The Republican journal., 1874-04-30
John Stephens Perioardium.


Now l am going to tell you Just what
my husband said to me this morning, Doc
tor word tor word, and the invalid. Mrs.
Stephens, lay back on the sofa pillow. the
very picture of misery. The family ply
sician, who was called on an average to
the Stephens mansion three hundred and
sixty times a year, drew a chair close to
the couch, and waited quietly for his pa
tlent to open her book of complaints
Last night, you see, Doctor, | had an
i'll turn, and he wanted to come for YOU ;
but when | got so he dared to leave me,
he concluded then we'd better let YOU
Sleep
"Much obliged to him. said the Doc
tor-sarcastic emphasis on the personal
pronoun. Last night was the first I'M
disturbed nights rest have enioyed for
a week"
Mrs. Stephens continued:
This spell is the same as had the last
time you We're sent for, Doctor
"A slight nervous attack" broke in the
physician, "nothing more"
"Well, it don't make any difference
what you call it, it was mighty hard to
bear; but let me tell you what my hlls-
band said first Doctor before we 90 into
symptoms. When he was going down to
breakfast, he says to me, Kate, what shall
| send you up?'
Says |, i don't want any thing in the
world but good strong cup OF tea. Tell
Bridget to send it up in the little tea pot. )
| saw, Doctor, that he didn't move after |
said this, so turned and looked up at
him, and such a picture of rage and dis
gust | never saw in my life Finally
says he, Tea tea tea 4, it's nothing but
tea from morning TIL night, Kate says
he. you are the color of Chinaman now.
Why don't you order a good piece of beef
steak, and a slice of brown bread. and
cup of chocolate; that would be sensible
breakfastn
but John" said |, ''you forget that
am sick and have no appetite" | was all
ready to cry, but l was determined that
he shouldn't have the satisfaction of see
ing the tears fall.
Forget" says he; ''forget2 | wish
to Heaven l could forget! It's nothing
but grunt and groan from one years end
to the other have lost all patience with
you," says he. "When we lived in a part
of house, and you did your own house
work, you We're as well and happy as any
body and no man ever had a pleasanter
little home than John Stephens; but what
have | now to love, or to come back to ~
and this, Doctor, is what he ended up
with
Kate" says he, you are nothing more
nor less than drunkard, and in the sight
Of God, more culpable than most of the
men who stagger through the streets; be-
bo H.,
have some sort of an excuse for their con-
duct, and YOU haven't the slightest. You
have luxurious home, a husband doing
his level best to make you happy-every
thing under the light of the sun to please
you, and yet you will persist in swilling
tea Yes, Doctor swilling was the word
he used-boo! hoo! hoo Oh dear me !.
to think l should ever have lived to have
heard such dreadful language out of my
husbands mouth; and then he says-''and
making me rs miserable wretch as walks
the earth
Pretty plain talk" interrupted the
Doctor, with a shrug of his broad should
ers.
"Oh, yes sobbed the victim, land so
awfully coarse and unkind If had had
SPELL and died there before his very
face, don't believe he would have cared
a snap Of his finger. l tell you, Doctor
Ellis, there is such a thing as mans get
ting hardened"
Evidently replied the physician, with
laconism absolutely painful.
"But my husband has nothing III the
world to trouble him but Just my poor
health; and | am sure | can't help that
This remark was more in answer to her
companions tone and manner, than the
one single word that had accidentally es-
capped his lips, and this the Doctor felt
"Anybody would think by the way he
goes on,'' continued the irate woman,
''that | enjoyed myself with spasms, and
cramps, and tainting fits. Anybody would
think it was pleasure to me to feel, every
time | see a funeral procession, as if the
hearse was going to stop at our door next.
On, yes such life is very enjoyable,
very, indeed"
Doctor Ellis took no notice of these last
words; the mans eyes grew luminous,
and his whole face declared that he con-
sidered himself master of the situation !;
and if Mrs. Stephens had not been SO en-
tirely taken up with her own ailments,
mental and physical, that honest ceunte
"You say he began, settling himself
in the large easy chair, and assuming a
strictly professional air. ''that your hus-
health; how do you know that, Mrs. Ste
phens9"
GLOW? Why how do l know any
thing? BY the evidences of my senses.
Don't | know that John Stephens has a
splendid business that looks after itself,
a magnificent income, and money enough
to live on the bare interest, as we'll as a
family need to live, if he never entered
his office again while he has breath"
But money isn't everything, Mrs Ste
phens," proceeded the physician, with a
calmness almost Mephistophelian. There
are other troubles besides money troubles.
How about health, madame?"
Health ?" repeated the lady with a
smile she intended to be sarcastic to the
last degree.
Health? Doctor Ellis! Why, there
isn't healthier or q sounder man than
my husband in the United States. He
eats more in one meal than do in three
months"
There is nothing the matter with your
husbands stomach, Mrs. Stephens" Doe
tor Ellis shaded his face with his hand,
and waited further developments. Mrs.
Stephens mistook this attempt at forced
concealment for emotion, and immediate
ly assuming sitting posture, brushed her
eyes, and looked piercingly into her COM
panion's face.
"Why do you accent the word stomach
so strongly, Doctor Ellis?" she inquired
in anxious tones. Mrs, Stephens was for
getting herself, and this the Doctor hailed
as an excellent omen.
'Only that l might make you under,
stand that mans digestion could be most
unexceptionable, and yet, he be far from