Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1873-02-07


fdently. "Hed go down on his knees to
you to get you back"
Mrs. Hinkle seemed flattered by the
idea.
"a pretty figure he'd cut" laughed she,
"fat as he Is, and looking, YOU might say,
as if he'd been blowed up in his clothes |"
"Tm sure l don't see how you can smile,
situated as you are" said Miss Niddins,
showing symptoms Of fresh cold.
Ellis folks have tried my soul out of me-"
cried Mrs. Hinkle, hastily resuning her
wrath; "and what's maddened me the
most has been to see Reuben TAX e 1t so cool.
That man hasn't any more nerves than
tub of lard l wouldn't value jumping off
the meeting house steepe If thought it
would give him START
"Poor woman ~ said Miss Niddlins, dis
playing the red silk handkerchief that
might properly be called her badge of
mourning. cts your duty to yourself to
90 where you can take some peace of your
lifel'
"I don't feel clear" said NJ hinkie' "s
she settled iho coffee for dinner, ana th"s
ended tneir nrst confidence.
But as Miss Nddlins spent the week,
justfyng Mr.. Hinkle's apprehensions, she
and Mrs. Hinkle had ample opportunities
for renewing the discussion of the latter's
grievances, till, from not feeling Clear
Mrs. Hinkle by the time her guest depart
ed, came to feel, as she expressed "all In
mudde" Even her ox-eyed husband no.
ticed something amss with her.
81 wonder whether or no sage wouldn't
be kind of quietng to Laviny," he reflect
ed one morning as he logged along to the
village after turnip seed. 81 hain't seen
her so fractious since she had the neurolo-
gy in her face. If she wasn't poor sick
creetur don't know but should get put
out with her-I really don't;" and Mr..
Hinkle lowered his voice TO an awe-struck
whisper as he gave utterance to this trea-
sonable thought.
"His folks lived in a sick headache col
ored house at the Four corners, and his sis
ter Phebe was hanging out clothes In the
backyard as he drove up.
"Got any sage to spare ?" cried Mr.. Hnk-
le, whoaing to Dobbin.
"Mercy on usr is Laviny going to make
cheese in mud timer" was Miss Phebe's
answer.
"Tisn't none of her doings," said Mr..
Hinkle, slowly, furnishing the wheel with
his whip-lash "but she's in terrible ner-
vous way, and think may be she needs
something soothing. What's good for her
nerves?"
81 don't know. without it's sound scold-
l.alsa ,,,;, 1,
full of clothes pins.
"Now, sister, you're hard on Laviny,"
said Mr.. Hinkle, in an injured tone. "She
amt tough like what you be-"
"Her temper is tough enough; but L m
suited if you are, poor soul!' and Miss
Phebe hunted for both sage and valerian,
though inwardly convinced that all the
poppies in the world couldn't soothe La
viny when she once got "set out"
Meanwhile Mrs. Hinkle had been doing
a furious forenOon's work, and ready to
drop from exhaustion, was just hanging up
the mop after scrubbing the kitchen floor,
when dear, blundering old Reuben scufied
across the threshold with his torn paper
bags. scattering dried leaves like an au-
tumn wind aud leaving muddy moccasin
tracks at every step. Before those clumsy
foot. prints Mrs. Hinkle's feeble forbear-
ance fled. The herbs her husband had
trusted might prove a narcotic acted upon
her as powerful irritant.
"Reuben Hinkle T. said she bracing her
aching back against the pump, show much
longer do you think I'm going to wash
floors for you to litter?"
"There, there now don't fret" pleaded
Reuben; "I'll swept it up. You do putter
round more'n your able, that's fact. You
know I'm ready and willing to hire girl
any day"
"a girl smouching my raint! cried Mrs.
Hinkle, in wrath, "Put down the broom,
Reuben; you've made tracks enough
Your folks shall never have that handle,
that spend your money on hired help
"You're rather hard on them, Laviny,
said Mr.. Hinkle; "they mean well by you
thing stilling. I told her what tizz your
nerves had been in lately"
$50 you've been running me down tC
your folks - cried Mrs. Hinkle, glaring al
her husband. "Aler all I've stood from
you, Reuben, it's too much"
Mr.. Hinkle was a mild man-mild as
milk; but even the sweetest of milk viii
sometimes turn sour in thunder storm
and oft-recurring matrimonial tempest'
had had their effect upon him.
"Iye always made excuses for you, La
yiny, and tried my best to live peaceable,
said he, slowly; "but I believe faint in
the power of mortal man to get along will
you"
Then, In a state of great amazement a
himself, he went out to untackle DobbiI
and SOW the turnip seed. Listening il
vain for the dinner horn, he returned t.
the house half an hour past noon to fint
the fire out, his unlucky mud-prints drie,
upon the floor and his wife absent.
"Gone Off in huff to her sister Trips
guess" said he patiently setting out tn
SUNDAY remnant of beans. "Id have hitch
ed up If knowed she wanted to go. She
wouldn't speak to me, s'pose, cause II
ried her. / hadn't Oughter done it-that'
fact"
Having relieved his mind by this las
confession, Mr.. Hinkle ate his dinner witt
an excellent appetite, and In due time hi
supper also, his wife not having appeared.
81 expect she calculates for me to go 70
her, and I'd better be off," said he, as h
strained the milk with extreme care an
deliberation, and by this means let slo,
stream trickle down the outside of the pa
upon the spotless pantry floor. "Why,
there amt Ezra Tripp nowp and as h
spoke, in at the west door came his Wife
brother-in-law, with unwilling feet, a
though goaded on by the spears of the sci
ting sun behind him.
"Layiny amt sick, | hope" said MI