The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1869-02-02
TYrnnnical Men.

such in his family circle at all events.
have known men who were patterns
of gentlenese and suavity in their business
relations, who were anything but gentle
in their domestic relations. They were
not born to rule their peers so they ruled
over those who were weaker and more
helpless than themselves, such as wives,
and children, and hired men, with rod
Of iron. 1 will not deal in vague general
tiles, but relate some instances of petty
tyranny Of actual occurrence.
There was man who had little,
meek>faced wife, seven girls, one boy, and
large farm. He used to be obliged to
hire help upon his farm, and of course he
could not get men who would do work
just as he did it himself. In the planting
of corn, or potatoes, il the rows were not
just so straight, and the hills just so far
apart, he would rave like mad man,
actually foaming at the mouth. If there
was rake or fork misplaced in his barn,
or bit of litter upon the floor, his anger
would break forth in curses His rule in
the house was absolute. His wife ex-
pressed, in every lock and attitude, dcpre-
cation and apology, and the children
skulked in corners like quails, when they
heard his footstep upon the door stone.
He built large house, in the planning of
which his wife had no voice. consequently
it was the most inconvenient in arranges
ment you can imagine. There was a
flight of six stairs from the kitchen to the
dinnng room, but none leading to the
chamber, except those in the front hall.
The girls were anxious to have door
step at the front door. He drew a largo
stone, dumped it midway between the
house and street, and there itlay for years.
They wanted good, door-yard fence and
a gate he built one of coarse, crooked
rails, and had pair Of bsrs, They want
ed to keep hens, and have plenty Of eggs
and chickens; he would not permit hen
to set foot upon his farm. They wanted
curtains, at the windows, and carpets upon
the floors; he tore the curtains into
ribbons, and kicked the basket of carpet
rags out Of doors. 80, father do keep a
horse !" was the cry of the girls, and he
kept the very ''pokyest' pair of oxen he
could find. AT last he got converted"
and for some years did much better but
few seeds of the ''original sim remained
in his bosom the sold Adam" got the
upper hands of him. and he became q
backslider.
/ knew another man-he was called q
man-whose wife never dared to 90 ou
for an afternoon visit without his mos
gracious permission, and whose children
never went TO play for an hour with ,
neighbours children, without asking him i
they mihgt go, and how long they nigh
stay. He knew to an ounce how mucl
butter and cheese was made in the house
sold it himself, took the money, put ii in hi
pocket, from which receptacle it neve
came forth without a struggle and groa
unless it came out to buy more land H.
kept pair OF horses, one of which wa
gentle enough for his wife to drive. ~
seen that wife stand before him wit
downcast eyes, trembling lips, and nervor
hands, begging of him to let her have tn
T horse TO dive to the village.
'What do you want to 60 to the Sillag
, for
" Il want to go to the store first, and the
to see Lizzie Ford
, 60 to the store hey. What on airi
10 are you going TO the store for now7 II
7 nough to keep man poor as poverty Il
hull time
+ Maria wants new dres, and Nettie
= new shaker
=. Maria wants new gownd, does she
y, W Well, she can 60 out to work and airn j
~ then she'll know how she came by it.
II. Il cannot spare her to 90 out
"s 'H Cant spare her, did you say
i. you could see the work my mother do
n%o % you're alters draggin round half dea'
"c dill not hear the poor mcthers
ponse, but he did.
/, whats ihat--you wish you ",
ne to dead ? Well now, that's purity W
~ ~ for Christain--a member of the cbur,
u, "' too You've got wicked, rebeliC
~, ~, heart--that's what you've got. AnC
"a IA don't do you any particular good to
~. ~" Lizzy Ford neither. You can't have
~, ~ hoss; duno but you might you wa
~ ~ a goin to see Lizzy.'
' knew another, who concealed his i
l., claw in velvet paw, He was the me
o., -" est and gentlest of human beings W
there was company at his house;
- " when he was visiting at friends no
:, - butter wouldn't melt in his mouth.
'' his own house there were not di
enough of kind to set the table decen
There were broken two-tined forks, kn
-sii- minus a handle, and german-silver spo
nty. When the guests were at the table
1t would say
ght. 'Wife, why don you make me thin
gife. get set of dishes these are really
red. shabby
at Wife bushes little but is silent.
,ded Look there, wife, you've given
The Boots broken knife. Get another.
late Boots says-''lt's of no conseque
fear. So tho wife shuts her mouth tightly,
rot her lip twitches nervously
ulate 'Why, Mrs. Pincher, you are the
she forgetful woman; there's no spoon il
and gravy. Bring one, Sophia.
they Sophia fumbles smong lot of bI
. 81 kon1loI ~,