Superior Muffins

It's been a while since I've had some recipes and I stumbled on this while searching for ways to stay cool in the summer. I hope you enjoy.

Superior Muffins. 1 quart of flour. 1 teaspoonful of salt. 1 tablespoonful of white sugar.
Rub in one heaping tablespoonful of butter and lard mixed, and one tablespoonful of Irish potato, mashed free from lumps.

Pour in three well beaten eggs and a half teacup of yeast. Make into a soft dough with warm water in winter and cold in summer. Knead well for half an hour. Set to rise where it will be milk-warm, in winter, and cool in summer. If wanted for an eight o'clock winter breakfast, make up at eight o'clock the night before. At six o'clock in the morning, make out into round balls (without kneading again), and drop into snow-ball moulds that have been well greased. Take care also to grease the hands and pass them over the tops of the muffins. Set them in a warm place for two hours and then bake.

These are the best muffins I ever ate.—Mrs. 8. T.
Source: Housekeeping in Old Virginia ©1879

PS Remember a teacup is one cup, so she's suggesting 1/2 cup of yeast.

Electric Lamps / Lights

Yesterday I posted about the early part of the 19th century and specifically the oil lamps. In addition to oil lamps there were gas lights and electric lights. Below is an outline of the history of electric lamps throughout the century.

1801 First electric arc lamp was invented in England by Sir Humphrey Davy.
1854 First true lightbulb invented by Henricg Globel of Germany
1857 Fluorescent lamp was introduced in France by A.E. Becquerel
1875 Henry Woodward and Matthew Evans patented a lightbulb.
1879 Thomas Edison improved the incandescent light
1880 Edison's patent was granted.

Practically speaking you won't have electric lamps in the homes of your characters set prior to the 1880's. Another interesting texture to oil and gas lamps is the smell, keep that in mind when writing as well. Remember to use the five senses when describing what your characters are experiencing.

Sprained Ankle Part 1

Below are some additional examples of various treatments for Sprained Ankles. I've tried to arrange them in the order of their publication. From what I've read it seems that wrapping the sprain was quite common and in the earlier part of the century the use of leeches to help bring down the swelling.

In this account you'll find the mention of the treatment of leeches but the physician came up with another alternative.
1838
"The external appearance of the leg, and particularly the redness and tightness of the skin, would have tempted me under ordinary circumstances to prescribe the application of several leeches, and some embrocation afterwards; but I knew such a course would not greatly expedite her recovery, and the object in this case was to shorten the usual period of confinement. With confidence therefore I recommended a moderately strong ammoniated lotion, all over the leg and instep, which was applied and kept on for five minutes.' It took away the inward pain in that time, though it augmented apparently the exteral soreness and redness of the skin. After the lapse of half an hour from the first application, seeing that no blister was produced (none being desirable) I repeated the lotion, considerably diluted. and recommended that the compress should be suffered to remain on the leg during the night. The lady of the house, under my instruction, applied that same night similar compresses, with the diluted lotion, to the bruises on the knee and hips. On the following morning every thing had returned to its natural state, the swelling and redness had disappeared, and the patient could put her foot to the ground and walk without inconvenience."
Source: Dunglison's American Medical Library Part 3 pg155 ©1838
(ammoniated - To treat or combine with ammonia)

1869
In the Retrospect of Medicine Vol. 59 pg 165 I found the quote below which is in keeping with yesterday's post giving us a better time frame for when this practice was begun.
I tightly strapped the foot and ankle, from the toes to the middle of the leg, with strips of ordinary adhesive plaster.

