Richland beacon. [volume] (Rayville, La.) 1869-1890, 1873-02-22

I"clear,' Mrs. Hlnkle. Dv tne tlillc Her
guest departed. came to feel. as she cx-
pressed it, ''all in a muddle." Even her
OX-eved husband noticed something amlsS
with her.
II wonder whether or no sage tea
wouldn't be kind OF quietlng to Laviny,
he reflected one morning as he logged
along to the village after turnip seed. i
hain't seen her so fractions since she had
the neurology in her face. If she wasn't
a poor sick creature | don't know but
should get put out with hcr-l really
lon't;' and Mr.. lIinkle lowered his voice
to an awe struck whisper as he gave utter
ance to this trcaSOnOus thought.
His folks" lived in a sick-headach e.
colOred house at the Four corners, and
! his sister Phebe was hanging out clothes
| in the backyard as he drove up.
Got any sage to spare = cried Mr..
! IIinkle, wioaing Dobbin.
"Mercy on us! is Laviny going to
make cheese in mud-time?' was Miss
| Phcbe's answer.
"'Tisn't none of her doings," said Mr..
| Hinkle. slowly, Furnishing the wheel with
! his whip-lash; ''but she's i'll terrible
nervous way, and | think may be she
needs something soothing. What's good
| for her nerves.
IL don't know, without it's sound
scolding." replied Miss Phebe, with her
mouth full of clOthes-pins.
Now. sister, you're hard on LaFlny,
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!' and Miss
Phebe hunted for both sage and valerlan,
though inwardly persuaded that all the
pOppies in the world couldn't sOothc
I.ayiny when she once got "set out. ="
Meanwhile Mrs. IIinkle had been doing
a furious fOranOOn's work, and. ready To
drop from exhaustion. was just hanging
up the mop after scrubbing the kitchen
floor. when dear, laundering old Reuben
scuffed across the threshold with his torn
paper bags. scattering dried leaves like an
autumn wind. and leaving muddy mo 0rca-
sin 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 as powerful irritant.
''.Reuben Hinkle!' said she, bracing
her aching back against the pump, "how
much longer do you think I'm gong tt
wash floors for you to litter?'
"There, there now don't fret" plead
ed Reuben; I'll sweep it up. You dc
putter round mOre'n you're able. that's ;
fact. You know I'm ready and willing t
hire girl any day"
"A girl smouching my paint" criet
Mrs. Hinkle, i'm wrath. Put down tn
J broom, Reuben: you've made track
enough. Your folks shall never have tha
handle, that spend your money on hire'
help"
"You're rather hard on 'em, Laviny,
2 said Mr.. Hinkle; "they mean well b.
YOU. Here's Phebe now been and sen
2 You something stilling. told her what
iizz your nerves had been in lately"
$50 you've been running me down +
!. your foiks." cried Mrs. Hinkle, glaring a
! her husband. AFTER all I've stood fror
Won, Reuben. it's too much"
Mr., Hinkle was mild man-mild a
milk: but even the sweetest of milk WI
sometimes turn sour in thunderstorm
and oft recurring matrimonial tempest
!, had had their effect upon him.
"I've always made excuses tor you
: Lavinv, and tried my best to live peaces
ble,' said he. slowly; but l believ
:, 'taint in the power of mortal man 10 g
a along with yOu."
= Then, i'm state of great amaZement
. himself. he went out to untackle DobDi
. and sow the turnip seed. Listening
vain for the dinner horn, he returned I
a the house half an hour past noon to I'm
o the fire out, his unlucky mud-prlnts drie
upon the floor, and his wife absent.
"GOne off i'm a huff to her sister Tripp'
~ | guess" said he, patiently setting OF
W tbe sunday remnant of beans. "Td ha'
~ hitched up if I'd have knOwed she want'
q to 90. She wouldn't speak to me,
- s'pose. cause I'd riled her. L hadr
=. O,iphter done it-that's a fact
~ fiaving relieved his mind by this Ia
,o confession, Mr.. Hinkle ate his dinner WI
'iSs an excellent appetite, and in due time
supper also, his wife not having a
d. peared.
to II expect she calculates for me 10
for her. and I'd better be off, said
s, as he strained the milk with e
n. treme care and deliberation, and by Il
K. means let a slow stream triekle down
inn outside of the pail upon the spotless p;
,r. trv floor. ..Why, if there amt III
be Tripp now ~ and as he spoke, in at
ire west door came his wife's brother-in-la
with unwilling feet, as though goaded
re, by the spears of the setting sun Dem
res him.
"Laviny amt sick, l hOpe?" saic
,se Hinkle, auxiOusly. IN.
ed mo. tisn't that" replied Mr.. Tri
twisting his forennger under his col
D a as if his cravat chOked him "usnt I
zen but"
=" .sShe's getting most out of pate
he waitin" for me, l suppose" sugges
t the unsuspecting Reuben. "Weil
ouglrter gone afOre. only the on OK DR.
ly. through the fence. and
ith .Iayiny SAYS she won't come Dac
my interrupted Mr.. Trip, desperately;
ing she's lived with you as long as she
en-, | stand it,"
ne: Mr.. Hinkle Topped down like sta'
lalt less dicky.
UP, 81 might have knowed she cOult
,tty u,otninp. when she was blowing of
n" + smoke harsh to her don't see he
n to come to. But, Ezra, you don't tn
now. she won't never come round!
his Mr.. Trip muttered something abou
the sister-in-law being ''pretty resOlute,
! do turned away.
drs. 81 wish you'd carry over Law
COUGH medicine" said Mr.. Hinkle I
!. to inc himself. Lord to think OF her n
lins, ms ms =, tho night. and me not hearing
his And. Ezra. I'd take it kindly of .ys
you'd step in in the morning and tel
the how she rested"
yhed coat M nocketi while Reaben, returnin
you tba deserted kitchen, which already
lp in q T masculine air. tilted his chair agains
wall. and listened to the dirges OF
can frogs, or gave expression to his fee
Miss by singing,
fresh LAS on some lonely buildings top
The sparrow tells her moan,
ut of Far from the % tents .,d 1i Joy anu nope
ming u
/ me "A dreadful poor hand l should
it so sit alone" commenced ne, as ne sn
eryes about to fasten the windows. "Lav
value a master woman for making tnihes
ple if Somehow l can't bear to lock her
= and it is fact worthy Of note tha