Litchfield enquirer., 1862-04-03
s After all,' said he. the while, swhat uss would rooster be to me. if had to die of hunger?'

rooster be to me, if l had to die of hunger?' As, he at length drew near his own dwelling, however, Gudbrand began to meditate seriously on the curious turn things had taken with him, and before entering his home, he stopped at the door of Peter the Greybeard. as g neighbor of his was called in the surrounding country. 5. Well neighbour said Peter, 'how have you prospered in the town F Oh! so-so, answered Gudbrand j; Ican't say that have been very lucky, nor have much to complain of either : and he vert on to tell all that happened.
 'Neighbor, you've made pretty mess of it ? said Peter the Greybeard you'll have nice time when you get home. Heaven protect you from your dame! Iwouldn't. bs in your shoes for ten crowns es. {ss aj as 14 a5
 Good r rejoined Gudbrand of the Hill i; things might have turned out still worse for me, but now I'm quiet in my mind about it. for my wife is so clever that, right or wrong, no matter what I've done, well or ill, she'll not say one word about it. @ I hear and admire your statement, neighbour retorted Peter, but with all respect for you. do not believe word of it.
 Will you lay wager on it ? said Gudbrand. I have a hundred crowns in my drawer at home. and I'll bet twenty of them against as many from you .,....-- Done on the spotv vreplied Peter. So, join ing hands on it. the two friends entered Gud- brands house. Peter stood back at the deor to see what the husband and wife would have to say. Good evening, wife ? said Gudbrand.
 tGood evening, husband said the good wo. man you ve come back then, God be praised! ]! How did you fare all dayE
 Neither well nor ill., replied Gudbrand.- When got to the town could find no one there to buy our COW, and so l traded her offfor horse.
 For horser said the wife. An excellent idea, and I thank you with all my heart. We can go to church, tleE, in wagon, like plenty of other folks who look down upon us, but are no better than we. live choose to keep horse and can feed him, We have a right to do it, l suppose, for We ask no odds of anybody. Where is the horse? We must put him il, the stable.'
 I did not bring him all the way home,' an- swered Gudbrand, for on the road changed my mind; exchanged the horse for hog
 Come. now,' said the wife, that's just what I'd have done in your place! Thanks hundred times over! Now when my neighbors come to see me, I'll have, like everybody else, a bit of ham to offer them. What need had we of horse? The folks around us would have said, l. See the saucy things! they think it beneath them to walk to church. Let Us put the hog in a pen:' Il didn't bring him with me- said Gudbrand,
 for on the way exchanged him for she-g goat. Bravo said the good wife. What sensi- b'e man you are! When come to think of it, | what could have done with hog? The neigh bors would have pointed us out, and have said. l Look at those peuple-ali they make they eat. But with she goat shall have milk and cheese not to speak of the little kids. Come. let us put her into the stable. .e. .
 I didn't bring the she goa. with me, either, said Gmlbrand: I traded her again, for an eve
 There! That's just like yuu, exclaimed the wife, with evident satisfaction. ( It was for my sake that you did that. Am young enough to scamprr. over hill and dale, alter sue goat?- No indeed. But all eve will yield me her wool as we'll as her milk 50 let us get her housed at | once 2 -''--''
 I d;dut bring the eve home, either stam mered Gudbrand, once more, but swaPpod her 1 for goose.
 What goose oh thanks thousand times, with all my heart-for after all. how could have got along with the eve? l have neither card nor comb. and spinning is a heavy job, at best. It Is far easier to cut and fit and sew. It's far easier to buy our clothes ready made, as We ve always done. But goose-a fat one, too, no doubt-why that's the very thing l want I've need of down for our quilt, and my mouth has watered this many day for bit of roast goose. Put the bird in the poultry coop
 'Ah I've not brought the goose, for took rooster in his stead .,... .e. Good husbandr saia the wife, you're wiser | than 1 would have been. A rooster! splendid why. roosters better than an eight day clock. 1 The rooster will crow every morning at four o'clock, and tell us when it is time to pray to God and set about our work. What would have l .l o I Iopf Enoxu how h cook one, and as for the quilt, Heaven be praised, there's no lack of moss great deal softer than down. So let us put the rooster in the corn yard
 1 Ihuve not brought even the rooster, murmur- ed Gudbrand, for at sundown, I felt very hung
 ", and had to sell my rooster for shilling to buy something to buy something to eat. If it
 hadn't been for that l must have starved to
 night
 God be thanked for giving you that lucky
 thought replied the wife. All that you do Gudbrand. is just after my own heart. What need we of a rooster? Weare our own masters,
 think there IS no one to give us orders. aud
 we can stay in bed just as long as we please
 Here you are my dear husband, safe and sound,
 I am perfectly satisfied, and have need ofnoth. ing more than your presence to make me happy. | Upon this Gudbrand opened the door |" Well
 neighbor Peter, what do you say to that? Go
 now, and bring me the twenty crowns! Su saying Gudbrand hugged and kissed his
 wife with as much fervor and heartiness as though
 he and she had just been welded in the bloom
 of youth. Peter the Greybeard did not at all resemble
 Gudbraud. He was sef-wled. imperious, pas
 sionate, and had no more patience than dog
 when you. snatch away his bone, or a cat when
 you are trying to strangle her. He would have
 been insptferable, had not Heaven in it's mercy given him wife who was match for him. She
 was healstrong quarrelsome, discnntented and
 morose- ready to keep tuist when her
 husband preserved silence and just as ready to
 scream ut the top of her voice the moment he opened his mouth. ea... .s.= j.. .5. | It was great good fortune for Peter to have such spouse. Without her, would he ever have
 known that patience IS not the merit of fools? I One day in the moving season, when he came home, after a fifteen hours spell of hard work I in worse humor than usual. and was swearing cursing and execrating all women aud their la
 ziness, because his soup was not yet ready fol
 him, his wife exclamed,- \ ,tGood Lord Peter. you talk away at fnt } rate. Would you like to change places? To morrow will now, instead of you, and you stay at home here and play housekeeper. Then, wei 4 see which of us will have the hardest task ant ) come out of it best ea :! Agreed ? thundered Peter; you'll have { : chance to find out, once for all what apoor aus : band has to suffer- The trial will teach you : lesson of respect you greatly need. So the next morning, at day break. the Wilt set out a6eld, with the rake over her shoulde and the sickle by her side, all joyous at the sigh of the bright sunshine. and singing like a lark.