St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1874-01-23
A Slack Husband Punished.

Mr.. Moncton." SAID my grandmoth-
er. Il have II" wood To burn to-day.
What shall d" >
''Oh. send Louisa to pick up some.
said the good man, making ii stride to-
wards the door.
But she has picked NJ all she can
find"
''rhcn let her break up some old
stuff"
But She has broken up everything
already"
"Oh, well then. do the next best
thing must he Oft said the talmcI.
and oft he WAS. vhi>tlimg H. he went.
and II" doubt Wondering in his heart
what the next best thing would he
Noon came and with it came my
grandfather and l"ur hungry lab"rcr>.
My grandmother stood i'll the Kitchen
spinning on hci great wheel and sing
ing u pleasant dirty Louis; WIS >cour-
IN. il the back room. and the eat sat
purring on the hcauh before Il black
and tirclc>S chimney. while the table
sat in the middle of the room. spread
t"l dinner. with empty dishes.
"Wcll. wife. here We are" said my
grandfather. chccriugll.
-" See. replied She. pllcidly;
''hav" You had good morning in the
corn field ,"
"Why. yes. 80. But where is the
dinner -
In the pot ON the door step. Won't
Nou see il il Is done -
And on the door step. To he sure. sat
the great iron pot. nicely covered. hut
l.
grandfather raised the cover and there
lay all the ingredients of IL nice boiled
dinner everything prepared in the
incest manner, and the pot filled with
the clcarcst OF water. and all the veg
ctahlcs ~ raw as they had ever been.
My grandfather stared and my grand
mother joined another roll To the yarn
upon the di>ratt'. and began another
verse at hen SONG.
"Whl. woman. what does this
mean ,! began my grandfather indig
nantlN. This dinner isn't cooked at
all -
'Dcal me. is it not Why. it has
sat III the sun these four houlS."
Sat in the sun -
"lcs, You told me to Try the next
best thing to have IL fire. and thought
setting my dinner in the sun was about
that"
My grandfather stood doubtful tor Il
moment. but finally his Sem>c of humur
overcamc his >cmSe of injury. and he
laughed aloud. Then picking up his
hat he said
IT ONE. boys. We may as well start
for the woods We shall have no din
ncr till we have earned it. perceive"
won't you have some bread and
cheese before YOU g"!'' asked my
grandmother, generous III her victory.
a> women almost always are And So
she won the day.
The cellcr stairs in the old farm
house had become broken and 81 I'M
safe that my grandmother be~ciged her
husband. early and late. to repair them.
lest some accident should happen. He
always promised To do So. and ALWAYS
forgot To fulfill his promises. At last.
one day. my grandmother fell in going
down. and spilled the milk She was
carving.
Are You hurt - asked my grand
father, smoking his pipe beside the fire.
NO matter whether | am or not :"
returned the angry housewife. reap
peaiing with her empty pan. That
Is the last time carry milk down those
stats until they are memded."
''l'lea>e yourself and find the next
best way to get it down." said the huS-
band, Il little veXed at her tone.
Il will. said my grandmother. and
she was as good as her word. The
next evening my grandfather Went
down I" the cellar to draw cider.
NV hat in tbuudrr'" ,.XrE,iu.d he