1871
"Severe sprains are often serious fractures, though no bone be broken, or only a bit may be chipped off; the ligaments and fascise are ruptured, blood being extravasated into the joints, into the sheaths of tendons, and for some distance not infrequently between the layers of muscles. The swelling is great, the pain intense. The orthodox treatment by leeches and fomentations is valueless, compared with circular compression and perfect immobilisation." (Gamgee on Fractures, 1871.)
Source: The Retrospect of Medicine Vol. 74 pg 175 ©1877

The circular compression is described below:
1879
"For a sprained ankle, place the end of the bandage upon the instep, then carry it round, and bring it over the same part again, and from thence round the foot tow or three times, finishing off with a turn or two round the leg above the ankle."
Source: Ayer's Every Man His Own Doctor" ©1879

Telephone Timeline for 19th Century

March 10, 1876 Alexander Graham Bell yelled those now famous words "Come here Mr. Watson, I want to see you!" We all accept that to be the first monumental moment of the invention that would change our lives for ever. Below are a few other dates surrounding the history of the telephone during the 19th century.

1877 July The Bell Telephone Company was formed by Gardiner Hubbard. Watson oversaw the production of the first telephones in The Charles Williams Shop. Bell left for England opting out of the day to day operations of the company.

By the end of 1877 three thousand telephones were in service.

mid 1878 10,000 phones in service. Hubbard named Theodore Vail as the new general manager of the Bell Company.

1878 manuel switchboard was invented.

1879 Telephone subscribers begin to have designated telephone numbers

1880 Long distance service was established

1880's first "metallic" circuits were installed. Changing from one wire to two wire to reduce the extreme static noise from one wire.

1885 The American Telephone & Telegraph Company (AT&T) is formed.

1891 Almon Strowger invented an "automatic" telephone allowing him to dial a number without waiting for an operator. The first one Strowger switch goes into operation in 1892

1899 Bell company had 800,000 phones in service.
Rural independent territories had 600,000

Warm Springs Toll Bridge North Carolina 1879

Below you'll find the actual writing of the portion of the act of the North Carolina General Assembly allowing the Warm Springs Toll Bridge Company to charge for tolls across the bridge. As an author I'm always looking for the actual costs of items or services during the time period I'm writing.

Sec. 5. That the company shall be entitled to receive Rates of ton. the following toll, to-wit: Six-horse wagons seventy-five cents, four-horse wagons fifty cents, three-horse wagons forty cents, two horse wagons twenty-five cents, one horse wagon fifteen cents, man and horse ten cents, loose horses and mules five cents each, cattle, sheep and hogs two and one-half cents each, pleasure carriages four horse one dollar, two horse fifty cents, horse and buggy twenty-five cents.

Ratified the 5th day of March, A. D. 1879.

Winners of the League Base-Ball Championship

From Houghtaling's Handbook ©1887

Winners of the League Base-Ball Championship
The following were the winners of the championship of the National Base-Ball League for the years named below:
1886 - Chicago Club. . . Won 90 games, and lost 34 games
1885 - Chicago Club . . . Won 87 games and lost 25 games
1884 - Providence Club . . . Won 84 games and lost 28 games
1883 - Boston Club . . . Won 63 games and lost 35 games
1882 - Chicago Club . . . Won 55 games and lost 29 games
1881 - Chicago Club . . . Won 56 games and lost 28 games
1880 - Chicago Club . . . Won 67 games and lost 17 games
1879 - Providence Club . . . Won 59 games and lost 25 games
1878 - Boston Club . . . Won 41 games and lost 19 games
1877 - Boston Club . . . Won 31 games and lost 17 games
1876 - Chicago Club . . . Won 52 games and lost 14 games
(end quote)

1876 was the first year of the National League of Professional Baseball. It organized with 8 teams. The Boston Red Stockings (also called the Boston Red Caps), Chicago White Stockings, Cincinnati Red Legs (also called the Cincinnati Red Stockings), Hartford Dark Blues, Louisville Grays, Philadelphia Athletics, Brooklyn Mutuals (also called the New York Mutuals) & St. Louis Browns (also called the St. Louis Brown Stockings). There were 70 games for the season starting April 22nd and ending Oct. 21st.

For more information about this first year of professional baseball check out The Baseball Almanac

Inflammation in breasts and navels of Infants

This comes from Ayers Every Man His Own Doctor Family Medical Adviser ©1879

Inflammation of the Breasts and Navel

New-born infants are liable to a singular inflammation and enlargement of the breasts, which is often very injuriously treated by squeezing, sucking, or pressing them, in order that they may be "milked out," as ignorant nurses talk of. In moderate cases of this kind, nothing more is necessary than to apply a piece of linen moistened with a little sweet oil; or a weak solution of the muriate of ammonia in vinegar and water, in the proportion of a drachm of the ammonia to four ounces of vinegar. The solution ought to applied warm by moistening pieces of linen with it, and laying them over the affected parts.

