The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1873-02-14

Z
81 Gone off in huff to her sister
Trips, I guess, said he, patiently
setting out the Sunday remnant of beans
e" I'd have hitched up if I'd have known
! she wanted to go. She wouldn't speak
to me, I s'pose, cause I'd riled her. I
| hadn't oughter done it-th8t's a fact. ["
Having relieved his mind by this last
confession, Mr.. Hinkle ate his dinner
with an excellent appetite, and IN due
time his supper also. his wife not having
appeared.
81 expect she calculates for me TO 20
for her, and I'd better be OFF, said he,
as he strained the milk with extreme
care and deliberation, and by this means
let a slow stream trickIe down the out
side of the pail upon the spotIess pantry
floor. 'FWhy, if there amt Ezra Tripp
now y and as he spoke, in at the west
door came his wife's brother-in-Iaw,
with unwilling feet, as though gOaded
on by the spears of the setting sun be-
hind him.
''Laviny amt sick, hope ?'' said Mr..
Hinkle, anxiously.
"No, 'tisn't that, " replied Mr.. Tripp,
twisting his forefnger under his collar,
as if his cravat chOked him-'"tisnt
that-but-"
"She's getting most out of patience
waiting for me, I suppose" suggested
the unsuspecting Reuben. "Well, I'd
oughter gone afore, only the off OK broke
through the fence, and
''Laviny says she won't come back, -
interrupted Mr.. Tripp, desperately
g for she's lived with you as long as she
can stand it |"
Mr.. Hinkle Topped down like a
starchless dicky.
81 might have knOwed she couldn't
bear what do" groaned he. ''Ths
morning, when she was blowing of me,
I spoke hash to her don't see how I
come to. But, Ezra, you don't think,
now, she won't never come round ?"
Mr.. Trip muttered something about
his sister-in-lsw being pretty resolute, -
and turned away.
"I wish you'd carry over Laviny's
cough medicine" said Mr.. Hinkle,
rousing himself. Lord to think. of |
her hacking in the night, and me not |
hearing hert And, Ezra, I'd take it |
kindly of you if you'd step in in the |
morning and tell me how she rested"
Mr.. Tripp consigned the bottle to his |
coat pocket, while Reuben, returning |
to the deserted kitchen, which already |
wore a masculine air, tilted his chair |
against the wall, and listened to the |
dirges of the frogs, or gave expression |
to his feelings by singing,
"As on some lonely buildings top |
The sparrow tells her moan,
Far from the tents Of joy and hope
/ sit and grieve aFone."
"a dreadful poor hand should be |
to sit alone" commented he, as he /
shuf1ed about to fasten the windows. |
''Laviny is a master-woman for making /
things lively. Somehow can't bear TO
lock her ont - and it is fact worthy of |
note that the faithful Reuben, for the
first time in his married life, went to
bed leaving the porch door unbolted.
IF he had cherished vague hope that
his wife might steal home in the early
he certainly saw no traces of
her ruling presence on rising. Instead,
the abominatiOn of desolation resigned.
''Seems's if 1 was just a framework,
with nothing inside, said the poor man,
moving about the chaotic kitchen in
hushed manner, like a person at
funeral ''the pith is all knocked out of
me-"
But notwithstanding this alarming
internal condition, by dint of burning
he succeeded in making a lumpy hasty-
for breakfast, and also cup of
coffee, which, by reason of the large
amount of fish-skin that settled it, bore
an unpleasant resemblance TO chOwder.
As he was sitting at this frugal repast
his sister Phebe founced in.
"Has Laviney left you, Reuben? 1t
can't be-"
Mr.. Hinkle noddedhis hedd solemnly,
his mouth being not available Just then
as an organ of speech.
"The worst is her own" stormed
Miss Phebe, raining shower of hair
pins from her falling chignon. "Iguess
we sha'n't die on her account -
This reflection seemed to convey no
to Mr.. Hinkle.
"Younever felt right toward Laviny,"
said he, sorrowfulIy. s'I don't lay this
up agin her, her clearing out I blame
it on to Miss NiddIins. She always had
a dreadful faculty for onsetting Laviny.
Miss Phebe had contemptuous nose,
turned upward at the end like a sled
runner. 1t curled higher yet at this
remark.
''I wish that you had some Of my
spirit, Reuben Hinkle," said she, coll
ing her back hair with rapid circular
motion, as if she were winding herself
up eff you had, you wouldn't go nigh
Laviny for one while. She's contrary,
and depend upon it she'll be a great
deal more apt to come back if you don't
tease her. III keep house for you, so
don't You be a mite concerned.
Mr.. Hinkle groaned IN answer. As
dough is without yeast, so was he
without Laviny. "He needed her
to keep him up" he said, patheti-
caIIy, and though tortures would
not have wrung from her the confes-
sion, it was equally true that Laviny
needed him to keep her down Some
leaven is safest hidden In its three
measures of meal Certainly, IN her
husbands presence, Mrs. Hinkle had
been a patient Griselda, compared to