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


ga 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 I spend your money
on hired help.
"You're rather hard on EN-, Laviny,
said Mr.. Hinlle 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 me down to
your folks !" cried Mrs. Hinkle,
glaring at,hcr husband. CATER all I've
stood from you, Reuben it's too much.
Mr.. Hinklc was n mild man-mild as
milk but even the sweetest of milk
will sometimes turn sour in thunder
storm, and oft-recurring matrimonial
tempests had had their effects upon him.
"Tve always made excuses for you,
Laviny, and tried my best to live
peaceablc," said he, slowly; "but 1
believe 'tain't in the power of mortal
man to get along with you.
Then, in a state of great amazement
at himself, he went out to untackle Dob
bin and SOW the turnip seed. Listen
ing in vain for the dinner 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.
"Gonc Off in huff to her sister
Trips, L guess,' said he, patiently
sottingout the Sundayremnant of beans.
"Td have hitched up if I'd have known
she wanted to 90. She wouldn't speak
to me, / sposc, cause I'd riled her. L
hadn't oughter done it--that's fact. "
Having relieved his mind by this last
confession, Mr.. Hinklc ate his dinner
with an excellent appetite, and in due
time his supper also, his wife not having
appeared.
"T expect she calculates for me to go
for her, and I'd better be off," said he,
as he strained the milk with extreme
care and deliberation, and by this means
let slow stream 'trickle down the out
side 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 wifc's brothcr-in-law,
with unwilling feet, MS though goaded
on by the spears Of the setting sun be-
hind him.
"Loviny amt sick, | hope? ?" said Mr.
ETinIdc, anXiously
ono, 'tisn't that, replied Mr.. Trip,
twisting his foreiingcr under his collar,
as il his cravat chokcd him-' 'tisnt
that-but--'
"Shc's getting most ont Of patience
waiting for me, suppose" suggested
the msuspccting Reuben. Well, I'd
oughtcr gone aforc, only the of'o1 broke
through The fence, and "
"Layiny says she won't come back,
interrupted Mr.. Tripp, desperately
"for she's lived with you as long as she
can stand it !"
Mr.. Hinklc Topped down like a
starchlcss dicky
81 might have lnowed she couldn't
bear what / do, groaned he. "This
morning, when she was blowing of me,
| spoke hash to her | don't see how L
come to. But, Ezra, you don't think,
now, she won't never come round ?'
Mr.. Tripp muttercd something about
his sistcr-in-law being pretty resolute,
and turned away.
81 wish you'd carry over Laviny's
cough medicine said Mr.. Hinkle,
rousing himself. Lord to think OF
her hacking in the night, and me not
hearing her And, Ezra, I'd take ii
kindly OF you if you'd step in in the
morning and tell me how she rested.
Mr.. Tripp consigned the bottle to his
coat pocket, while Reuben, returning
to the deserted kitchen, which already
wore masculine air, tilted his chail
against the wall, and listened to the
dirges of the frogs, or gave expression
to his feelings by singing,
as on some lonely buding''to
.. Tho sparrow tells her moan,
Far from the tents Of joy and hope
sit and grieve alone.'
"a dreadful poor hand should be
to sit alone" commented he, as he
shullIed about to fnsten the windows.
"IIayiny is n mastcr-woman for making
things lively. Somehow | can't bear tc
lock her out :" and it is fact worthy oi
note that the faithful Reuben, for thu
first time in his married life, went t.
bed leaving the porch door unbolted.
If he had cherished a vague hope tha
his wife might steal home in the early
morning, he certainly saw no traces o
her ruling presence on rising. Instead
the abomination of desolation resigned
"Seems's if 1 was just framework
with nothing inside, said the poor man
| Al i. Ii in
hushed manner, like Il person at
funeral "the pith is all knocked out ol
me-"
But Notwithstanding this alarming
internal condition, by dint of burning
he succeeded in making lumpy hasty'
pudding for breakfast, and also cup OF
coffee, which, by reason of the large
o,oupt of fish-skin that settled it, bore