Inflammation and consequent ulceration about the navel is a frequent occurrence during the first nine or ten days after birth. The most common cause is deficient attention to cleanliness, particularly in not clearing away the white caseous matter from about the umbilicus. A solution of the sulphate of copper, in the proportion of ten grains to an ounce of water, may be applied once or twice daily, and the parts afterwards covered with lead ointment, where there is cations are made, the parts should be carefully washed with lukewarm water, at least twice daily.

Anaemia

While researching a novel a friend asked about anemia in the late 1800's. Below you'll find what "Ayer's Everyman His Own Doctor" © 1879 had to say:

Anaemia
This is a condition of the constitution in which there is a deficiency of the red globules, or coloring matter, in the blood. It is marked by extreme pallor in those parts, such as the lips, which are generally suffused; and is not uncommon in young females of a weak or scrofulous habit. It appears to arise from a deficiency of vital energy in the system, either constitutional or brought on by want of nourishment, breathing impure air, or great loss of blood. In any case a cure may be effected by good generous diet, pure air, moderate exercise, and strengthening medicines.
Treatment--Any of the various preparations of iron may be taken in combination, if the appetite be bad, with some bitter tonic, such as infusion of gentian, with a little quinine. Should there be much emaciation, cod-liver oil, taken in orange whie, will be of service. The pores of the skin should be kept open by tepid spouging, and the bowels moderately so by a rhubarb or colocynth pill now and then. Strong purgatives should be avoided, and especially salines. In young females the absence of the monthly discharge need cause no uneasiness; with returning strength that will most likely return. Should it not do so, however when this treatment has been persisted in for a time, and should the pallor, languor, sleepleessness, headache, confined bowels, swelling of the feet, &c., which generally distinguish anaemia, continue, a medical man ought to be consulted, as it is likely there may be consumption, or other organic disease, at the root of the mischief.

Currency & Finance

Back in 1846 a law was formed regarding the treasury department. I thought with all the political discussions going on and with the current economy on the mind of most Americans, I thought this might spark a little interest. This information is taken from Extracts of the United States relating to currency and finance. ©1879

LEGISLATION
CURRENCY AND FINANCE.
I....August, 1846. — An Act to provide for the better Organization of the Treasury, and for the Collection, Safe-keeping, Transfer, and Disbursement of the public Revenue.
Whereas, by the fourth section of the act entitled " An Act to establish the Treasury Department," approved September two, seventeen hundred and eighty-nine, it was provided that it should be the duty of the Treasurer to receive and keep the moneys of the United States, and to disburse the same upon warrants drawn by the Secretary of the Treasury, countersigned by the Comptroller, and recorded by the Register, and not otherwise ; and whereas it is found necessary to make further provisions to enable the Treasurer the better to carry into effect the intent of the said section in relation to the receiving and disbursing the moneys of the United States : Therefore,

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the rooms prepared and provided in the new treasury building at the seat of government for the use of the Treasurer of the United States, his assistants and clerks, and occupied by them, and also the fire-proof vaults and safes erected in said rooms for the keeping of the public moneys in the possession and under the immediate control of said Treasurer, and such other apartments as are provided for in this act as places of deposit of the public money, are hereby constituted and declared to be the Treasury of the United States. And all moneys paid into the same shall be subject to the draft of the Treasurer, drawn agreeably to appropriations made by law.

[By sections 2, 3, and 4, and by subsequent acts, the Mint at Philadelphia, and the Branch Mints, the Assay Office at New York, the offices of the Assistant Treasurers at New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Charleston, New Orleans, Cincinnati, Chicago, St. Louis, and San Francisco, and the Depositaries at Buffalo, Pittsburgh, Louisville, Galveston, Santa Fd, and Tucson, are made " places of deposit."]

