Turning The Tables

ttreakfast hart jüst been cle.'lred away and the little wtting-room was very bright and cheerful in the yellow flood of the April sunshine. There were pots of pur))!■ blossomed violets in the wir.dow geut, and a .blue libbotaed guitar lying on the sofa, and books piled on tho tuble, and close by the iire Mrs. Haven had seated herself at her desk to wnte somo letters. She was a trim, compact littlo woman, with bright brovvn hair, and eyes to match, and a resolute mouth that some- how carried out the eipresgion of a nose tfaftt our French neighbors phrase " retrons.v". Mary Haven had a character ; that you might set' at a distatico. As she sat there selecting her pen, and unscrewing the sil ver toj) of her iukstand, the door opened very softly! and a rouud full"-moon face appeared. " Mrs. Haven, mem, if you please." "Yes," said Mary Haven, at once by the infallible barometer oí' a wo man's ear the rising thunder storm in the domestic atmosphere below. " What is i oook ? " " It's not that you are hot a kind mistress, mem," saii the cook, twisting; the hedí of her checked apron, " and the wages are good, not to say cornpany al lowed once a week, and Sunday evenings alwajs; but there are soine things tha,1 flesh and blood can't stand, no more they can't, mem, if you please to suii yoiirself', rneni at a month's warnin' - " " Why, cook, what is the matter V " " Some can abide ineddlin' with, tnem and some can't ; and if the barrel o' mackerel sets on the wrong corner, an' the sngar boxes ain't kept covered proper, it's the mistress should teil me of it, not the master, ah' if Mr. Haven wants to becook mem, well and good ; but I Won t stay in the satne kitchen ! " And codft flounced out maltreating her apron, having hef say. Mrs. Haven flushed scarlet. ghe arose and went down stairs to the cellar, where her husband, minus his coat, was endeavoring to move a huge washing machine. ' You see, Bridgetj" he called out, "this is the worst possible place the thingcould stand in. and - why, Mary is it you f " " Yes, it is I," said Mrs. Haven. " I thougbt you had gone to your office, Htnry." " I'm going presently," paid Mr. Haven, "But you see, Mary, everything down here is by sixes and sevens. It's well I come down occasionally. Cook has no more econemy than a wild savage, and Bridget puts everything where it shouldn't bc. My dear have you looked over the grocer's bilí for a month '{" "is 0,1 haven't," said Mrs. Haven. "Well, it's quite alarming. ïhere must be a leak somewhere ; and that reminds me - the niolasses kog is dripping at the rate of half a pint a day." " I will see to it," she said. " But you don't see to it, my dear ! I found a box of stale eggs on the top shelf -eggs, my dear, that aro completely wasted, when eggs are five cents apieee !" Mrs. Haven turned and went up stairs again, with a round red spot glowing on either cheek, signal pennons, of' the disturbance within. Sho was not a faultless angel, any more than other wouien are, and she was very muoh out of temper, as she walked up and down the room with her hands behind her, and her brown eyes glittering with an ominous sparklo. " Mary, have you seen my memorandum book F " asked her husband pulling on his gloves. " No, I bave not. Probably you will find it on the pantry shelf, or under Bridget's machine," answered Marv shortly. " Now, puss, you are out of tempor," said Mr. Haven, good humoredly, " and how very unreasonable that is of you." " Henry," said Mrs. Haven, laying one hand appealingly on his shoulder, and looking up in his face, " you don't know how it mortifies and annoys me to have you interfero in my domestic aifairs." " Aren't we a firm, Henry Haven & Wife?" ho asked coolly, "and are not our interests identical?" " Yes ; but Henry Haven has his departraent, and his wifo ought to have liers." " Thafs all nonsense, my love." " Henry you will obligo me by loaving these domestio concerns to my own management 'f " I would do much to oblige you, mj