Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1872-11-01
The Leisure Hour.
II LITTLE STORI. FOR GENTLE
.NH.H'.
BY ELIZA sPRoAT TURNER.

"Poh, poh, pohw quoth Mr.. Corporal TO
Mrs. Pom dert, al whose house he and his
family were spending social evening.
"All talk, my dear madam, mere talk the
women don't believe it themselves. Asl;
my wife, ask my daughters, who they are
that rule in my house"
an 'ohOse house ?" said the soft voice of
Mrs. Ponderit.
"A mere figure of speech, ma a'am-a
folm of convenience for taX-collectors,
landlords, etc. Say their house if you d
rather; l know l did not dare to take it
till had brought them all down from the
country to look at it. Here, Betty, my
duck, come over here and testify that you
are not the wasting victims of a tyrannical
husband and father"
Mrs. c. arose with a smile the young
ladies shook their naughty curls and re-
mained at the other end of the room. OF
course they did, for we all know how pro-
found and absorbing thing is parlor GRO
quet when you are playing it with Mr.. Till
inghurst and young Mr.. Ponderit.
"Do you hear me?" roared Mr.. Corpor-
al, swelling with triumph at this opportune
dsobedience.
"Yes, pa, Tomorrow" said Julia, smil-
ing placidly at him over her gauze-covered
shoulder.
"Go it alone, papa" suggested the skit-
tsh young Annie.
"Do you hear that, ma'am? There's a
specimen of slavish subserviency! Now,
Mrs. Corporal, l want you TO answer as if
you were under oath Am a severe hus-
band?"
"No."
cam I selfish husband?"
"No."
"Am an ungenerous husband?"
"No"
at seems to me, Mrs. Ponderit, that you
are answered"
az should like TO remark" said that la
dy, "lhat when | expressed my opinion on
the abstract question, l had no idea of
making personal application"
ooh don't like distractions. Put your
theories TO the test, say /, and see if they
stand or fall"
"But have not finished my answers"
said Mrs. Corporal, looking earnestly at
her husband.
1t was loving, half-troubled, yet deter
mined look that she gave him as she went
on to say =
"FifstlN, you are not severe, but you are
overbearing. Taking for granted that the
head of family carries the brains of the
family, ii seldom occurs to you to consult
me in matters of mutual interest, and so
your very kindness takes the form OF
tyranny; the very thing ! may want to do
or have is less acceptable to me for being
imposed upon me at the decision of anoth-
er."
"ReallyV exclaimed Mr.. Corporal, TAX
en- all aback. 81 overbearing! Wellw
"Secondly," continued his wife, "you are
not by nature selfish, and yet, you are in
considerate-that is to say, there are some
things that you have never been taught to
consider. You have been brought up to
look upon women's tastes, women's plans,
and womon's household theories or rules
as WITNESSES 10 be INDUCED out of kind
ness, but never taken into serious account
in deciding your own movements"
"Wcll, well, well r. sighed the bewilder-
ed husband 81 inconsiderate r.
"Thirdly, you are not ungenerous, but
are unjust; you will buy me a silk dress
that | do not need, or a set of jewelry that
! would rather not have; in fact, you are
continually wasting money upon me and
yet in all the years of our married life |
have never had dollar that did not come
in the shape of gift"
"Good lleayensW cried Mr.. Corporal,