The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1873-02-20

pins from her falling chignon. "Iguess
wo sha'n't die on her account p
This reflection seemed to convey no
consolation to Mr.. Hinkle.
"Younever felt right toward Laviny,"
said he, sorrowfully. 81 don't lay this
up agin her, her clearing out; blame
it on to Miss Niddlins. She always had
a dreadful faculty for onsetting Laviny."
Miss Phebe had contemptuous nose,
turned upward at the end like a sled
runner. II curled higher yet at this
remark.
81 wish that you had some of my
spirit, Reuben Hinkle," said she, coil
ing her back hair with rapid circular
motion, as if she were winding herself
up "if you had, you wouldn't go nigh
Layiny 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. I'll 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-
cally, and though fortunes 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 n patient Griselda, compared to
what she now was, freed from home re-
strants. She fretted and fumed in an
explosive manner, raising an unwonted
fermentation in the Trip household.
She hated his folks, she hated Reuben
fornot hating them, she hated herself for
having borne their inference so long,
and declared she had not had "the
temper of fly" which indeed was
quite true. But as the week wore on
without bringing the coveted vision of
her husband at her feet, the efferves-
cence of her mood was fast subsiding,
when the rumor that Miss Phebe was
welding her domestic scepter agitated 1T
anew. Pretty work it was, to be crowded
out of her own home by his folks She
knew now why Reuben did not come.
They had been setting him against her.
What if he should never come? For
the first time this thought intruded
itself, and in her anguish she sought
relief in the camphor bottle. What
right had Phebe in her kitchen, solacing
Reuben with delectable cookery, when
he should have been hungering in soll-
tude after his wife ? She declared such
conduct would provoke saint, though
she did not give her authority for this
conviction. One thing was sure, Phebe
should not have the washing of her tea
spoons, and without delay Mrs. Hinkle
sent juvenile Trip to remove these
and other valuables, choosing the dinner
hour for the errand, that the scenic
effect might be greater. When MIR.
Hinkle was forced to stir his tea with a
fork. perhaps he would DO in more
haste to conciliate his wife The plan
was we'll laid; but it failed in the exc
cution through the tardiness of little
Joe, who, having woodchuck to attend
to on the way, did not reach his uncles
till the remains of the dinner lay cold
ON the pantry shelf, and Mr.. Hinkle was
half mile away at his afternoon plowing.
Miss Phebe sent the spoons obedient-
ly, inwardly resolved that Reuben
should not know of this proof OF LA
why's ugliness," for she was well aware
that only her own repeated assurances
that Laviny would not soften toward
him if left to herself had kept him pas
sivc thus far.
"Seem's if wasn't doing the hand
some thing not to go nigh her, he often
said. 81 wonder whether or no she
amt counting on my fetching her?"
"If she comes of her free-will she'll
be likely to stay put" Miss Phebe
would answer; "but try to drive her,
and YOU know what Laviny is"
Mr.. Hindle did know, unfortunately,
and, knowing, schooled himself to pa
tient 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 Laviny, morti-
fed and then alarmed by his non-appear'
ance, worried herself into a course OF
exasperating sick-headaches, and Ill
every sense shut out the sunlight from
the house of the Trips. In the midst
of paint-scrubbing Mrs. Trip found no
leisure to devote to her complaining sls-
ter, but left one of her children to wait
upon her. Mrs. Hinkle felt abused
When had Reuben been too busy to
batbe her aching temples? Little Joe
made her nervous as a witch, and one
day she told him SO, and a moment
after had the satisfaction OF hearing
him say to his mother in the kitchen
that he "couldn't get along with Aunt
Laviny nohow."
Why, that was just What Reuben had
said Reuben, who had never spoken
hastily to her in his life! Was she ar
uncomfortable person to live with?
"Tain't in the power Of mortal ma,