Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1873-07-26
NO l7e.
JOB POTSON'S EXPERIMENT.
looNTINuED FROM YEsrEapAY.l
BY sYLvANUs COBB, JR.

CONTINUED FROM YEsTERDAY.I
am"
And hereafter you want none Of my
suggestions?n
. Hereafter shall pay such attention
to your suggestions as may think they
merit
Mrs. Poison resumed her sewing.
Poor, dear little man." She did not
say this aloud; but she thought it to her
sell A quiet smile stole over her pretty
face, and she patted her trim foot upon
the floor. She had not the least thought
oi being angry with her husband-not the
least in the world. She knew his weak.
ness; and she knew something had been
thorning him.
job she said, after she had reflected
a few moments. " am your wife. You
are man, while am only woman. 1t
Is righ'that you should command. Give
me your orders as You please hut beg of
you treat me kindly
What in tih world was Job Poison to
say now He had never heard his wife
speak so sadly and solemnly before. He
sat upon nettles. He got up and went to
the closet; he tried to whistle; and finally
he left the house. He went to the barn
and examined the beam over the tie-up.
1t was loose, and he saw at once that it
ought to be fixed: but he would not do il
then-it would look too much like being
governed by his wife. By and by he went
around and looked at the steps of the front
door. They certainly needed fixing, but
he would not do the job until after dinner.
His wife had told him that he had better
DO it before dinner. If he put it off till
after dinner, that would show that he was
not controlled by his wife.
For an hour and half Job Poison Ioafed
around the barn and shed like man who
knew not what to do with himself.
The door-steps and tie-up beam troubled
him. He knew they ought to be fixed, but
he would not turn his back too soon upon
the new road.
Al length the dinner-horn sounded, and
job went in and took his seat at the table.
The old smile, that had, for fifteen years.
cheered him morning, noon and night, had
faded from his wife's face, and she gazed
upon him meekly and submissively.
VIII my master have some of this
sauce?' she asked. There was no irony
In the tone-but she spoke quietly and po-
litely.
Yes" said Job, II should like some OF
it,
But his dinner did not taste good to him.
He did not feel at home. He felt, to use
one form of his own thought, like cat
in strange garret." After dinner he went
out and smoked in the shed; and then he
went in and fixed the doorstep. This was
finished about the middle of the afternoon. :.
and from then until supper-time he worked
at the wood pile. At the supper-table he
felt more nervous and uneasy than he had
done at dinner. Once or twice he ven-
tured to raise his eyes to his wife's face.
but there was no smile for him---none OF
the old happy look.
This was more than Job Poison had
been prepared for. He had-or supposed
he had-screwed his courage up to the
point of meeting his wife's show of tenn
per. In fact, he had store OF harsh, COM
manding words already arranged. to hurl
back at her when she should dare to ques-
ton his authority. or offer to treat him
with contempt. But he had not planned
for meeting such an emergency as this.
He had announced his intention of gov
erning his wife, and she had taken him at
his word What should he do? How
should he commence What sort Of
task had he before him? AS he sat in the
chimney corner, after the evening chores
had all been done, smoking his pipe, he
felt very much like man who has at
tempted to "speak in meeting." and has
forgotten his speech. His wife had been
in the habit, every evening, Of singing and
chatting over her knitting, but her voice
was now hushed.
AT nine o'clock he arose to attend to his
cattle. He looked for the lantern, but
could not find it.
Where is my lantern ?"
81 guess it is where you left it, said
Sarah. She laid down her knitting, and
went out into the porch, where she found
it sitting on bench. She lighted ii and
handed it to her husband.
''Shall do anything more for you
Job ?n
She was calm and passive; he was
choking with perplexity.
That's all ~ he gasped. And then he
went away and fed the cattle, and got in
his wood for morning.
What cherries evening it had been !!
On the following morning Job found
the same sedate face at the breakfast ta-
ble-no smiles--no cheer--no social chat
ting After breakfast he went out and
fixed the beam at the tie-up and then he
was at his wits end What whould he
have given at that moment for sugges-
ton from his wife. BY and by lucky
thought struck him. lie could break the
ice without lowering his own dignity.
He went into the house with this purpose
sarah. he said, with his hands working
neryously in his pockets. what do you
think of having the loom put in order p
Il don't think anything about it, Job.
You can do as you think BEST"
But you know whether You want to
use it or not. don't you2p MIR. Poison ex-
hibited little feeling.
The wool is at your disposal, Job. II
YOU please to have some cloth made, |
win spin and weave it. You have but 10
issue your orders"
Her voice was very low and calm, and
her bearing was respectful.
But said Job, petulantly, and almost
losing his temper, you know whether the
loom needs fixing"
If it is your wish, my husband, will
go and examine it, and report to You.
will do anything you say. Only be kind
to me, and don't expect me to anticipate
your wants. Shall go with you nowe"
/ "Yes.n a
tCONCIuDEp ON FOtyRTH PAGRJ