Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1873-02-01

me-" cried Mrs. Hinkle, hastily resum-
ing her wrath "and what's madded
me the most has been to see Reuben
take it SO cool. That man hasn't any
more nerves than a tub of lard l
wouldn't value jumping off the meet
ing-house steeple if I thought it would
give him a start. J."
"Poor woman |" said Miss Niddlins,
displaying the red silk handkerchief
that might properly be called her badge
of mourning. /" It's your duty yourself
to go where you can take some peace of
your life !"
az don't feel clear" said Mrs. Hin
kle, as she settled the coffee for dinner,
ana thus ended their first conference.
But as Miss Niddlins spent the week,
iustifying Mr.. Hinkle's apprehensions,
she and Mrs. Hinl1le 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, call in a muddle." "
Even her ox-eyed husband noticed
something amiss with her.
81 wonder whether or no sage tea
wouldn' be kind of quieting to Laviny,"
he reflected one morning as he logged
along to the village after turnip-seed.
81 hain't seen her so fractions since
she had the neurology in her face. If
! she wasn't a poor sick creetur [ don't
| know but I should get out with her-I
really don't ;" and Mr.. Hinkle lowered
his voice to an awe-struck whisper as
he gave utterance to this treasonous
thought.
"His folks" lived in a sick-headache-
colored house at the -Four Corners, and
his sister Phebe was hanging up clothes
in the backyard as he drove up.
"Got any sage to spare ?" cried Mr..
Hinkle, whoaing Dobbin. ..
Mercy on ~ is Laviny going to
make cheese in mud-time?" was Miss
Phebe's answer.
""Tisn't none of her doings," said
Mr.. Hinkle, slowly, Furnishing the wheel
with his whip-lash "but she's in ter
rible nervous way, and | think maybe
she needs something soothing. WHAT'S
good for her nerves 2"
81 don't know, without it's a sound
scolding," 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
I'm suited if you are, poor soul p and
Miss Phebe hunted for both sage and
valerian, though inwardly persuaded
thatmll the. poppies in the world couldn't
soothe Layiny when she once got i" 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 scrub ting the
kitchen floor, when dear, laundering
old Reuben scutfed aSross the threshold
with his torn paper bags, scattering
dried leaves like an autumn wind, and
leaving muddy moccasin tracks at every
step. Before those clumsy footprints
Mrs. Hinkle's feeble forbearance fled.
The herbs her husband had trusted
might prove a narcotic acted upon her
as powerful irTitant.
"Reuben Hinkle !" said she, bracing
her aching back against the pump,
chow much longer do you think Tn
going to wash floors for you to litter ?'
"There, there now don't fret
pleaded Reuben; "I'll sweep it up.
You do putter round moren you're able,
that's fact. You know Tn ready and
willing to hire girl any day."
"a girl smouching my paint !" cried
Mrs. Hinkle, in wrath. "Putdown the
broom, Reuben; you've made tracks
enough. Your folks shall never have
that handle, that I Ispend your money on
hired help"
"You're rather hard on 'em, Laviny,"
said Mr.. Hinkle; they mean well by
you. Here's Phebe now been and sent
you something stilling. 1 told her
what a tizz your nerves had been in
lately"
$50 you've been running me down to
your folks p' cried Mrs. Hinkle, glaring
at her husband. "After all I've stood
from you, Reuben, it's too much"
Mr. Hinkle was mild man-mild as
milk; but even the sweetest of milk
will sometimes turn sour in q thunder
STERN, and oft-recurring matrimonial
tempests had had their effect upon him.
Give always make excuses for you,
Laviny, and tried my best to live peace.
able, " said he, slowl y "but 1 believe
faint in the power of mortal man tc
get along with you"
Then, in state of great amazement
at himself, he went out to untackle
Dobbin and SOW the turnip seed. Lis,
tening 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, anc
his wife absent.
"Gone off in huff to her sister
Trips, I guess" said he, patiently
setting out the Sunday remnant O.
beans. "Pd have hitched up if Tt
have knowed she wanted to go. She
wouldn't speak to me, spose, cause
I'd riled her. I hadn't oughter done i
that's fact. D."
Having relieved his mind by this las
confession, Mr.. Hinkle ate his Dime,
with an excellent appetite, and in dut
, time his supper also, his wife not hay
, ing appeared.
81 expect she calculates for me to q
for her, and I'd better be off," said he
! as he strained the milk with extrem,
care and deliberation, and by this means
let slew stream trickle down the out
side of the pail upon the spotless pantr,
; floor. "Why, if there amt Ezra Trip
now !" and as he spoke, in the west doc
came his wife's brother-in-law, with un
willing feet, as though goaded on b,
the spears of the setting sun behint
him.
Laviny amt sick, hope ?" said Mr.
Hinkle, anxiously.
"No, 'tisn't that, replied Mr. Tripp
5 twisting his forefnger under his collar
! as IL his cravat ehnked him g III On,