Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1873-02-22

me when / was married. / won't deny
but what Reuben has done the fair thing
there but then, if he'd been some men,
he might have doubled it by this time.
The long and short Of it is, he's half
asleep. ! have to keep stirring him up,
and, Pfter all, he don't appreciate me /"
81 believe it w0uld wake him pretty
thoroughly if you should leave him, /"
returned Miss Niddlins. "He'd begin
to realize what a smart wife he'd lost. -
"He'd clutter the kitchen with his
greasy harness, and camp down on the
lounge in his boots-that's what he d
do--the minute l was off" snapped
Mrs. Hinkle.
"He couldn't manage without you,
to save his life, declared Miss Niddlins,
confidently "He'd go down on his
knees to you to get you back.
Mrs. Hinkle seemed Aattered by the
idea.
"a pretty figure he'd cut, 4" laughed
she, fat as he is, and looking, you
might say, as if he'd been blowed up in
his clothes !"
"Pm sure / don't see how you can
smile, situated as you are" said Miss
Niddlins, showing symptoms of fresh
cold.
"His folks have tried my soul out of
me, cried Mr.. Hinkle, hastily resum-
ing her wrath "and what's maddened
the most has been to see Reuben take it
50 cool. That man hasn't any more
nerves than tub Of lard I wouldn't
value jumping off the Westinghouse
if I thought it would give him start. :"
"Poor woman !" said Miss Niddlins,
displaying the red silk handkerchief
that might properly be called her badge
of mourning. It's your duty to your
self to go where you can take some
peace of your life I"
"Idon't feel clear, said Mrs. Hinkle,
as she settled the coffee for dinner, and
thus ended their first conference.
But as Miss Niddlins spent the week,
justifying Mr.. Hinkle's apprehensions,
she and Mrs. Hinkle had ample appor-
tunities for renewing the discussion of
the latter's grievances, till, from not
feeling "clear," Mrs. Hinkle, by the
time her guest departed, came to feel,
as she expressed it, "all in muddle, :"
Even her ox-eyed husband noticed
something amiss with her.
81 wonder whether or not sage tea
wouldn't be kind of Plieting to Laviny, "
he reflected one morning as he logged
along to the village after turnip seed.
&" hain't seen her SO fractions since she
had the neurology in her face. Ii she
wasn't poor sick creature don't know
but / should get put out with her-I
I really don't !" and Mr.. Hinkle lower
ed his voice to IN awe-struck whisper
as he gave utterance to this treasonous
thought.
Ellis folks lived in sick ck-headache-
colored house at the Four corners, and
his sister Phebe was hanging out clothes
in the back. yard as he drove up.
"Got any sage to spare? ?" cried Mr..
HiEkle, whoaing Dobbin.
mercy on us?" was Miss Phebe's
answer
"'Tisn't one of her doings, said Mr..
Hinkle, slowly punching the wheel with
his whip-lash; but she's in terrible
nervous way, and I think maybe she
needs something soothing. What's
good for her nerves2"
81 don't know, without it's sound
replied Miss Phebe, with
her mouth full of clothes-pins.
"Now, sister, you're hard on Laviny,"
said Mr.. Hinkle, in an injured tone.
"She amt tough, like what you be. "
"Her temper is tough enough but
Tn suited if you are, poor soul I" and
Miss Phebe hunted for both sage and
valerian, though inwardly persuaded
that all the poppies in the world
couldn't soothe Laviny when she once
got "set out.
Meanwhile Mrs. Hinkle had been
doing furious forenoOn's work, and,
ready to drop from exhaustion, was just
hanging up the mop after scrubbing the
kitchen floor, when dear, laundering
old Reuben scuffed across the threshold
with his torn paper bags, scattering
dried leaves like an autumn wind, and
leaving muddy moccasins tracks at every
step. Before those clumsy footprints
Mrs. Hinkle's feeble forbearance fed
The herbs her husband had trusted
might prove narcotic acted upon her
as powerful irritant.
"Reuben Hinkle |" said she, bracing
her aching back against the pump,
chow much longer do you think I'm
going to wash floors for you to litter ?"
"There, there now don't fret,
pleaded Reuben; "Il sweep it up.
You de putter round moren you're able,
that's fact. You know I'm ready n
willing to hire a girl any day.
"A girl smouching my paint " cried
Mrs. Hinkle, in wrath. "Put down
the broom, Reuben you've made tracks
enough. Your folks shall never have
that handle, that 1 spend your money
on hired help.
"You're rather hard on 'em, Laviny,"
said Mr.. Hinkle they mean we'll by
YOU. Here's Phebe now been and sent
you something stilling. l told her
what fizz your nerves had been in
lately,
uSo voY1'va hean YunninO me down to