Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1871-03-29
A Slack Husband Punished.

Mr. Moncton said my grandmother, "
have no wood to burn to-day. What shall |
do ?"
"Oh send Louisa to pick up some" said
the good man, making a stride toward the
door.
" But She has picked up all She can fnd
Then let her freak up some old stuff.
But she has broken up everything
already"
Oh we'll then, do the next best thing 90
| must be off, said the farmer, and of he
was. whstling as be went and no doubt won
dering in his heart what the next best thing
would turn out to be-
Noon came, aud with il came my grand
father and four hungry aborers. My grand
mother stood in the kitchen spinning on her
great wheel and singing pleasant little ditty I;
Louisa was securing in the back room, and
the cat sat purring on the hearth before a
black and freess chimney, while the table
sat in the middle Of the room, spread for din
nor with empty dishes.
"Well, wife, here we are, - said my grand
father choeringly.
80 see, replied she placidy have you
had a good morning in the cornheld2'
"Why, yes, $3.50. But where is the din
nor ?"
In the pot on the door step. Won't you
see if it is done ~
And on the door step, to be sure, sat the
great iron pot nicely covered, but not looking
particularly steamy. My grandfather raised
the cover and there lay the ingredients Of a
nice, boiled diuner-eyerythin prepared in
the incest manner and the pot filed with the
clearest of water, and all the vegetables as
raw as they had ever been My grandfather
stared and my grandmother Joined another
roll to the yarn upon the distaf, aud began
another verse of her song.
"Why, woman, what does this mean ?" be-
gan my grandfather, Indignantly, This din.
ner isn't cooked at all !"
e" Dear me, is it not? Why it has sat il
the sun these four hours"
Sat in the sun :"
Yes, you told me to try the next best
thing to having a fire, and thought setting
my dinner in the sun was about that"
My grandiather stood doubtful for mo.
ment, but finally his sense of humor overcame
his sense of injury, and he laughed aloud.
Then picking up his hat, he said
"Come, boys, We may as well start for the
woods. We shall have no dinner till we have
earned it, perceive"
won't you have some bread and cheese
before you 60 p asked my grandmother, gem
erous in her victory, as women almost always
are. And so she won the day.
The cellar stairs in the old farm house had
become broken and so unsafe that my grand
nnthar hocatooI 10. k,,.l,,,I l..
to repair them, lest some accident should hap
pen. He always promised to do so, and al
ways forgot to fulfill his promises. At last
one day, my grandmother fell in going down
and spilled the milk she was carrying.
q" Are you hurt? ~ asked my grandfather
smoking his pipe beside the fire.
No matter whether am or not returned
the angry housewife, reappearing with hcl
empty pan. THAT is the last time carr,
milk down those stairs until they are mcnded
Please yourself and try the next best way
to get it down." said the husband, it'll,
yexed at her tone
al WILL said my grandmother, and sh,
was as good as her word. The next eyenin.
my grandfather went down to the cellar t,
draw some cider.
What in thunder :" exclaimed ho-noth
ing worse, | assure you, for he was not a pro
iane man" what in thunder is the matter
down here2 Why, woman, your milk is al
over the cellar bottomm
Is it2" replied my grandmother, tran
gully. "Well, think that is likely enough
falling so far"
Falling so far What do you meant"
"Why, you know said shouldn't carr
the milk over those broken stairs again; anI
you told me to to try the next best way 0
getting it down, and so | took up board il
the kitchen floor, threw down the pans, an,
then strained the milk down into them"
The cellar stairs were mended next day.