Middletown transcript., 1869-06-19

J
bird into the kitchen, or l shall be tempt
ed to wiring his neck. Strange that man
can't have little peace once in while
What does all these eggs, Evelyn? I
thoug hit | had asked you to see that they
were boiled fit for christians to eat"
Mr.: Darcy gave his egg, she'll and all,
vindictive throw upon the CRATE. Eve
lyn's brown eyes sparkled dangerously as
she observed the maneuver, but she made
no remark.
"And the plates are as cold as stone,
when I've implored, again and again, that
they might be warmed. Well, shall eat
no breakfast this morning"
"Whom will you punish most?" deman-
ded Miss Clara. Evelyn, give me anoth-
er cup of coffee-it is perfectly delightful"
Luke pushed his chair back with ven
geance, and took up his stand with his
back to the fire, both hands under his coat
tails.
"Please SIR" said the servant, depreca-
tingly advancing, "the gas bill-the man
says would you settle it while"
4" No" roared Luke, tempestuously,
"Tell the man to 60 about his business /;
I'll have no small bills this morning, and
won't be so prosecuted"
Mary retreated precipitately. Clara rails
ed her long brown eye-lashcs.
"Do you know, Luke" she said de-
murely, II think you would feel a great
deal better if you would do just as Freddy
docs-lie fat down on the floor and kick
your heels against the carpet for while.
It's an excellent escape valve when your
choler gets the better of you"
Luke gave his mischievous sister-in-law
a glance that ought certainly to have an
initiated her, and walked out of the room,
closing the door behind him with bang
that would bear no misinterpretation. Then
Clara came round to her sister, and buried
her pink face on Evelyn's neck.
"Don't scold me, Evy, please-I know
1 have been very naughty to tease Luke
SOL"
:" You have spoken nothing but the
truth" said Evelyn, quietly, with her cor
al lips compressed and q scarlet spot bur-
ming on either cheek. "Clara, | some
times wonder how can endure the daily
cross of my husbands temper"
"Temper!" said Clara, with toss of
her chestnut brown hair. "And the poor
dear fellow hasn't the least idea of how
disagreeable he makes himself"
"Only this morning." said Evelyn, "he
punished Freddy with unrelenting severi-
ty for fit of i'll humor which he himself
has duplicated within the last half hour.
[ am not moralist, but it strikes me that
the fault is rather more to be censured in
full grown reasoning man than in
child"
evelyn" said Clara, gravely, "do
you suppose he is beyond the power of
cure"
II hope not: but what can I do? Shut
him up, as he shut up little Freddyw
Evelyn's merry, irresistible laug gh was
checked by the arch, peculiar expression
in Clara's blue eyes.
"The remedy needs to be something
short and sharp" said Clara, "and the
dark closet system combines both requi-
sites. Tears and Mysteries were played
out long ago in matrimonial skirmishes you
know, Evy."
Nonsense p laughed Mrs. Darcy, ris-
ing from the table in obedience to her hus-
bands summons from above stairs, while
Clara shrugged her shoulders and went to
look for her work basket.
Luke was standing in front of his bu-
reau drawer, finging shirts, collars, cra-
watts and stockings recklessly upon the bed
room floor.
"Td like to know where my silk hand
kerchiefs arc, Mrs. Darcy" fumed Luke
Such state as my bureau is in is enough
to drive man crazy!"
"It's enough to drive woman crazy, I
think" said Evelyn, hopelessly, STOPPING
to pick up few of the scattered articles.
"You were at the bureau last, Luke. 1t
is your own fault"
'My fault-of course it's my fault %
snarled Luke, giving Mrs. Darcy's poodle
kick that sent it bowling to its mistress
Anything but a woman's retorting tongue.
Mrs. Darcy, | won't endure it any longer"
"Neither will p said Evelyn, resolute-
ly advancing, as. her husband plunged in
to the closet for his business coat, and
promptly shutting and locking the door.
IL think have endured it, quite long
enough, and here is an end of itr
Mrs. Darcy, open the door," said
Luke, scarcely able to credit the evidence
of his own senses.
81 shall do no such thingp said Mrs.
Darcy, composedly beginning to rearrange
shirts, stockings and flannel wrappers in
their appropriate receptacles. :
"Mrs. Darcy!' roared Luke, at fever
heat of impotent rage, "what on earth do
you mean ?"
~ mean to keep you in that clothes
press, Mr.. Darcy, until you have made up
your mind to come out in more amiable
frame of mind. If the system succeeds
with Freddy, it certainly ought with you;
and | am sure your temper is much more
intolerable than his"
There was dead silence of fully sixty
seconds in the closet, then sudden burst
of vocal wrath:
Mrs. Darcy, open the door this in
slant, madameP'
Rut Evelvn went on humminO n saucy