Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1873-02-22

anew. Pretty work il was, to be crowded
ont of her own home by his folks She
knew now why Reuben did not come.
They had been setting him against her.
What if he should never come? For
the first time this thought intruded
itself, and in her anguish she sought
relief in the camphor bottle What
right had Phebe in her kitchen, sOlacing
Reuben with delectable cookery, when
he should have been hungering in soli-
tude after his wife, She declared such
conduct would provoke saint, though
she did net give her authority for this
conviction. One thing was sure, Phebe
should not have the washing of her tea
spoons, and without delay Mrs. Hinkle
sent a juvenile Trip to remove these
and other valuahles, choosing the dinner
hour for the errand, that the scenic
effect might be greater. When Mr..
Hinkle was forced 10 stir his tea with a.
fork, perhaps he would be in more
haste to conciliate his wife The plan
was well laid; but it failed i'll the exc
cution through the tardiness of little
Joe, who, having woodchuck to attend
to on the way, did not reach his uncle's
till the remains Of the dinner lay cold
on the pantry shelf, and Mr.. Hinkle was
half mile away at his afternoon plowing.
Miss Phebe sent the spoons obedient-
ly, inwardly resolved that Reuben
should not know of this proof of la
why's ugliness," for she was well aware
that only her own repeated assurances
that Laviny would not soften toward
him If left to herself had kept him pas
sive thus far.
"Seem's if I wasn't doing the hand
some thing not to go nigh her, he often
said. 81 wonder whether or no she
amt counting on my fetching her?'
"If she comes of her free-will she'll
be likely to stay put" Miss Phebe
would answer; "but try to drive her,
and you know what Laviny is.
Mr. Hindle did know, unfortunately,
and, knowing, schooled himself to pa
tient waiting.
Thus the days wore Oh, and he
plodded through the spring work,
cheered little in spite Of himself by
Miss Phebe's earnest efforts at making
him comfortable, while LaHiny, morti-
fed and then alarmed by his non-appear-
ance, worried herself into q course of
exasperating sick-headaches, and in
every sense shut out the sunlight from
the house Of the Trips. In the midst |
of paint-scrubbing Mrs. Trip found no
leisure to devote to her complaining Sis
ter, but left one of her children to wait |
upon her. Mrs. Hinkle felt abused. |
When had Reuben been too busy to
bathe her aching temples? Little Joe
made her nervous as a witch, and one |
day she told him 80, and a moment |
after had the satisfaction of hearing
him say to his mother in the kitchen
that he couldn't get along with Aunt
LaviDy nohow."
Why, that was just what Reuben had
said !; Reuben, who had never spoken
hastily to her in his life Was she an
uncomfortable person to live with?
""Tain't in the power of mortal man
to get along with you, Lasiny." The
words came back to her with the smart
ing force of proof-text, and haunted
her afterward continually.
1t must have been in rhubarb time,
for dandelion green's had gone by, when
one morning little Joe rushed in with
the terrible tidings that "Uncle Reu-
ben had fallen ker-chunk from beam
in the barn."
Mrs. Hinkle tore the bandages from
her head and started up.
Where's my bonnet, Susan? I'm
going home"
Maybe he isn't badly injured. Wait
till we hear further" urged Mrs. Trip.
81 tell you I'm going home, Susan
Tripp! Where's my bonnet?" and
snatching it by the string, Mrs. Hinkle
sprang into the wagon just vacated by
her nephew, and drove away at doc
tors pace.
Little Joe turned Il series OF somer-
saults, and then lay writhing on the.
grass in q flt Of uncomfortable giggling
Didn't Aunt Laviny streak it?"
shouted he. "And Uncle Reuben
wasn't hurt a mite, but she wouldn't
let me tell her Tee-hee-heeW
Yet, though no b sles we're broken
the fall, it is q feet tat Mr.. Hinkle
found tbs two hundred pounds avOirpu
pOis considerably shaken, and he was
actually. according to his wife's prOdic-
ton, camping down ON the lounge III
his boots, when, opening his eyes, they
rested on her frightened face in the
doorway.
"Why, bless your heart! come right
in, Laviny, said he. And she went in,
and shut the door.
Five minutes afterward, us Miss
Phebe lifted the latch, she heard her
say:
al know have hectOred you awfully,
Reuben, but / do mean to live peacea-
BILE now, and put up with your folks"
And Reuben answered, heartily, "I
haven't blamed you bit, Laviny. I
knowed twas Miss Niddlins' work. But
after we'd lived together so long, sheI
might have let US be till God divorced
MS
THERE was once an old woman who,
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