Sec. 6. And be it further enacted, That the Treasurer of the United States, the Treasurer of the Mint of the United States, the treasurers, and those acting as such, of the various branch mints, all collectors of the customs, all surveyors of the customs acting also as collectors, all assistant treasurers, all receivers of public moneys at the several land offices, all postmasters, and all public officers of whatsoever character, be, and they are hereby, required to keep safely, without loaning, using, depositing in banks, or exchanging for other funds than as allowed by this act, all the public money collected by them, or otherwise at any time placed in their possession and custody, till the same is ordered, by the proper department or officer of the government, to be transferred or paid out; and when such orders for transfer or payment are received, faithfully and promptly to make the same as directed. . ..

[Section 9 requires that all collectors and receivers of public moneys shall pay over the same, as often as may be directed by the Secretary of the Treasury or the Postmaster-General, to the Treasurer, assistant treasurer or depositary in their respective cities; and it is made the duty of the Secretary of the Treasury and of the Postmaster-General to direct such payments to be made as often as once in every week.]

Sec. 18. And be it further enacted, That on the first day of January, in the year one thousand eight hundred and forty-seven, and thereafter, all duties, taxes, sales of public lands, debts, and sums of money accruing or becoming due to the United States, and also all sums due, for postages or otherwise, to the general post-office department, shall be paid in gold and silver coin only, or in treasury notes issued under the authority of the United States: Provided, That the Secretary of the Treasury shall publish, monthly, in two newspapers at the city of Washington, the amount of specie at the several places of deposit, the amount of treasury notes or drafts issued, and the amount outstanding on the last day of each month.

Sec. 19. And be it further enacted, That on the first day of April, one thousand eight hundred and forty-seven, and thereafter, every officer or agent engaged in making disbursements on account of the United States, or of the general post-office, shall make all payments in gold and silver coin, or in treasury notes, if the creditor agree to receive said notes in payment. . . .
[By the Act of March 3, 1857, every officer or agent having money of the United States intrusted to him for disbursement, is required to deposit the same with the Treasurer, or with some Assistant Treasurer or depositary, and to draw for it only in favor of the persons to whom payment is to be made; but money required for payment in sums under twenty dollars can be drawn for by such officer or agent in his own name. 11 Statutes at Large, 249.]

[Approved, August 6, 1846. 9 Statutes at Large, 59.]

Tongue-Tie

This comes from Ayers' Everyman His Own Doctor ©1879

It frequently happens that the tongue of an infant is so tied down and restrained in its actions, that sucking is rendered extremely difficult, and attended with a peculiar "clucking" noise in the fauces. When this is occasioned by the proper fraenum extending too near the extremity of the tongue, nothing can with propriety be done towards remedying the evil; but when the part which ties down the tongue is not the proper fraenum, but a thin transparent member extending from it to near the tip of the tongue, it may be immediately divided with a pair of blunt pointed scissors.

Warts

This information comes from Ayers' Every Man His Own Doctor

The wart is an excrescence from the cutis or outer skin--a horny tumor formed upon it; it is not generally so painful as it is disagreeable and unsightly, coming nearly always upon the hands, or some other conspicuous place. The best treatment is to touch it with some caustic, or escharote. Nitrate or silver is the most effectual, but this turns the skin black, which is in many cases very objectionable. Caustic potash will answer the purpose, so will acetic acid, if of extra strength, and nitric acid. The application should be made daily, and the decayed part pared off, or cut with scissors. If it can be conveniently done, a ligature of silk tied tightly around the base of the wart will cause it to decay, and eventually drop off. Another simple method is to bind a leaf of a house leek upon it, from which you have removed the skin, for a few nights in succession, and the wart will disappear.

Punctured Wounds

Taken from Ayers' Every Man His Own Doctor ©1879

Puncture wounds are extremely dangerous--much more so than the others already described. A punctured wound from a nail, hook, or any other pointed instrument, gives rise to inflammation of the absorbents (a set of vessels running from the wound into the neighboring glands), and is manifested by red lines taking the course of these vessels. Abscesses of the glands, and of other parts of the body, in their course, frequently ensue; and if the matter be deep seated, such a degree of irritative fever is produced as to cause death.

