Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1873-06-19

just hanging Up the mop after scrub,
ing the kitchen floor, when dear blund
ering old Reuben scufled across the
threshold with his torn paper bags,
scattering dried leaves like an Aut
umn wind, and leaving muddy moe
casins tracks at every step. Before
those clumsy footprints Mrs. Hinkle's
feeling forbearancc fed The herbs
her husband trusted might prove 6
narcotic acted upon her as powerful,
initant.
Reuben Hinkle!" said she, bracine
her aching back against the pump,
chow much longer do you think I'm
going to wash floors for you to lit
ter?"
"Therc, there! now don't fret,
pleaded Reuben, I'll sweep It up. You
do putter round more'n you're able
that's a fact You know I'm ready
and willing to hire girl any day.
"a girl smouching my paint !" CRIED
Mrs IIinklc, in wrath. "Put dowr
the broom. Reuben, you've made
tracks enough. Your folks shall ncv
er have that handle, that | spend youl
money on hired help
"You'rc rather hard on 'cm, Lavi
ny" said Mr.. lIinkle: "they mean
well by you. Here's Phebe, now
been and sent you something stilling
| told her what fizz your nerves had
been in lately
$50 you've been running ne down
TO your tolks| cried Mrs. Ilinkle,
glarlng at her husband. "After all
I've stood from you, Reuben, it's too
much!'
Mr.. llinkle was q mild man-mild
as milk but even the sweetest milk
will sometimes turn sour in a thunder
storm, and oft-recnrring matrimonial
tempests had had their effect upon
him.
''l'vc always made excuses for you
Laviny, and tried my best to live
peaceable,' said he, slowly, ''but be-
lieve faint in the power ofmortal man
to get along with YOU"
'Then, in state of great amaze
ment at himself, he went out to un
tackle Dobbin and SOW the turnip
seed. Listening in vain for the din
ner horn, he returned to the house
half an hour past noon to find the fire
out, his unlucky mud prints dried
upon the floor, and his wife absent.
"Gone off in huff to her sister
Trips | guess, said he, patiently set
ting out the Sunday beans 'Td have
hitchod up ifTd have knowed she
wanted to go. She wouldn't speak to
me, | s'pose because I'd liled her. I
hadn't oughter done it, that's fact"
Having relieved his mind by this
last confession, Mr.. Hinklo ate his
dinner with an excellent appetite, and
i'll due time his supper also, his wife
not having appeared.
81 expect she calculates for me to
go for her, and I'd better be off," said
he, as he strained the milk with ex-
treme care and deliberation, and by
this means let slow stream trickle
down the outside of the pail upon the
spotless pantry floor. "Why, if there
amt Ezra Trip now!' and as he
spoke, in at the west door came his
wite's brother-in-law, with unwilling
feet, as though goaded on by the
spears of the setting sun behind him.
"Laviny amt sick, l hope?" said
Mr.. Hinkle, anxiously.
"No, 'tisn't that replied Mr.. Tripp,
twisting his forefnger under his col
lar, as if his cravat checked HIM
" 'tisn't that-but-"
"She's getting most out of patience
waiting for me, | suppose" suggested
the unsuspecting Reuben. "We'n,
I'd oughter gone afore, only the off OK
broke through the fence and"
'Laviny says she won't come back, {"
interrupted Mr.. Trip, desperately
"for she's lived with you as long as
she can stand it,"
Mr.. Hinkle Topped down like a
stalchless dicky.
81 might have knowed she couldn't
bear what l do" groaned he. "This
morning, when she was blowing of me,
I spoke hash to her; / don't see how
l came to. But, Ezra, you don't think,
now, she won't never come round ?"
Mr.. Trip muttered something about
his sister-in-law being "pretty reso-
lutte" and turned away.
81 wish you'd carry over Laviny's
oo,ol, ,,,ol,o;,ov coll Mr., HILL =