Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1859-02-18
The Bhcksmi III or Ny Wife's Cousin
The Pleasures Of Aband cniDg Rusi-

A STORY OF REAL LIFE.

Oomc time ago, called on cousin
Of my wife, residing in Philadelphia. l
had not seen him for Il long time, but
having understood that he was in afilu-
ent circumstances, I was but little pre-
pared for the condition in which |
found him. Through Information de-
rived from Philadelphia Directory, |
went to one of those alleys with viii CHI
that city abounds, and found his name
on q signbcard, associated with that of
another man. over dark and dingy
shop. The sign purportcd that they
were locksmi,hs and bcll-hangers; al
SO thai locks were repaired and keys
fitted. Without ceremony, | walked
into the gloomy recess, where there was
ablacksmith's forge, and where, among
several muscular looking men, up to
their armpits in work, was my wifc's
cousin. lie received me most cordially,
and for moment intcrmittcd fling y
huge brass key on which he was cngag-
ed, and the shake of my own dexter by
one Of his broad brawny hands, | can
likcn to nothing nearer than the shock
Of Il young earthquake.
Take a seat, take seat" he OBJ
served, ''and just as soon as finish
this key, we'll make trucks 70, home "
l replied of course that | was in no
hurry, and at once became interested in
the facile manner in which he was met
amorI hcsing rough casting into a
polished key. AS SON as it was con-
pleted he washed the worst of the dirt
from his hands, hung up his work
APP on, ana then putting on his coat ard
hat, remarked in cheerful tone,
"Comc, new, cousin Aleck, let's &c
and see whether wife has got any tea
for me-"
After we were in the street, our con-
versation iasensibly ran on business
aad | took occasion to say to him thai
I had been Of the opinion that ho hat
retired from his trade on handsome
competency. Don't say word abou
retirement" he replied, "it ne ul,
makes me sick to think tf it. People
talk OF retiring from business while
they are healthy and able to work.
tell you, Alex, they don't know wha
it means. | dlda't know what it mean
until | tiled It; but now retremcn
and misery sound, to my ears, likt
words of about the same meaning"
Pcrceiving that he had struck a sub
ject upon which he could easily be com
municativc, 1 looked inquiringly whel
he rejoincd, "Pcrhaps you have nevc
heard the particulars Of my retiring ?
On my replying that l had net, h
proceeded. "You see, Alcck, it is abou
three years ago, that having as yo'
would say, a competency, l made VI
my mini to stop work and move int,
the country. So I sold out my shar
Of the business to my partner, spent
year or more in looking at two or tire
score of country places, and at las
found one that my wife and mysel
were considerably pleased with. Fin
double house, four acres beautiful,
shaded, vegetable garden not to b.
beat, and soil Of superior quality. Th'
place is still in my possession, but be
fore would go and live on it again
IA give it away; yes, Aleck, I'd see
sunk in the middle Of the Dead Sea
But l am getting little ahead Ct m,
story. For two or three months, mat
tiers and things went on very well, be-
cause l had something to attend to il
making a few little improvements abou
the house, and in furnishing a numbc
Of the doors with locks Of my own in
vention; but as the whole premises
were in excellent repair when | Dough
them, | soon came to a point where
there was nothing more to look afte
but the cultivation of the garden.
was not long in making the discover,
hat had no genius or taste either fo
digging around roots or pulling W
weeds, and so as my wife didn't wis
the garden to run to waste, employed
a regular English gardener to carry thu
thing handsomely through.
"Well, l didl.'t mind the expense hi
put me to in the way Of guano, new.
tangled gardening tools, and paten
watering apparatus ; FIR l had fully
expected to spend money, and thanks
to our previous economy, we had mon.
ey to spend but, Aleck, it was very
amusing to see what the fruit and veg.
ctablcs in our garden stood us in
Making use Of the little arithmetic
was master Of, recollect that cipher.
ed up the cost of some Of our table fix.
ms and the result was eucumbers sew
enteen cents apiece green peas dol
lar and three quarters for half peck
currants fifty cents quart raspberries
thirty cents a pint; beets fourteen
cents each, al d every thing else in pro-
portion. All this care no:hlng about
but somehow l felt out Of my gearing
in not having the right kind Of employ.
ment. My wife did her best to coax
me into gentlemanly ways had the old
mechanical Crime all thoroughly scrub
bed out Of my hands, finger nails clean.
ed out and rounded, so as to make it
appear that | had never done any man
ual lator.
'sThen we must get behind a couple
Of Morgan ponies which | had purchas-
ed, and make fashionable calls in the
daytime on those who lad called on us;
and wife wan led me to soften down nv
voice and be particular about my gram
mar, and the subject | talked on; but
sometimes forgetting myself I would
revel in the proud memory Of the locks
and keys | had handled in happier
1,vs .nr oormo,oo h;.