Lock-jaw (tetanus) and frightful convulsions are often the result of tendons or sinews receiving punctured wounds. In the first instance the puncture should be laid open with the lancet, cold lotions should then be applied, and if inflammation sets in, the parts should be covered with leeches according to the age and strength of the patient; the diet should be sparing, fomentations and poultices should be constantly applied, and the limb should be supported on an inclined plane, in order to favor the gravitation of the blood towards the body. All stimulating drink should be cut off. The bowels should be kept freely open, and the patient should observe perfect rest. As soon as matter has formed, it should be let out by free incisions with the lancet, after which the parts should be poulticed three or four times a day. In order to allay irritation and pain, and to procure sleep, great advantage will be derived from the administration of ten grains of Dover's powder, at bedtime.

Note from Lynn: Please note that when I'm quoting from a old resource I'm using the spellings, punctuation and grammar that is in the book I'm quoting from.

Yellow Fever Part 2

Herbal, or Eclectic Treatment for Yellow Fever.

In this disease, good nursing is indispensable. Let the patient have perfect rest and quietness, in a well-ventilated room. In the early stages of the disease, the diet must be confined to preparations of sago, arrow-root, barley, &; but as the disease advances, give animal broths made of lean meat, thickened with bread-crumbs, oat-meal, or barley. The strictest attention must be given to cleanliness, and the linen changed frequently. If the stomach be very irritable and the vomiting violent, give the following preparation:--

Powdered Rhubarb. . .20 grains
Powdered Saleratus. . .20 grains
Powdered Peppermint. .1 teaspoonful
Laudanum . . . . 15 drops
Brandy . . .1 tablespoonful
Boiling Water . . . 1 gill

Mix. Sweeten with loaf-sugar, and give a table-spoonful every hour till the symptoms change. The bowels must be kept open, as in all fevers. For this purpose use the following:--

Ginger . . . 2 ounces
Bayberry Bark . . .4 ounces
Cayenne Pepper. . .1/2 ounce

Dose, a teaspoonful in a little milk, with half a teaspoonful of powdered rhubarb every hour till it operates freely. Strong boneset or thoroughwort tea, taken in quantites as much as the stomach will stand, is very useful.

Captain Jonas P. Levy, who has had an extensive experience with yellow fever, states that he never knew a case of yellow fever terminate fatally, under the following treatment:--
Dissolve a table-spoonful of common salt in a wineglass of water; pour it into a tumbler, and add the juice of a whole lemon and two wingeglasses of castor-oil. An adult to take the whole at one dose. Then give a hot mustard foot-bath, with a handful of salt in the water. Wrap the patient in blankets until he perspires freely. Remove to the bed, and well wrap the patient's feet in the blanket. Afterward apply mustard plasters to the abdomen, legs, and soles of the feet. If the headache is very severe, they may be applied to the head and temples. After the fever has been broken, take forty grains of quinine and forty drops of elixir of vitrol to a quart of water. Give a wineglassful three times a day. Barley-water, lemonade, and ice-water may be used in moderation.

Here's a link to Yellow Fever, Part One

Yellow Fever

Below is a quote from Ayers "Every Man His Own Doctor," 1879 on yellow fever with some additional information to follow.

Begin Quote
This is a disease of hot climates, a species of typhus, which takes its name from one of its symptoms, but whih is not, however, an essential one.

