Beaufort Republican. [volume] (Beaufort, S.C.) 1871-1873, 1873-02-13

Slulit, SleuutSu 10 yOu are, olillt 1hlcS
Niddlins, show ing symptoms of fresh
cold.
ellis folks hare tried my soul out of
me-" cried Mrs. Hinkle, hastily resum-
ing her wrath "and what's madded
me tue most has been to see Reuben
take it so cool. That man hasn't any
more nerves than O tub of lard
wouldn't value jumping off the meet
ing-house steeple if I thought it would
give him start"
"Poor woman - said Miss Niddlins,
displaying the red silk handkerchief
that might properly be called her badge
of mourning. "It's your duty yourself
to 60 where you can take some peace OF
your life !"
"I don't feel clear" said Mrs. Hin
kle, as she settled the coffee for dinner,
ana thus ended their first conference.
But as Miss Niddlins spent the week,
iustifying Mr.. Hinkle's apprehensions,
she and Mrs. Hinkle had ample appor.
tunities for renewing the discussion CT
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 muddle. "
Even her ox-eyed husband noticed
something amiss with her.
81 wonder whether or no sage ten
wouldn'tbe kind of quietingto Laviny,"
he reflected one morning as he logged
along to the village after turnip-seed.
81 hain't seen her so fractious since
she had the neurology in her face. II
she wasn't poor sick creetur / don't
know but shoSld get out with her-l
really DON'T" and Mr.. Hinkle lowered
his voice to an awe-struck whisper as
he gave utterance to this treasonous
thought.
His folks" lived in sick headache
colored house at the Four Corners, and
his sister Phebe was hanging up clothes
in the backyard as he drove up.
"Got any sage to spare ?" cried Mr..
Hinkle, whoaing Dobbin.
"Mercy on ", is Laviny going to
make cheese in mud-time?" was Miss
Phebe's answer.
"'Tisn't none of her doings," said
Mr.. Hinkle, slowly, furnishing TIE wheel
with his whip-lash; "but she's in ater-
rible nervous way, and / think maybe
she needs something soothing. WHAT'S
good for her nerves ?"
81 don't know, without it's n sound
scolding," replied Miss Phebe, with her
mouth 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
I'm suited if you are, poor soul y and
Miss Phebe hunted for both sage aud
valerian, though inwardly persuaded
thatal the poppies in the world couldn't
soothe Laviny when she once got " set
out"
Meanwhile Mrs. Hinkle had been
doing furious forenoon's work, and,
ready to drop from exhaustion, was just
hanging up the mop after scrub,ing the
kitchen floor, when dear, blundering
old Reuben scufied asross 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 footprints
Mrs. Hinkle's feeble forbearance fled.
The herbs her husband had trusted
might prove narcotic acted upon her
rs powerful irritant.
"Reuben Hinkle r' said she, bracing
her aching back against the pump,
chow mucs longer do you think I'm
going to wash floors for you to litter?"
+ "There, there! row don't fret, +"
pleaded Reuben; "I'll sweep it up.
You do putter round more'n you're able,
that's fact. You know I'm ready and
willing to hire q girl any day"
GA girl smouching my paint y cried
Mrs. Hinkle, in wrath. "Put down the
broom, Reuben; you've made tracks
enough. Your folks shall never have
that handle. that Ispend your money on
hired help"
"You're rather hard on 'em, Laviny,"
said Mr.. Hinkle; " they mean well by
YOU. Here's Phebe now been and sent
You something stilling. I told her
what fizz your nerves had been in
lately"
$50 you've been running me down to
your folks p cried Mrs. Hinkle, gIaring
at her husband. "Aftcr all I've stood
from you, Reuben, it's too much"
Mr.. Hinkle was mild man-mi'd as
milk; but even tho sweetest of milk
will sometimes turn sour in Il thunder
storm, and oft-recurring matrimonial
tempests had had their effect upon him.
"I'vc always make excuses fer you,
Laviny, and tried my best to live peace
able" said he, slowly; "but l believe
faint in the power OF mortal man to
get along with YOU"
Then, in state of great amazement
at himself, le went out TO untackle
Dobbin and SOW the turnip seed. Lis
tening in vain for the diuner-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 q huff to her sister
Tripp's, i guess" said he, patiently
setting out the Sunday remnant of
beans. "Td have hitched up if I'd
have knowed she wanted to go. She
wouldn't speak to me, s'pose, cause
I'd rilcd her. I hadn't oughter done it
that's fact"
Having relieved his mind by this last
confession, Mr.. Hinkle ate his dinner
with an excellent appetite, and in dine
time his supper also, his wife not hay
ing appeared.
- expect she calculates for me to go
for her, and I'll better be off," said he,
as he strained the milk with extreme
care and dcliberation, and bythis means
let slow stream tricklc down the out