The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1869-01-27
A Quarrel.
NINE YEARS OF WAR BETWEEN
HUSBAND. AND WIFE.

|
lustration of inherent love Of war
in the human bosom is given in
the history of a man and wife,
now living in Maury county,
Tenn, within six miles Of Colum-
bia. An old couple, who we're
once happy and enjoyed life as
much, perhaps, as it is possible
for a married couple to enjoy it.,
live in the locality above indica-
ted. They own a small property,
but have no children, they eat
their meals together daily, except
when the old man is out hunting,
at which time the lady Of the
house enjoys her grub in silence.
Every evening in. the year, except
one, they occupy opposite sides of
the fireplace, one whiting tobac-
co smoke up the chimney and the
other chewing stuff and growing
to herself. Not a word passes.
About ten o'clock they simulta-
neously rise and go to bed in 81
lence. o..
The exceptional day to this
beautiful, harmonious life, is the
18th of December, commonly call
ed in this Christian country,
"Christmas Day. when there oc-
ours a regular old,fashioned fight
between the silent twain. This is
an annual battle, and like other
| fights, is contest for the supre-
macy of an idea. 1t was inaugu-
gurated in this wise:
Nearly ten years ago on Christ
mas day, in the morning, the old
man went out hunting for some
| thing r-ah
| absence of about five hours, he re.
turned with an animal Of some
sort and slipgingit on the floor,
he triumphantly exclaimed:
"There, there, Betty, is ground
hog for dinner" Betty turned
the affair over with the toe Of her
brogan, gazed intently for two
minutes, and then deliberately
said:
"Faugh it's a skunk"
The husband didn't like this
expression. of opinion on the part
of his beloved, bat being a mild
man, and anxious to retain the
long standing good feeling be-
tween them he contented himself
with a gentle reiteration of his
first remark. The lady became
firm also, and even INDUCED in a
sort of subdued sneer at the ig-
norance of her. husband. he
| WaXed cross.
II tell you, Bet, it is ground
hog, and I don't want to be con-
tradicted."
But the lady contradicted. II
tell you it is" and II tell you it
isn't" followed each other with
increasing rapidity and virulence,
until the storm assumed the shape
of blows. The man pinched, and
the woman scratched, until both
became exhausted and had to quit
from sheer WEAKNESS.
Next day when GOODNESS and re-
fection superseded heat and pas
sion, both silently regretted the
unfortunate difference of, opinion,
which left the head Of the house
with half his beard and very little
hair, and the lady two eyes of
unusual darkness but they spoke
not. Now both were too proud
and guilty for that. They re-
mained silent until a whole year
had rolled round and Christmas
again came on, while enjoying a
cup of thick, black coffee and a
greasy corn dodger the wife mild
| ly ventured a remark to the effect
that they had been very foolish a
year ago to fall out and pound
each other about so miserable a
thing as a skunk.
eyes," said the repentant hus-
band, it was darned wickod Of US,
and we ought'nt ha' done it, but
you forget, Bet, that was ground
hog and not a skunk
Bet did not forget; she had no
reason to remember, although the
black were all gone then, but