Causes.—Probably a vitiated state of the atmosphere, from putrid exhalations, arising from putrifying vegetable or animal substances in hot, sultry weather. It is an epidemic, and very contagious.
SYMPTOMS.—Costiveness, dull pain in the right side, defect of appetite, flatulence, perverted tastes, heat in the stomach, giddiness or pain in the head; dull, watery, yellow eye; dim or imperfect vision, hoarseness, slight sore throat, and the worst features of typhus.
Treatment.—It is advisable to clear the stomach by the following purgative:--

Compound Extract of Coloeynth 1 drachm
Compound Rhubarb Pill 1 drachm
Socotrine Aloes 1 ½ drachms
Calomel 1 scruple
Oil of Caraway 10 drops
Syrup of Ginger, sufficient quantity

Mix, and divide into forty-eight pills. Take two or three at bedtime. Then use pills made as follows:--

Calomel 1 scruple
Powdered Opium 1 scruple
James’s Powder 1 scruple
Conserve of Hips, sufficient quanity

Mix, and divide into twenty pills. One to be taken every two or three hours till the disease abates. When the fever and inflammatory action are gone, use the following tonic antiseptic draught:--

Tincture of Calumba 1 ounce
Tincture of Peruvian Bark 1 ounce
Infusion of Augustura Bark 10 ounces

Mix. Take two table-spoonfuls three times a day, with twenty-four drops of dilute sulphuric acid in each dose. If much irritability of the stomach exists, a blister may be of service, and washing with cold water is often refreshing to the patient. Favorable symptoms are—settled stomach, little pain in the head, lively eyes, free perspiration, copious high-colored urine, an eruption on the skin, and sound sleep.
End Quote
(information taken from: Ayer’s Every Man His Own Doctor Family Medical Adviser ©1879)

There’s another section on Herbal and Eclectic Treatment of Yellow Fever but we’ll save that for another time.

Here are some links to the meanings of some of the words above:
Drachm

Scruple

Tincture

You can search any of the other words and find their meanings as well. What I find interesting here is that people had available to them these kinds of drugs to make their own pills or liquid medicines. This was back in the day before regulations came into existence.

Here's the link to Yellow Fever Part Two

Ayers: Every Man His Own Doctor

Another resource I stumbled across, actually a friend gave this book to me when she and her husband were packing up the family home, is "AYERS' EVERY MAN HIS OWN DOCTOR Family Medical Adviser" Copyright 1879. It's a huge volume with 598 pages. But it is also interesting to see how they understood various illnesses at the time.

For example I have Type II diabetes. In this volume it recommends: "Treatment.--The diet should be entirely animal food--all vegetable substances to be avoided. . . " And on and on it goes.

Today I eat a healthy amount of vegetables and so many carbs portions and so many protein portions in a day. The key is balancing your diet and not eating too many carbs. But today we check our blood at least once a day. In Ayers you check your urine. Yes, I thank God every day that I was born in this era. :-)

From time to time I'll post from Ayers' book but if anyone has a specific question while they're researching go ahead and post me a note.

1879 Hat Fashions

Here's something a bit different with regard to Fashions, Hats.

1879 Fashions

NYC Houses

Below is a description of a series of houses built in NYC. This comes from "The Manufacturer and Builder" ©1879. What I find interesting in this tidbit is the fact that the author admits that the house has a feel of more overall openness. Enjoy!

On the south side of East Seventy-first street, between Fourth and Lexington avenues, Mr. Chas. MacDonald has just completed three houses, which are well worth the attention of those who admire progress in architecture and approve of a change in the monotonous style of buildings that line our tip-town streets. Each house stands only upon n lot of 16.8x56, and yet there appears to be more room in the hallway than is generally found in n twenty foot house. True, it is done at the sacrifice of space in the front parlor, but the center and rear parlors make up for it in width, thus leaving the front parlor virtually to be used as a large reception room. The dining room is on the first floor in the rear of the parlor and extends across the full width of the house, while the middle room and parlor proper are lighted by a transom light, the dining room being lighted by a dome, giving the entire floor A most cheerful aspect. The rear room is connected with the kitchen by a stairway and dumbwaiter. In the wide hallway created by the cutting of the front room lire largo ornamental closets, adding considerably to the conveniences of a floor that is generally bereft of those foatures. The large front room in the basement is intended for a breakfast room, while the remainder of the basement is divided into a laundry, kitchen and storerooms, and withal there is n good sized yard. The houses are four stories high, of brown stone, and the front might bo called a French Gothic. The plans were made by John G. Prague, architect.

