Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1833-1861, 1855-06-01
an Euteresting Story.
MR.. PEPPERS WIFE;
How he Shut Her up.

Mrs. Pepper, l labor under the i'm.
preston that il is high time you were
getting breakfast. AS my former
housekeeper understood all my wishes
with regard to these things, l found
it unnecessary to give any orders re-
specting them, but with you it is
different. AS you have never got a
meal in this house, ofcourse you know
nothing Of the regulations Of the house
hold.
In the first place, you will make a
FIRE in the kitchen, put on the tea-kct-
tie. DC. Then you will make fire
in here; that done you will cook the
breakfast and bring it here, as / have
always been accustomed to taking
mine in bed, and | do not consider il
necessary to depart from that Gus
tom on your account; but should you
prefer it, you can eat yours in the
kitchen, it is perfectly immatcrial to
me-"
This occurred the morning after
Mrs. Pepper went to housekeeping
Mrs. Pepper was sensible woman
she made no reply to Mr.. Peppers
commands; but as soon as her toilet
was finished, she left the room, and
sitting down in the kitchen, she thus
ruminated.
"Make the kitchen fire-yes' I'll dc
that, then make fire in the bedroom,
I'll see tothst too; then take the break
fast to his bedside-just see if do"
And: d:then Mrs. Pepper sat and tho'i
deeply for few minutes when, ap-
parently having arrived at a salts
factory conclusion, she proceeded to
business,
Having got FIRE kindled in the
kitchen, she carried some coal into
Mr.. P's apartment, and filed up his
stove, having first ascertained that
there was not a spark Of fire in it,
That duty performed, she next PIE.
pared the breakfast. of which she
partook with great relish, and after
matters and things were all set to rights
in the kitchen, she went down town on
a shopping excursion.
Meanwhile, Mr.. Pepper began tc
grow impatient. He labored under
"the impression" that the atmosphere
of his room did not grow warm very
fast, and he began to feel unpleasant.
ly hungry. Peeping out from behind
the bed-curtairs, he saw how affairs
were with regard to the stove
Something like suspicion Of the real
state of affairs began to dawn upon
his mind. He listened for few
minutes, but all was still about the
house.
Hastily dressing himself, he pro
ceeded to investigate the affair. liz
soon comprehended the whole Of it.
and was very wrathful at first; but h,
comfortcd himself with the reflection
that he had power to punish her, and
he felt bound to do it, too. After some
search he found the remains Of tho
breakfast, of which he partook with Q
gusto, and he then sat down to wait
for Mrs. p. She,was a long time com
ing. and he had ample time to nurse
his wrath. While sitting there, he
thus soliloquized:
That ever 1, Philander Pepper
should be so treated, and by a woman
too, is not to be believed. | can't be.
lieve it, nor | won't either. But she
shan't escape, that's certain; il she
should, my reputation, for dignity
would be forever gonel for haven't
told Mr.. Solomon Simpleton all along
how / was going to make my wife
stand around, and how was going
to make her get up and make the fire
every morning. and letme lie abed, anC
bow l was going to shut her up in 1
room and feed her on bread and wa
ter, if she dared to say she wouldn't dc
it?'
"A cosy little arrangement, Mr.. Pep
per- said soft voice behind him.
MIR. p. started up, and there stood
Mrs. p. behind his chair laughing jus
as hard as she could. Mr.. p. put OF
a severe look.
'Sit down in that chair, madam h,
said, pointing to the one he had JUS
vacated, while | have little conver
sation with you
Now, l should be pleased TO know
why you did not obey my orders thi'
morning, and where you have been al
the forenoon?'
Where / have been this forenoon'
Mr.. Pepper, have not the least OBJ
lection to tell you; have been dowr
town doing little shopping. / hav,
purchased some lovely napkins, JUS
look at them,' she said, holding then
mp demurely. for his inspection; Il on
ly paid dollar a piece for them-ex
tremely cheap, don't you think sol
she added.
Mr.. Pepper was astonished; how
she dared to turn the conversation
in this way, was a mystery to him.
Suddenly his bottled wrath brok,
lose. Turning fercely upon her, h
said
Betsy Jane, you disgust me; yol
seem to make very light Of this matter
but il is more serious than you imag
inc, as you will find to your cost di
rectly. Ifyou do not instantly bee
my pardon. in very submissive man
ner, shall exert my authority, t,
bring you to proper sense of you
misconduct, by imprisioning you il
one of my chambers until you are will
ing to promise strict obedience to my
wishes
At the close of this very eloquen
and digpifed speech, Mr.. Pepper
drew himself up to his full height, ant
stationed himself before Mrs. Pepper
ready to receive expressions Of sorrow
and pcnitence; he had no donbt bu
that she would fall down at his feet
and say
Dear Philander, won't you please
forgive me this time. and I'll never d,
so againP
And he was going TO say, Betsy
June, you had better not but insteat
of doing all this, what do you thinl