The Van Buren press., 1873-10-28
=
MISCELLANY.
John Stephens Perlcardium
BY ELEANOR KIRK.

T" Now ! am going to tell you just wha
my husband said to me this morning
Doctor, word for word and the Invalid
Mrs Stephens, lay back again on the so
ia pillows, the very picture Of misery
The family physician, who was called ol
an average to the Stephens mansion thre
hundred and sixty times year, drew
chair close to- the couch, and waitet
quietly for his patient to open her bool
of complaints
Last night, you see, Doctor, l had al
ill turn, and he wanted to come for you
but when got SO that he dared to leav,
me, he concluded that we'd better let yol
sleep.
"Much obliged to him, said the Doc
tor, with little sarcastic emphasis OF
the personal pronoun. Last night wat
the first undisturbcd nights rest l have
enjoyed for a week
Mrs. Stephens continued: "Thi,
spell was the same as had the last tim,
you were sent for, Doctor"
"A slight nervous attack" broke il
the physician, "nothing more.
W Gil, ~ uOH mahW any ieuSS
what you call it, it was mighty hard to
bear; but let me tell you what my hus.
band said first, Doctor, before We go in
to symptoms. When he was going down
to breakfast, he says to me, Kate, what
shall ] send you upT
"Says l, i don't want any thing in the
world but good strong cup of tes. Tell
Bridget to send it up in the little tea. pot.
| saw, Doctor, that he didn't move after
| said this, so turned and looked up at
him, and such picture of rage and dis
gust never saw in my life. Finally,
says he, Tea tea tea it's nothing but
tea from morning till night Kate, says
he, you are the color OF chnaman
now. Why don't you orders agood piece
of beefsteak, and slice of brown bread,
aud a cup Of chocolate; that would be q
sensible breakfast!'
"But John says /, you forget that
am sick and have no appetite was
all ready to cry, but ! was determined he
shouldn't have the satisfaction Of seeing
the tears fall.
Z" Forget, says he, 'forget' wish
to Heaven could forget! It's nothing
but grunt and groan from one years end
to the other! have lost all patience
with you, says he When we lived in
part Of house, and you did your own
housework, yon were as well and As hap
by as anybody, and 10 man ever had a
pleasantcr little home thon John Steph-
ems; but what have | now to leave. or
come back to 2 and this, Doctor, is what
he ended up with,-
"'katc, says he, you are nothing
,hore nor less than Il drunkard and IN
the sight of God, more culpable than
most OF the men who stagger through
the streets; because the majority OF
those poor devils have some sort Of an
excuse for their conduct, and YOU haven't
the slightest You have = luxurious
home, husband doing his level best to
make you happy--everylhing under the
light Of the sun to please you, and yet
you will insist in swilIing tea. Yes
Doctor, swiliing was the word he used
boo hoo hoo! Oh dear me to think
| Should ever have lived to have heard
such dreadful language out Of my hus-
bands mouth and then says he max
inc me as miserable wretch as walks
the earth.
Pretty PLAN talk" interrupted the
Doctor, with shrug Of his broad shoul
ders.
"Uh yes. sobbed the victim, "and
so awfully coarse aud unkind. II had
had n spell, and died there before his
yery s.ce, I don't believe he would have
cared sa:p Of his finger. ] tell you'
Doctor Ellis, there is such thing as a
man getlii--ss hardened"
Evidently, reried the physician
with laconism absolutely pHuiui 49,.
But my husband has nothing In inc
world to trouble him but just my poor
health and l nm sure ! cant help that
This remark was more in answer to her
tone and manner, than the
one single word that had accidentally es
csped his lips, and Ibis the Doctor felt
"Anybody would think. by the way he
poes on" continued the iratc woman,
2" that enjoyed myself with spasms, and
and fainting fits Anybody
would think il was pleasure to me to
feel, every time see funeral procession
az il the hearsc was going to stop at our
door next. Oh yes such life is very
enjoyable. very, indeed p"
Doctor Ellis took no notice OF these
las. words; the mans eyes grew lumin'
ous, and ii. whole face declared that he
con,;,,- ., n,;;;-sef master oflhe situ".n u.nvn,
and If Mrs. Stephens had not been so en-
tirely taken up with her own ailments,
mental and physical, that honest coHnts'
nance would have betrayed him.
you say" he began, settling him
sclfin the large easy chair, and assuming
a strictly professional air, 4" that your
husband has nothing to trouble him but
your health; how do you know that,
Airs stephens sT
"How2 why how do I know any
,hingy by the evidence Of my senses
Don't know that John Stephens has y
splendid business that looks after itself,
a magnificent income, and money enough
to live on tho on the bare interest. as
we'll as a family need to live, il he never
entered his Office again while nc has