Oldal 309 [309]
FRED AND KATE. 249
as she had tired herself with running, she took her time about
going home, and walked slowly to cool herself. All this time
the beer was running out of the cask, for Kate had not turned
off the tap, and as the can was soon full, it began to run over
on the cellar floor, and ran, and ran, until the cask was empty.
Kate stood on the steps and saw the misfortune.
‘‘Dear me!” cried she, “ what am I to do to prevent Fred
from noticing it!”
She considered for a while, and then remembered that
there was remaining in the loft from the last fair time a sack
of fine wheat-flour ; she determined to bring it down, and strew
it over the beer.
c "To be sure,’ said she, "those who know how to save
have somewhat in time of necessity.”
And going up to the loft, she dragged the sack down and
threw it right upon the can full of beer, so that Fred’s drink
ran about the cellar with the rest.
“Tt is all right, said Kate; “where some goes the rest
must follow,” and she strewed the meal all over the cellar.
When all was done, she was highly pleased, and thought how
clean and neat it looked.
At dinner-time home came Fred.
‘Now, wife, what have you got for me?” said he.
‘‘Q Fred,” answered she, "I was going to cook a sausage
for you, but while I was drawing the beer the dog got it out
of the pan, and while I was running after the dog the beer all
ran away, and as I was going to stop up the beer with the
wheat-meal I knocked over the can: but it is all right now;
the cellar is quite dry again.” But said Fred,
“O Kate, Kate! what have you been about, letting the
sausage be carried off, and the beer run out of the cask, and
then to waste all our good meal into the bargain P”
‘“ Well, Fred, I did not know; you should have told me,”
said Kate. So the husband thought to himself,
“If my wife is like this, I must look after things a little
better.”
Now he had saved a very pretty sum of money, and he
changed it all to gold, and said to Kate,
“Do you see these yellow counters? I am going to make
a hole in the stable underneath the cows’ manger and bury