dcnr Mary, but I shall not concedo 1 na point," he said, as he took his depaiturt leaving Mis. Ilaven very iudignant an( meditativo. Bridget's voicebroke with Celtio aocen upon her rêverie. "Pienso inn'arn, Ifoundthis littlo black book behind tho flour barrel." "Thank you, Bridget ; it is Mr. Haven's." She glanced mechanically at its pages as Bridget disappoared. The column devoted to that day was full of closely writien memoranda. " Seo Kartwyn & Dalcy about thp íouse on 12th street ; not let them have t for $1,200. Cali at MoAlister's and order the green oil cloth iijste.id of the mff one for the office floor. Tell Martin o proceed dirpctly with the snit in liusell vs. Eussell. Remind clerk not to ettle tailor's bilí - alteration to be made irat. Go halves with Jordán in lot opjosite Central Park-" Thus iudefinitey. Mary Haven read tho words without mtioh interest, but presently her eyes brightened, and a roguish suspicion of a smile began to tremble around her resolute lips, " I am very glad I found lliis memorandum book, " she thought. "Let me see - Henry told me he was going to Brooklyn in the tnorning ; there wifl be plenty of time." Sho glauced at her Watch and rang the bell " Bridget will yon stop around the corner and teil thein to send a carriage for me immediately." Her bonnet and shawl were on long before tho vehicle arrived, and she employed tho surplus time in jotting down various addrnssess from tho Directory. When at lcngth the carriage arrived, she took her seat with the self-possession of a qupen. " Drive to ICartwyn & Dalcy's, No, striH't." Mr. Kartwyn came to his ofRee door, a dried up little lawyer, inuch astonislicd at the unexpected apparition of a pretty wonian in a carriage. " Good morning, Mr. Kartwyn ! '" said Mary, calmly. " I am Mrs. Haven. I called to let you know you nould have the house in 12th Street for a thousand dollars a year. I suppose you are aware that the property belongs to me 'i " Mr. Kartwyn bowed low, delighted witli the hargaih he waj flbout to secure. " And now drive to McAlister's carpet store," said Mrs. Haven. 8he walked in with coo1. pelf-posses-sion. " Mr. Haren has conoiuded to take the buffoil-cloth,"she said. Mi. McAHster stared, but ontcred the ordor in his books. " I will send it round immediately." "Now tliR tailor," thought Mary. _ 'Snip & Scissofs' had an eleirant ostablishmemt on a sido street, just out of Broadwny. iïary walked up to the counter Öalmly. " Mr. Havcn's bilí receihtütí if vou picase." The tailnr prrsents the document; whinh wbh promptly pnid. " Where now, ma'atn," said the drvcr. "Mr. Jordan's Keal Estáte Ageney, oppositp street." " Ah, Mrs. Haven, is it you '-'" said the agent cheerfuily. ' What can I do for you this morning ?" "Nothing, thankg,"sairlMarygiaciously, " I carne round to teil you that my husband has thought better ot' thn Central Park lot. He will not take half." "All right," snid Jordán. Smythe and Parker uro only waiting the cha'nce I'll lot 'om know immediately." "I don't think I've do:ie quite misohief cnough," said Mrs. Haven to herself. 111 go down to the office now, turn tho stove around, and have Jack re arrangethe law books." So the earriage left Mrs. Haven at her husband's office in a narrow, down-town Street, Abont an hour subsequently. Mr. Haven saunterrd into the establishment of Kartwyn & Dnloy. AOOUt tiiat Vth strcet lease, Kartwyn 't" "Yes, sir," said the lawyer, rubbin"his hands. "A thoasand dollars is a very fair price. 