The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1873-02-27
HIS Folks.


wife often said he resent bled. Ii
why's tantrums, troubled him abOI
as much as q mosquitoes buzzin
would trouble an elephant; but /
thought they were kind OF wearing |
her, and that she "came to quicker
alone. So he left her swinging hel
self seasick in the rocker, and shu
fled off to tho garden with hoe an
a pint dipper of peas. At the gate h
met Miss Niddlins.
"And how's your poor wife ," sat
she shifting. She suffered with
chronic cold in the head, which CAV
her an extremely sympathetic mar
ner.
"Able to be stirring," replied Nj
HiDkle, shuffiing on in his brow
2 leather moccasins. Even a cabbag
i head may be, as il usually is, rufIle
inside and deep in his slow-beatin
|, heart Mr.. Hinkle was annoyed at th
sight of Miss Niddlins and the EN-
broidered bed-ticking bag with betok
ened a weeks visit.
'Laviny's putehiky enough withou
being set on" said he leSning on hi
hoe in the favorite attitute adopted
by scarecrows-"Yes, I really thinI
she is, "he went on, weighing the prop
OsitiOn deliberately. mot that
mind her being spry-tempered anC
splitting out at me. It's only a way
she has, and comes of her enioyins
such poor health. She'll cool down
but that old maid hain't any call Ia
rile her ;" and here Mr.. Hinkle gave
the hoe handle a resentful poke, as i
it persOnated the spinster aforesaid
Like many men not gifted in public
speaking, he was much given to talk.
ing aloud when alone. Indoors his
wife claimed exclusive right of
speech.
"And here I've stuck, like a dab OF
putty, from the day 1 married with
Reuben" she was saying to Miss
Niddlins, "I've had to walk on eggs,
or his folks would be in my hair.
They've had their remarks to make
about all my doings, and, you may
depend upon it, it grinds."
! Mrs. .Hinkle must have been ground
very sharp indeed, Judging by her cut
ting tongue.
"Poor thing ~ grOaned Miss Md
dlins, using her handkerchief Just then
because it would produce the effect of
pity.
''See how 1 was put upon this morn
/ ing by his sister Phebe," said Mrs.
Hinkie, moving the end of her nose
rapidly back and forth with her fore
finger as if she were playing JEWS
harp. "That woman had the impu-
dence to twit me of neglecting Reu-
ben, because / leave him to get his
own supper sewing-circle nights :"
"DOn't tell me so ~ shifted Miss
| SyiAdIirla- ttDid Mr. TIinlSIe complain
| to her ?'
"Catch him complaining cried
Mrs. Hinkle; ''he hasn't got spunk
enough. Why, he's no more grit
/ than a hay-staek, and he's q soft
couldn't make him break with his
/ folks if was to suffer. Wish I was
single; then l wouldn't be nOsed
round by'em. Now here yOU are free
to go when you please 90
Miss Niddlins sighed Affirmative.
1t was her peculiar trial that her rela-
tives never opposed her going.
IF you was TO separate, / suppose
| you've got enough TO live on" sug-
| gested she, cautiously.
Mrs. Hinkle's rocker jerled itself
into full stop. She had often said
that "Reuben must choose between
his folks and her," that "she would
take herself of, 3" and the like but to
haYe a third person hint at a separa-
ton startled her.
"Rell-yes," said she, hesitatingly.
''pve got the property brought with
me when 1 was married. I won't de-
ny but what Reuben has done the fair
thing there but then, if he'd heen
some men, he might have doubled it
by this time. The long and short of
it is, he's half asleep. I have to keep
stirring him up, and, after al, he don't
appreciate me 90
81 believe it " ould wake him pretty
thoroughly if you should leave him, /"
returned Miss Niddlins. "He'd begin
to realize what a smart wife he'd
lost"
"He'd clutter the kitchen with his
greasy harnesses, and camp down on
the lunge in his boOts-that's what
he'd do-the minute I was offn snap
ped Mrs. Hinkle.
"He couldn't manage without you,
to save his life," declared Miss Md
dlins, confidently. "He'd 90 down
on his knees to you to etyou back"
Mrs. Hinkle seemed flattered by the
ldeso
"a pretty figure he'd cut" laughed
she, "fat as he is, and looking, you
say, as IL he'd been blOwed up in his
clothes ~
"pm sure I don't see how you can
smile, situated as you are," said Miss
Niddlins, showing symptoms ofa fresh
cold.
"His folks hare tried nv soul out of
me-" cried Mrs. Hinkle, hastily re-
stunning her wrath "and what's mad
ded me the most has been to see Reu-
ben take it so cool. That man hasn't
any more nerves than q tub of lard
1 wouldn't value jumping off the
Westinghouse steeple if | thought it
would give him q start"
"Poor woman :" said Miss Niddlins.
displaying the red silk handkerchief
that might properly be called her
badge of mourning. "It's your duty
to yourself to go where You can take
some peace of your life ~
81 don't feel clear" said Mrs. Hin
kle, as she settled the coffee for din.
ner, and thus ended their first confer
ence.
But az Miss Niddlins spent the
week, justifying Mr.. Hinkle's appre-
tensions, she and Mrs. Hinkle had
ample opportunities fer renewing the
discussion of the latter's grievances,
till, from not feeling "clear,u Mrs.
Hinkle, by the time her guest depart-
ed, came to feel, as she expressed it,
sail in a muddle.n Even her ox-eyed
husband noticed something amiss
with her.
"I wonder whether or no sage tea
wouldn't be kind of quieting to La
viny,H he reflected one morning as he
logged along to the village after tur-
nip seed. "I hain't seen her so frac-
tious since she had the neurology in
her face. If she wasn't a poor sick
creetur I don't know but should get
pnt out with her-I really don't;" and
Mr.. Hinkle lowered his voice to an
awe-struck whisper as he gave utter
ance to this treasonous thought.
"His fOlks'' lived in a sick-head-
ache-colored house at the Four Cor
ners, and his sister Phebe was hang
out the clothes in the backyard as he
drove hp.
"Got any sage to spare?'' cried Nj.
Hinkle, whoaing Dobbin.
"Mercy on US is Laviny going to
make cheese in mud-time ap was Miss
Phebe, answer.
~Tisu't none of her doings," said
Mr.. Hinkle, slowly, pushing the
wheel with his whip-lash; ''but she's
in terrible nervous way, and Think
maybe she needs something soothing.
What's good for her nerves ~
81 dent know, without it's sound
scolding," replied Miss Phebe, with
her mouth full of clothes pins.
"NOw, sister, you're hard on La
viny," said Mr.. Hinkle, in an injured
tone. "She amt tough, like what
you be-"
."Her temper is tough enough but
Pm suited if you are, poor soul :" and
Miss Phebe hunted for both sage and
Il l. =