Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1873-01-15
Managing Il Wife.

But in spite of Uncle Matthias's fore
bodlDgS, there now set in for me l wonder
fully fac time. And even the old man came
arc unG, after be had been induced to try
tn young iady's fish balls.
1t was not without occasional misgivinos
though. As l was coming home one
afternoon from my betrothed, | heard
from distance an uproar and saw folks
| looking out OF the windows, and collecting
IN little crowd before our house door
As | came along by it, Tannermaster Obst
shot out over his half door like a billiard
ball over i ribbon and landed soul and
body in the gutter. Mem Gott. crony.''
said Neighbor Green, D." what are you dong
out here - Ay well asked - said the
tanner my women folks have thrown me
out - But why?' asked the other.
. Crony," said the tanner, raising himself
up, that will tell thee My wife likes
what | like, and that Ike not" As
this speech signifed nothing to me, l went
| along, thinking to myself, Was it nonsense,
or did tHe fellow mean something? My
wife likes what like, and that like not. .
| would ask Uncle Matthias about it.
sc | went to him AMI told him the affair
and a hat was said, and asked him what it
meant. And the fellow was thrown out
by his women folks - queried he. walking
up and down the room in deep study.
. Yes, he said so himself" And he sat
in the gutter p Yes, there he sat
- Oh well, . said he, after further thought.
lit is plain then how it is his wife has
put him out, and it all signifies My wife
likes to be man of the house and | like to
be man OF the house, and | don't like that
But he added, if she stands in the
house and he sits before it in tue gutter,
then is she indeed the MASTER
At this speech | was quite frightened.
for that side of the matter had never
taken into NY eye. Uncle, you know me
and you know her, too, and which of us
do you think will be man Of the house"
Well," said he, " she doesn't look at
all as if she would like to sit before the
house In the gutter | think she wouId
rather stay inside. But them said he.
" she'll not make it SO hard for YOU, but
exercise kind Of love- worthy, wifely
regime-as folks call it-you will be tied
to her apron string, and shortly we shall
see mapped out on your hide the exact
size of h,r slipper heels,''
Soaring don't work." | replied, "ru
subdue her before we haye finished the
first busheI of rye"i
Don't be SO sure of that" sssaid he
" remember the proverb.
Before the wedding will she bend,
Alter the wedding that's at an end"
And tell you a story On that" said
he, seeing my face lengtheniDg out as if |
had just been elected pope:
g At Rumpelsmanhagen, where | spent
the early years Of my apprenticeship as
clod'hopper, lived at that time two hand
some young swains, of whom one named
Wult was the village smith, and the other
named Kiwitt the miller. The smith was
sharp fellow and understood his craft.
the miller was not SO shrewd, but had
money. Well, one time there went
through the village the gossip; 'Crony,
have you heard? The smith and the
miller are running after the bailif, his
Sophia and Mary, and they say that the
high time is On st. Martib s day. And it
came out SO. they were both married on
st. Martins day and the old baillff mar.
shaled the wedding. We young folks
were hidden over to it from the farm, and
l remember, as if it were to-day, how
merrily it went, for toward morning that
clerk, Ludwig Brookman, turned pail of
double beer over my head, and when got
mad he said, 1t was merely joker
After the wedding everything went we'll