The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1871-06-01
SHE 0R}BURE.
official City and County Paper
TAKEN AT HIS WORD.

4 wide cook-kitchen. after the airy
fashion of New England, with the breath
of grape blossoms coming in at the open
windows, and glisteaing tin pan on the
table full of dwey, scarlet strawberries
waiting to be hulled-this is our scene /;
our dranaatis petson@ consists OF Mrs.
Perkins, whose drowsilY-clieking, knit
ting needles keep time to the purr of the
overgrown Maltese cat, and a pretty
young girl, with rather flushed face.
who had just entered from door lead
ing to the hall.
.'Well,' said Mrs Perkins, looking ur
with that inefably wise expression which
is imparted to the human countenance by
round silver speotacles, perched obliquely
on the bridge of the nose, che amt
asleep is he ?''
Eyes he is was The answer
"Glory be thanked for that at least, -
said Mrs. Perkins, apparently appalling
herself on a long knitting needle, which,
however, entered harmlessly into the
horn sheath that she wore at her side
engaged in ascalloped red flannel. "There
will be five minutes Of peace at least
You are tired, amt you Doreh p
Yes said Theodore White, Il am
rather tired.
But her languid, voice spoke plainly
that the more accurate phrase would have
been Every tired"
Theodore White was O slender, soft
eyed girl Of eighteen, with a complexion
of pearly ciearness, and a rose apiece on
her cheeks girl with dimple on her
chin and a pretty, pleading way of look
ing at you when she spoke. She sal
down beside the window, where the mig
nonette-seented grape blossoms were
sWaylng IN the summer air, and leaned
her forehead against the easement.
Mrs. Perkins eyed her with an owl-like
glance of sympathy.
TITS shame, so 1t is" said Mrs.
Perkins emphatlcally. "a man fasn't
no business to be so tryin' no, not if he
was sick forty times over. Scold, snap.
snarl, this amt right at all. and t'other
thing is wrong! That's the way to keep
it up. I'd as soon wait on the old boy
himself"
Theodore smiled iaintly, and arched
her eyebrows.
s'Why, Mrs. Perkins you don't mean
to compare my uncle Joseph with so OBJ
noxious parsonage as you allude to?
she said, denlurely.
well, said Mrs. Perkins reflective
~, 'sthey amt SO unlike after all. [ do
declare, sometimes when he gets in his
tantrums, I've two minds and half to
give him. a good shakin'. There amt
no sense in mans bein' so unreasona-
Bile. You can't please him. no way you
can fix it.
eve can at least try, Mrs. Perkins, -
Eyes, and that's jest what spillin
him. He knows very well that if he was
to want the moon, you d hunt up the
longest step-ladder and try to reach it
down. It al avs did Spite children to let
EN- have all they want, and your uncle Jo-
seph amt nothing but growed-up
child.
But I don't let him have all he wants
Mrs. Perkins,
''And pretty kettle o'6sh there'd be
ifyou did," and the old housekeeper
pounced upon her ball as if she had, for
moment, identified it with the person
sge under discussion.
aIt mightn't be such bad idea," said
Theodore, after a moments thoughtful
silence.
s'Be you crazy?" demanded Mrs. Per-
kins, tartIy.
''Hushlo Theodore started from her
seat with uplifted finger. He is awake
he wants ne
And she has gone. swift, noiseless as a
white-winged dove, before Mrs. Per-
Ains could volunteer to go in her stead.
sYes," said Mrs. Perkins to herself,
it is shame. He seems to think she's
made of cast-iron and india rubber-the
old torment -
With this rather illogical expression of
her opinion, Mrs. Perkins resumed her
knitting more vigorously than ever.
Meanwhile, Theodore fastened up
stairs into the close curtained sick-room,
where querulous old gentleman lay,tor-
tured with deal of "hypo," and a very
little actual illness. But uncle Joseph
White chose to believe that he was very
i'll ! and who, pray. was better Judge of
the state of his bodily health than him.
self
He screwed his face into the semblance
Of q nut-cracker, as his niece hurrledly
entered the apartment and came up to
his bedside.
I've been humping on the floor till
my arms were ready to drop out of their
socketsl'' he groaned. Are you all
deaf down stairs? or has old Perkins
forgotten there's any one in the world
bat herself and snuff-box!'
TIN very sorry, uncle.''
factions speak louder than words,
snarled uncle Joseph unggadously.
s'How do you feel now, uncle Joseph"
asked Theodore soothingly.
m worse"
"Are you?"
Pulse higher-skin hot-face flush
ed; of course I'm worse. This confound-
ed hot room is enough to throw any one
into fever: open every door and win