1879 Fashions

Garden Party Dress

Seaside Dress & Bonnet

Morning Dinner Dresses

Dresses

Carriage & Walking Dresses

Children

Boys

Dry Husks to Eat

Below is a short story from an 1879 publication. I found it enjoyable and I love the language from the time period. Read and see what you think and could you make use of the thoughts and language in this short story in your historical character's lives.

Dry Husks to Eat
by
Helen J. Mackintosh

John Pompet sat smoking, in his slippers and reading the newspaper, while his aunt Mary placidly knitted, on the other side of the lamp.
"Why do you give Ellen only dry husks to eat?" said aunt Mary, suddenly, looking across at him.
"Only dry husks? What do you mean?"
"Well, why didn't you go out with her, tonight? I think she was hurt."
"I hate parties," was the response; "tea parties, especially. A good cigar is worth all the tea and cakes in the world."
"But what is to become of people, who don't like cigars, and who do like tea-parties? That is the case with your wife. Nor does she like to go to parties, along. Other wives have their husbands with them; and to say the least, it looks odd; in fact, may make people think you don't live happily together."
Aunt Mary had acted as a mother to her nephew, ever since his parents had died; which was when he was an infant. She had educated him at her own expense, and maintained him at the bar until he had won his way to a lucrative practice; and it was understood that he was to inherit her little fortune, after her decease. All this gave her a sort of right to expostulate with him, when she thought he was wrong.
"But I see enough of people, in the day-time."
"Your being tired, would be something of an excuse, if you had urged that in extenuation of your refusal. But do you think Ellen, when she's tired, requires that as an excuse, for not seeing you are to have a good dinner? No, John, its pure selfishness on your part, nothing else. You admit it, in fact, when you say that you see enough people, in the day-time. You take all the cream of life, and give her only dry husks to eat."
"Come, come, aunt, isn't that too severe? If Ellen loves me, as I'm sure she does, she'd rather have me stay at home, and enjoy my cigar, then go out, to a party, where I should be sure to be bored."
"By the same kind of reasoning, John, you ought to go with her, if you loved her; because, you know, she'd enjoy herself most at the party."
This shot went home. John had not a word in reply but puffed vigorously at his cigar. His aunt went on:
"The truth is, nephew--for I don't wish to be too hard on you--you men forget, that, while you have plenty of excitement, during the day, seeing strangers constantly, women have to stay at home, and spend the hours in one unvarying, dull routine of housework. No wonder they get fagged out. No wonder an invitation to a little party is such a relief to them. But husbands forget all this. And when the wife wishes to have a few people to tea, they say, 'what a bore to me, and how absurd in you.' Now, to be frank with you, this is just the way you treat Ellen."
"You surely are mistaken. Ellen at least, never complains."
"No, she is too proud. But the tears came into her eyes, to-night, when you refused to go with her. You'd have seen them, if you hadn't been too intent on your newspaper. Come, John, be just. It is your own comfort you think of, and not her pleasure; and that, not to mince words, is, I repeat it, pure selfishness."
John threw his cigar impatiently down, got up, and walked to and fro in the room.
"Another thing. Not only in refusing to share her amusements with her, but in other things, you are giving Ellen 'dry husks to eat.' You take three or four political papers. But she don't care for political paper; and when, the other day, she asked you to buy her a new book she fancied, you told her you couldn't afford it. Some husbands, I am told, leave their wives to eat cold mutton at home, while they dine sumptuously at a club. You don't do that, John; but you do what is almost as bad. Ellen likes flowers. Before you were married, you often sent her flowers. A few flowers don't cost much; but you tell her, now, you can't afford them. No books, no magazines, no flowers, no tea-parties, no little, lover-like attentions? Nothing but minding the children all day, and overseeing cooking your dinner. Why, John, just think of it."
"Say no more, say no more," cried her nephew, stopping, and seizing her hand. "I never before realized what a selfish fellow I have been. But I promise you, I'll mend, from to-night."
He did mend. In all the land there is not, now, a happier woman than his wife.
"It's because," says aunt Mary, "John gives her, no longer, DRY HUSKS TO EAT."