Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1873-02-14

the execution through the tardiness
of little Joe, who, having wood
chuck 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.. Hinklc was half
mile away at his afternoon plowing.
Miss Phebc sent the spoons obe-
diently, inwardly resolved that Reu-
ben should not know Of this proof
of "Laviny's ugliness," for she was
well aware that only her own re-
peated assurances that Laviny would
soften toward him if left 20 herself
had kept him passive thus far.
"Secm's if | wasn't doing the
handsome thing not to go nigh her."
he often said. 81 wonder whether
or no she amt counting on my
fetching her?"
eff she comes of her free-wlll she
will be likely to stay put" Miss
Phebe would answer; "but try to
drive her, and you know what La
why is"
Mr.. Hinkle did know, unfortunate
ly, and, knowing, schooled himself
to patient waiting.
Thus the days wore on, and he
plodded through the spring work,
cheered little in spite of himself
by Miss Phebe's earnest efforts at
making him comfortable, while La
why, mortified and then alarmed at
his non-appearance, worried her
self into course of exasperating
sick-head ches, and in every sense
shut out the sunlight from the house
Of the Trips. In the midst of
paint-scrubbing, Mrs. Tripp found
no leisure to devote to her com
planning sister, but left one Of her
children to wait apun her. Mrs.
Hinklc felt abused. When had
Reuben been too busy to bathe her
aching temples? Little Joe made
her nervous as Il witch, and one day
she told him SO, and Il moment after
had the satisfaction of hearing him
say to his mother in the kitchen that
he couldn't get along with Aunt
Laviny nuhow."
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, Laviny."
The words came back to her with
the startling force Of 4 proot-text,
and haunted her atterward continu-
ally.
1t must have been in rhubarb
time, for dandelion greens had gone
by, when one morning little Joe
rushed in with the terrible tidings
that "Uncle Reuben had fallen ker-
chunk from beam in the barn."
Mrs. Hinkle tore the bandages
from her head and started up.
CIV here's my bonnet, Susan? ]
am going home"'
Maybe he isn't badly injured
Wait till we hear further" urged
Mrs. Trip.
81 tell you I'm going home, Su-
san Trip! Where's my bonnet:"
and snatching it by the string, Mrs.
liinklc sprang into the wagon just
vacated by her nephew, and drove
away at Il doctors pace.
Little Joe turned series of som
ersaults and then lay writhing on
the grass in Il fit Of uncomfortable
gigeling.
"Didn't Aunt Laviny streak it?"
shouted he. "And Uncle Reuben
wasn't hurt mite; but she would
not let me tell her! Tee-hee-hee!'
Yet, though no bones were bro
ken by the fall, it is fact that Mr..
Hinkle found his two hundred
pounds avoirdupois considerably
shaken, and he was actually, ac-
cording to his wife's prediction,
"camping down on the lounge with
his boots on" 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 right in, and shut the door.
Five minutes atterward, as Miss
Phebc lifted the latch, she heard
her sister-in-law say:
81 know Eve hectored you awful
ly, Reuben, but l do mean to live
peaceable now, and put up with
your folks"
And Reuben answered, heartily:
81 haven't blamed you bit, Lavi
ny. | knowed twas Miss Niddl;ns'
work. But after we'd lived togeth-
er so long, she might have let us be
till God divorced us. s.''-Huper's