word
"It's a scrape, I acknowledge, but if you will lend a hand, we'll pull through and have a good time yetDon't cry, dear, but just exert yourself a bit, and fix us up something to eatWe're both as hungry as hunters, so we shan't mind what it isGive us the cold meat, and bread and imitation louis vuitton handbags chees |
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