Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1868-08-19
Husbands in Little Things.

&" All, Brown, how are you"
why, Jones, is that you2 How dye DO,
my good fellow2"
Such were the exclamations with which
two neighbors greeted each other, as they
met one evening about sundown, on their way
home from business. After few inquiries
about each others family, for both were mar
ried men, and the stereotypcd complaints re-
specting the hard times, of which merchants
complain as proverbially as farmers do Of bad
crops, Brown said to his friend:
"Suppose we try a few oysters, Jones' I've
found place where they keep capital ones
You don't have supper quite YETI
g" No, there's plenty Of time. III 60 with
pleasure"
So the two husbands turned aside into a
saloon, where, in the course of an hours chat,
they managed to spend half dollar each,
partly in oysters, and partly in brandy and
water, {" to make the oysters" as they said
" digest"
Meantime, Mrs. Jones, the youngest of the
two wives, sat wondering why her husband
did not come home She had been into the
kitchen two or three times to see that supper
was ready and being kept hot, for Mr.. Jones
was one of those men who neither like to
wait for a meal, nor eat cold one, At last,
full an hour after his usual time, the husband
made his appearance.
take up supper said Mrs Jones, run
ming to the kitchen door. " It's Mr.. Jones !;
III let him in myself" and as she spoke, she
breathlessly hurried to admit her husband.
Snpper's on the table, Jones" she said
as She clung to him "I'ye made your favor
A. cake and hope il viii tur1 out well. Only
fin afraid It's half spoilt BY the delay But
| suppose business kept you, and so it can't
be helped"
The husband did not contradict his wife.
But when he came to try the cake, he pushed
4 il away.
"Isn't it right; ?" said the wife, the tears
coming into her eyes.
"Yes it will do" answered Mr. Jones,
''only it is not quite up to the thing, and be-
sides, I'm not hungry"
Poor lady! She fancied that these last
words we're said in order to spare her feel
ings, and that the reason her husband did not
eat was because the cake was bad. Her af-
ternoons happiness had consisted in thinking
how agreeably her husband would be sur
prised at this little delicacy. But this was
all destroyed now She had no appetite her
self to eat, and really fancied the cake tasted
fat In short, it was as much as she could
do to command her feelings
Her husband saw and partly understood
her emotion. A single word from him would
have explained all, and he knew it but he
was ashamed, at first, to say he had been loi-
tering on his way home and afterwards il
vas too late. At last he became angry with
his wife for being hurt, as men strangely will
when themselves are in fault. 1t was a mis-
cradle evening for poor Mrs. Jones.
Meantime Mr.. Brown had also reached his
home. His wife also was waiting for him.
Where have you been, my dearf" she
said. " low late you are But come, don't
lose a moment, suppers waiting, and ! want
you to take me to the concert tonight" And,
as she spoke, she led the way briskly to the
supper-room
"a concert "
"Yes, my dear" answered his wife, turn
ing cheerfully around, and I've promised
Sister Jane to meet her there. If we don't
hurry, all the best seats will be filled before
we arrive"
"Really, my love-" stammered Mr.. Brown
as he took his seat and began curiously to
examine his fork, not caring TO meet his wife's
eyes, l'm afraid"
He stopped Mrs Browns face fell. She
knew from his manner what was coming
But she ventured, for once, on remon-
STRANGE.
| Z It's only twenty-five cents a piece" she
raid, I" and surely we can afford that. | don't
20 anywhere as you know. feel as if
could enjoy this concert"
I Thus urged, Mr.. Brown would, perhaps,
have gone. if he had not already spent half Il
dollar himself But that settled the affair
One extravaganza, as he reasoned, was suti-
cient. He did not, however, tell his wife
why he persisted in his refusal.
"Pd 90, in minute, if could afford it,
my love-" he stammered, "but fifty cents
here, and fifty cents there soon runs up-we
may live yet to see the day when well want
even that sum-"
Mr.. Brown, like many others, was always
ready to preach, but slow to practice. Scarce
ly day passed that he did not spend some
thing in an unnecessary lunch but he never
thought of curtaiing this item Of foolish ex-
pense it was invariably his wife's comfort
and recreation that was made to suffer under
the plea Of economy.
Mrs. Brown sighed She had been married
long enough to know that oxpostulation was
useless with husband, at least with Mr..
Brown, but the disappointment was greater
than she thought it wise TO show.
Her husband, however, saw her feelings
was yexed; and sat, for the rest Of the even
ing, silent and sulky. This did not add to
the banniness of his wife 40 that the hours