The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1869-01-19

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8 uan end viie nov living in Mnrra'
County Term within SIX miles Of CO
lamlaa Az old couple. bo were onc.
happy aud enjoyed life as much, per
haps as It u possible for married
couple @ euloy ii live in the localit,
above indicated They cat their meal.
together dady,exeept whou tue Ola mar
out hunting, st which time the lad,
oi the house ebjuys her grub ia silence
Every evening Of The year, except one
they occupy opposite sides Of the ire
place. one whiting tobacco smoke ur
the chimney and TIE other chewing
snuff and growing 70 herself Net q
word passes At about 10 o'clock they
, simultaneously rise from the fire aud
{ 20 70 bed in silence.
Tue exceptional day TO this beautiful
harmonious life, is the 25th Of Doceln-
Der. commonly called, IN this Christian
country, Christmas Day, when there
occurs a regllal old-lashioned fight be-
tween the silent twain. This is an an
nual battle, and, ike other fights, is the
contest for the supremacy Of an idea. -
It was inaugurated in this wise:
Nearly ten years ago, on Christmas
Day, in the morning, the old man went
ont hunting for something Eat for din
ner After an absence Of about five
hours, be returned with an animal Of
some sort aud singing il on the floor,
he trinmphantly exclaimed,
There, Betty, is a ground bog for
dinner" Betty turned the affair over
with the toe Of her brogan, gazed in
tently for two minutes, and then dehb-
erately said
"Faugh lis skunk r
The husband didn't like this express
ion OF opinion on the part Of bis beloy.
ed, but being mild man, and anxious
to retain the long-standing good feel
between them, he contented himself
with a gentle reiteration Of his first re-
mark. The husband put little more
hrmness in his next reiteration. Tie
lady became firm also, and even indulg-
ed IN a sort Of . subdued sneer at Che
ignorance Of her husband. He waxed |
cross
7 tell you, Bet its grounding,
and don't want to be contradieted
But the lady contradicted. II ten
you it is, and Il tell yon it amt, fol- /
flowed each other with increasing rapid |
ity and violence, until the storm assum- I
ed the shape Of blows The man punch
ed and the woman scratched, until both
became exhausted,and had to quit from
sheer weariness.
Next day when coolness AMI reflect
ion superseded heat, and passion, both
silently regretted the unfortunate diff
ference of opinion, which lef. the head
Of the house with half his beard and
very httle hair, and tie lady with two
eyes OF unusual darkness, but they
spoke not. No, both were too proud
and guilty for that They remained
silent until whole year had rolled,
and Christmas day again came on.
While enjoying cup Of thick, black
coffee and a greasy corn dodger, the
wife mildly ventured remark to the
effect that they had been very ioolish a
year ago to fall out and pound each
other about SO miserable thing as a
skunk.
Yes, said the repentant husband.
1T was darned wicked Of us, and we
onghtnt ha' done Il; but you forget
Bet, that was ground-hog and not
skunk
Bet did not forget, she had reasons
Q remember, although the black eyes
we're all gone then, bat she knew It was
skunk. The husband thought il
'home for her to hold the opinion still,
PARTICULARLY when she knew it to be
yround-hog. She knew it was skunk
-he knew 1t was a hog, She knew
liiferent The virulence again crept
u, words waxed hot and blows followed.
The scene Of the former Christmas Day
vas re-enacted to nicely, and both
vent 70 bed exhausted, with blacker
yes in her head and less hair on his
hey were repentant and silent next
lay, and spent the year without speak
ag; but when the anniversary arrived
he same scene was gone through with
eligious precision, and has been gone
Trough With every Christmas since.
be people !or miles around have be.
ome aware Of these annual idiosyn-
racies IN the lonely and peculiar pair,
nd look forward with much interest
the Developments 81 the coming
brissmas 1t may be proper 70 re-
lark, for The sake Of perspicuiiE, that
le ladg's eyes from being originally
ght gray. have become a coalyblAck
'om the periodical dying which her
1nsiderate husband gives them and
j. hair has entirely DISAPPEARED, owing
the yearly operations oi her long