Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1872-06-20
THE DESERTED HUSBAND.

His name it was Skiver. 1t was a kind
Of singular name, and he was kind OF
a singular man. He was fat, and he was
short and he had no more hair on his
face than a baby, and very little more OH
bis head. Our boy came into the back
room, where | was stonlng cherries one
day, and says he:
"MrS. Entwistle, there's gentleman"
"Where 7" say |.
ain the hall," says he.
"Why don't you show him into the
parlor'" says I.
"Why, he won't 60" says he; "and
he says he must see you for minute"
"Oh," says |. "a bill, no doubt"
So out | walked, and there he stood ;
and | thought, as | looked at him "if
poor Mrs. Chicory's baby had grown up
to be four feet three, and otherwise stayed
just so, he'd been your very image"
Air you the lady of the house ~ says
he.
81 am" says "but if it's to sub
scribe to anything, with butter at the
price it is, don't ask me. I'd like Holy
Scripture with illustrations, and I'd like
the Fashion Magazine, as well as another
but can't afford it, and that's fact
had literary taste once, but it's all gone
Pm nothing but sugar and butter and
Goals and kindling wood nwardly, so don't
show 'em to me and aggravate me by 'em
don't, | pray. Subscriptions to books is
for them that don't keep boarders."
"Mum," says he, "your words 90 to
my heart, but it ant my object"
What is your object then, may l ask,
sir?'' says |.
Board, num-" says he.
"Well," says [, 81 have vacancy
but it's on the top floor"
6 Any place will do for me-" says he.
"a poor, deserted critter like me-
And two tears came into his eyes.
"Perhaps he really is baby" says to
mysely. :" A giant baby"
Desertedm says I.
eyes IN, saws he. "She went off and
left me Wednesday night without my
supper"
"Your ma ?" says |.
~ M says He' n uOlIeT Tie, II
possible. My ma would never have done
such thing My wife, num-"
" The abandoned critter," says |.
No M" says he. "Wirtue itself: a
most respectable woman lady, when
married her, as supported herself up
right and noble with a sewing machine.
No names, mum, if you please"
What did she 90 Oft then for ?" says |
A married woman,s place is in her hus-
bands home. Had you words ?"
she had a few, mum a good many,
may say" said the gentleman; "but
gin her none back She had her reasons
for leaving. If l may confide in you,
mum, she was Jealous"
"Jealous % said |. "No doubt YOU
gave her cause. Men always do"
" AS sure as my name is Skiver," said
the gentleman, "I'm as innocent as the
babe unborn. She would set at the winder,
and her torn was fine; but / didn't so
much as mention it to Jane Amelia, and
was only-excuse me for abiding to it
was only blowing OF my nose, no more,
and she waved her Handkerchief, and Jane
Amelia says, says she, The end has come
at last and left me-"
"For blowing your nose ?" says 1.
Thought lit was flirting, you see,
says he.
"Oh," says I with the person with
fine figure at the opposite window %
Yes m" says he; "and I'm willing
and able to pay; and any hole | can
crawl into will do, for life is ended with
me, and it's all over"
"Oh, she'll come back, says /. "Why
don't you make herr"
Make Jane Amelia do any thing %
says he. " You don't know her."
So he came. And he sat at my table
with a very wretched countenance, and
Mr. Scrapples, the comic man that writes
for the papers, he did ask me, to be sure,
eff he'd been sent there to be weaned,"
for he looked like it,
lie eat bread and milk for his breakfast,
and he never spoke to anybody; but
felt sorry for him, for my part. And
was just thinking that it was hard for
him to be used so, and that Jane Amelia
ought to be ashamed of herself, when
heard tapping at the window-panes. L
forgot to say that it was eleven o'clock at
night, and was mixing my bread in the
front basement. "Tap, tap, tap it came,
short and quick-"tap, tap, tap"
Gracious p says |. "What is that 2"
cts only me-" says a voice outside !;
don't be afraid, Mrs. Entwistle. It's
only a poor, lone lorn woman like your.
self"
opened the door and peeped out.
The moon was bright, and there stood a
woman in decent calico dress and big
apron and little shawl and sun bonnet.
May come in 2" says she.
"Who are you?" says |.
"Pm poor woman" says she, "a look
ing for a place, and | heard you was
wanting a girl +; and says to myself, I'll
atteE before she gets another"