1 don't at all object to givinp; it." " Who the deuco is talking about a thousmd dollars?" demanded the puzzled Haven. " I don't inean to let yon have it a cent short of fifteen hundred." ïhp lawyer looked amazed. "Mrs. Haven was here this mornin, and told me it was her property, and' I oould ha-ve it for a thousand dollars." " Mrs. Haven .'" eehoed the astonished husband, "But roally, you know this is quite imbusiness-like !" "I don't know whether it ig or not," returnod the lawyer, stiffly. " I only know that Mrs. Haven spoke before witnesses, and that the property is undeuiably hers !" Mr. Haven rpfaeated from the field, vanquished but chafing. At the door of the carpet store McAlistor met him. " It's all right, sir; the oil-oloth is half down by this time !" " Whieh oil-cloth ?" " The buff one, sir ; cheap goods. Mrs. Haven was here and ordered it some time since." " The mischief, sho did '" "I hope there is no mistake, sir?" asked the dealer anxiously. " N- no," returned honest Henrj', disconsolately, adding to himself as he turned away : " What has got into Mary ? is she crazed ?" AU things coriRidered, it was not strange that Mr. Haven was in no very amiable humor by the time ho reached Snip & Scissors." " I'd like to know what you mean by sending home such garments ?"' he demanded imperiously. "I won't wear 'em unless they are made over completely, nor will I pay the bill !" " Sir!" demanded the surprised tailor, " you are aware that our rule is, no alterations after the bill is settled !" " Very well, your bill isn't settled, and it won't be, eithcr, in a hurry '." "Mrs. Haven paid it, sir, this morning," said the surprised tailor, referring to his books. Mrs. Haven ! How the uncalled-forinterference of "Mrs. Haven " stred him in the face at ever step. Of courso, there was no remonstranoes to be made, however, and the discomfited husband left the establishment. " 1 11 stop in at Jordan's any way," he thought, " and secure that lot ; it will be a capital speculation." Mr. Jordán was standing whiRÜing in front of his gato with both hands in his pockets. He lookod up as Henry Haven entored. " Well, old fellow ?" " Suppose we einar up this business about that Central Park lot," said Haven, carelessly. "Idon'tthink I can do anv better." } " Your decisión comes late," said Jordán, Rhrutrgmg his shoulders. " I signed it over to Smytha and Parker half an hour ago." " And by whose authoritv f Mr. Haven's brow was flarkening. "Mrs. Haven's. She was hero, a little vhiloRinco, and tnld me you would not ake the half lot '." Mr Haven bit his lips ! tliis was really growmg a little provoking. He left the real estáte office abruptly, and went direotly to his own place. But had he not been tolerably certain oí' his own nuinber he would not hare recognized the rooms. ïwo men wore on their knees, diligently hammering down tho hard buflt' oil-cloth. Jack, the office boy, had turned the stove round, so that its iion ulbow projected into your face, very much as iïit would have Baid, "Tako my arm !" And Mrs. Haven sat at his desk sorting and arranging papers with ndustry worthy of a more legitimato cause. "ittary : Mrs. Haven looked quictly up. " Yes, iny dear; Jones vs. Brown ; he bfilongs on the left hand pile. Roitlly Henry the confuson of your papers is appallingl" " Confusión, madam ! I teil you they are in ttie most perfect order, or, rather, they were before you got hold of them. Where are my law books!'" Oh, I put them in the closet, the bindings were so dingy, and thu Directorios and Ilandibooks looked so very much brighter !" " Mary, are yon crazy P It is scarcely beconiing for a woman thus to usurp her husband's place ' ' " We are a firm, my dear, at least so 37Ou told me this morning- Henry Haven ifc Wite - and thorefore intoresta are ilentical." Yes, but- " " Consequontly," went on Mary, mimicking bur husband's rather pompons TOÍC8 of th morning, " I shall beg the privilege of intertering whenever I thinlc it advisable." Mr. Haven loolced frowningly on his wite, but the wrinkles vanishèd out of his forehead at the smiliug sunshiuo of Mary 's eyes. " My dear," said he, " it is rather late to triinsact any more business to-day. Bfaall we walk home together f And Mr. Haven must have left his " interference " principies at the office, t'or Mary never saw any more of them NeithiT husband nor wife ever alluded to the subject again, but Mr. Haven wrscured of his own bad habit. Jdary's single stratttgefll was worth a thousand remonstranecs.