Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1856-11-01
EVENING STAR,
CO 3 I N 9 A GRUM MBLER;
Or, Three Days at Home
I l-F1RST DAY .

There, my dear, brought you homo three
quarts of berries, said John Paley, the bIack
smith, as he laid the basket down upon the
table.
"What in the world did you bring three
quarts for! can't use moro than two" re.
piled Mrs Paley.
"0h, we'll, now 1 think Of it, Mrs Thomp.
son wants a quart, and wished me to get 1T
for her, if the man camo along to day
"Humph. Now think of it, 1 want them
myself, and Mrs. Thompson cannot have
them 20
"Never mind left a quart at the shop
for luncheon tomorrow she can have them. -
Do without them yourself2''
have them"
you take good care Of Mrs. Thompson, ad-
ded Mrs Paley, with a slight sneer.'
only take quart Of berries for her"
"That is more than she would do for you
| or me-"
ooh, no; guess not"
81 asked her to lend me her wash-tub tie
other morning, and she would Mt do il, re-
piled Mrs Paley, rather spitefully.
Wouldn't do it ?"
ono"
Would mt lend you q wash tub ~
John Paley was astonished and indignant
Mrs Thompson was a widow who lived in the
next house, and he had frequently been called
upon to perform sundry little chores for her
which her lonely condition required and now
to have her refuse Is lend his wife a wash tub,
was the highest of ingratitude, and he re-
solved on the spot that Mrs. Thompson should
not have the berries.
" She isn't an angel" added Mrs Paley
81 never supposed she was. Wouldn't lend
you her wash tub 80
"No, she would not
l am surprised: when was it ?''
" Last Monday morning.
"Last Monday morning. You did not 60
her for tub on Monday morning, did you %
did at what other time should want
tub ?"
"Yes; and at what other time should she
want a tub?'
"Well, 1 only asked her for il, and it was
mean of her not to let me have it, after we
have done SO much for her"
We John wanted to say that we, like the
editorial singular, only meant himself, but he
had no wish to stir up strife.
"She told me she had her clothes in it,p
continued Mrs. Paley.
"Well ?"
" She didn't seem willing TO lend it to me,
80 when she offered to take them out, and let
me have the tub, 1 told, her che needn't trou-
BILE herself -
1T was very wrong, Mary, fer you to ask
her to lend you her tub on Monday morning 4"
"I suppose so; if any one was wrong, of
course, am the one," pouted Mrs. Paley,
disguised by her husband s partiality and in
justice.
Never mind, Mary; is supper rsady?'
No; that wood you got last is such miser.
able stuff, it won't burn at all.
"lt is the best that could get, and the
best there is, for that matter. gave eight
dollars a cord for it''
g A fool and his money are soon parted"
" A fool and her husband -" but John
cut the sentence short, thinking ii a little too
wicked for the occasion.
Just like you! If there is a fool any
where about, l am the one :"
"Never mind, Mary. Let US have some
supper as soon as you can. / am going to the
caucus this evening.
"You are? You never stay at home even.
ings now"
"Why, my dear, have not been out of tie
house of an evening but once for a month -
why need you 60 at all ?"
because L am deeply interested in the
election?'
"More than you are in your Wife" replied
she, petulaptly, as she opened the stove-oven
to see if the biscuit were ready. al declare
this Is the meanest oven / ever saw. II will
not bake worth a cent
C. Have you just found that out!''
{" 1t never was good for anything"
And so Mrs. Psley went on from one thing
to another, regularly and systematically con-
demning everything to which she put her
hand. She was not suited. Everything and
everybody was out of joint. Nothing went
right, nobody could do anything to suit her.
John Paley was not particularly happy in
his domestic relations. The porcupine tenn
per of his wife was continual annoyance to
him. 1t was very hard to use his best endeav-
Ors to please her and then fail. He had tried
to study her wishes, but they were mere ca
prices, and in despair he gave up his attempts
Nothing that he could do would please her,
nothing but she found fault with him.