Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1873-02-14
Mrs. Hinkle seemed flattered by


ed she, STAT as he is, and looking,
you might say, as if he'd been
blowed up in his clothes!"
"I'm sure l don't see how you
can smile, situated as you are,"
said Miss Niddlihs, showing symp-
toms of fresh cold.
"His folks have tried my soul
out Of me-" cried Mrs. Hinkle,
hastily resuming her wrath; "and
what's maddened the most has been
to see Reuben take it so cool. That
man hasn't any more nerves than a
tub of lard! | wouldn't value jump
ing off the Westinghouse steeple If
l thought it would give him a start.
"Poor womanr' said Miss Nidd-
Inns, displaying the red silk hand
kerch,ef that might properly be
called her badge of mourning. "It's
your duty to yourself to go where
you can take some peace of your
litew
81 don't feel clear" said Mrs.
Hinkle, as she settled the coffee for
dinner, and thus ended their first
conference.
But as Miss Niddlins spent the
week, justitying Mr.. Hinkle's ap-
prehensions, she and Mrs. Hinkle
had ample opportunities for renew
ing the discussion Of the latter's
grievances, till, from not feeling
"clear," Mrs. Hinkle, by the time
her guest departed, came to feel, as
she expressed it, call in a muddle." "
Even her ox-eyed husband noticed
something amiss with her.
81 wonder whether or no sage tea
wouldn't be kind Of quieting to
Laviny," he reflected one morning
as he logged along to the village
after turnip seed. 81 hain't seen
her so tractious since she had the
neurology in her face. If she wasn't
Il poor sick crectur | don't know but
| should get put out with her-I
really don't;" and Mr.. Hinkle lower
ed his voice TO an awe-struck whis-
per as he gave utterance to this
treasonous thought.
ellis folk" lived in Il sick-head-
ache coIored house a, the -Four
corners, and his sister Phebe was
hanging out clothes in the back
yard as he drove up.
"Got any sage to spare?" cried
Mr.. Hinkle, whoaing Dobbin.
"Mcrcy on us! is Laving going
10 make cheese in mud-time?" 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 4 terrible nervous way, and l
think maybe she needs something
soothing What's good for her
ncryes?"
81 don't know, without it's q
sound scolding," replied Miss
Phebe, with her mouth full of
clothes pins.
"Now, sister, you're hard on La
viny," said Mr.. Hinkle, i'll an injur-
ed tone. "She amt tough, like
what you be-"
"Her temper is tough enough;
but Pm suited if you are, poor
souI!" and Miss Phebe hunted for
both sage and valerian, though in
wardly persuaded that all the
poppies in the world couldn't soothe
Lav,ny when she once got "set
out"
Meanwhile Mrs. Uinkle had been
doing furious forenoon's work,
and, ready to drop from exhaustion,
was just hanging up the mop after
scrubbing the kitchen floor, when
dear, laundering oil Reuben scutfed
across the threshold with his torn
paper bags, scattering dried leaves
like an autumn wind, and leaving
muddy moccasin tracks at every
step. Before those clumsy foot
prints Mrs. Hinkle's feeble for
bcarance fled. The herbs her hus-
band had trusted might prove a
narcotic acted upon her as Il power
ful irritant.
"Reuben Hlnkler' said she, brac-
ing her aching back against the
pump, chow much longer do you
think Pm going to wash floors for
you to litter?"
"TEere, there, there! now don't
fret" pleaded Reuben; "lll sweep
it up. You do putter round more'n
you're able, that's fact. You
know Pm ready and willing to hire
a girl amy day"
"a girl smouching my paint?'
cried Mrs. Hinkle, in WI 'th. "Put
down the broom, Reuben; you've
made tracks enough. Your folks
shall never have that handle, that |
spend your money Oh hired help"
you're rather hard on 'em,
Laviny,' said Mr.. Hinkle; "they
mean well by you. Here's Phebc
now been and sent you something
stilling. / told her what tizz
your nerves had been in lately"
$50 you've been running me
down to your folks!' cried Mrs.
Hinkle, glaring at her husband.
CATER all I've stood from you, Reu-
ben, it's too much"
Mr.. Hinkle was mild man
mild as milk; but even the sweetest
of milk will sometimes turn sour
in thunder. storm, and oft-recurring
matrimonial tempests had had their
effect upon him.
"I've always made excuses for
you, Laviny, and tried my best to
live pcaceable," said he, slowly;
s.but / believe 'tain't in the power
of mortal man to get along with
YOU"
Then, in q state of great amaze
ment at himself, he went out to un-
tacklc-Dobbin and SOW the turnip
seed. Listening in vain for the
dinner horn. he returned to the
house half an hour past noon to
find the fire out, his unlucky mud
prints dried upon the floor, and his
wife absent.
"Gone off in a huff to her sister
Tripp's, l guess" said he, patiently
setting out the Sunday remnant of
beans. "I'd have hltched up if I'd
have knowcd she wanted to 60.
l. - H., ,3,,