Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1871-03-16
TOWN GOSSIP.

ana MIS-. Smlth, WIlG OF The dry gOOU'
merchant in the little town OF B
thought it would do her go,d 10 take Il
short stroll, and make cali upon one
of her neighbors. Acror)inly she pm
on her sun-honnet, locked up The house
and ran in to ueighbor Jones, just
across the way. And there she heard
a piece Of news.
They do say that our new minister,
wife isn't just the person she ought to
be, for the place. said Mrs Jones,
rocking to and fro in her own particular
easy chair, and knitting all the while.
"a little Airty, dressy kind of thing, with
her hair all hanging in curIs over her
shoulders, and wearing gypsy hat over
them curls, Mrs. Smith She draws, and
she paints, and she plays the piannor,
and she works on all kinds of embroidery
patterns. But | haint heard Of her
making the minister q single shirt since
she came here, Mrs. Smith ! And I'll
bet his stockings are full of holes, if the
sober truth was known about them.
That amt the kind of woman a minister
wants for wife, Mrs. Smith lie wants
a woman that has some sense, and some
mind. And between you and me, she
hasn't got any, Only don't YOU 90 and
say that | said so, Mrs. Smith"
Oh dear, no Mrs. Smith would never
mention it, for the whole world And
what a pity it wasl And she must say
good by now, and 60 and call on Mrs.
Brown, and get her receipt for making
soda biscuits.
So to Mrs, Brown was related, under
q solemn vow of secrecy, the terrible
tale Of the minister's nirty wife.
She is all the time painting, and
singing, and playing on the pianncr,
Mrs. Brown, and this poor dear mans
shirts are never properly looked after;
and she has embroidered every pattern
in the miliners shop, but his stockings
are perfect mass of hole, and he has
to wear boots on purpose TO hide them
and she curls her hair, Mrs. Brown and
between you and me, though you mustn't
say that ever said so, they do say her
mind isn't very strong. Isn't it pity
that such nice man has got such a
wife? | wonder he lives with her as
patiently as he does. It's enough to
make him 90 ont Of his mind, too, as
she has gone; isn't it now, Mrs. Brown?
Mrs. Brown sssented, with round eyes
of wonder. And after Mrs. Smith had
gone home it occurred to her that she
had better run across the street aud see
if her cousin by marriage, Mrs, Green,
had heard the news.
"Isu't it a shame, Cousin Green?" she
asked, as soon as she was comfortably
seated by the parlor window. "Thcres
the minister's wife a painting her cheeks,
and curling her hair, and playing all day
long on the piauner, and spending all his
money to buy embroidery with; and the
poor man hasn't Ct but one shirt to hi.
back, and his stockings are so full of
holes that he can't ever take Oft his
boots for fear of showing them. sup.
pose she isn't TO blame though, for be
tween you and me and the gate post,
though You mustn't let ont that I said it,
she is just as crazy as loon. And the
minister, he is going the same way as
fast as he can, along with the trouble lie
has in watching her, and trying to make
her behave so that people wouldn't guess
what allied her. 1t is really awful to
think of | suppose, if they both get
crazy, the society and the town will have
to put their heads together aud send
them off to Brattleboro; won't they
Cousin Green
Cousin Green did not know. Bnt the
question was a very serious one, and
ought to be discussed, if not decided at
once. SO, seeing it was but eight o'clock
when Mrs. Brown had gone, she Slipped
on her shawl and ran over to Mrs.
Whites, who was, like her, member of
the minister's church.
"What are we to do now, with such
troubles coming upon us, Sister White :"
she cried, in deep distress. Here's the
minister's wife gone crazy as a coot at
last, and painting her cheeks, and
curling her hair, and shrieking over the
pianner all day long, and spending all
his salary for embroidered muslin gowns,
while he hasn't but one sli@ to his back
and one stocking to his foot, aud has TO
sleep in his boots. And his brain is
softeDing or hardening, or something, |
don't know what, with the trouble Of
holding her down when she gets into her
tantrums /; and they do say that the town
will have to send them both to Brattle
boro, if the society don't take hold soon.
What do you think had better be done
in such a case, Sister White" {"
Sister White was at a loss what to
say. 1t was matter that demanded
prayerful consideration, she thought
But they did not have prayers in that
house until Deacon White came home
from the grocery at half-past nine. So
she bad time to 90 mp the lane ard tell
her trouble to Mrs. Gray, who had been
her bosom friend for years.
"Pm sure, Mrs. Gray, I don't know
what the Deacon will say" she sighed.
Here's the church all going to be broken
mp, just as he had SET it going so nicely,
The minister's wife has goue crazy, and
she's all painted up, with straws stuck
in her curly hair, and she's been taking
all the salary to buy silk embroidered
gowns with and the minister hasn't .