The Cecil Whig., 1874-05-23
JOHN STEPHENS PERICARDIUM.


"Now l am going to tell you just wha
my husband said to me this morning, Doc
tor, word for word and the invalid, Mrs
Stephens, lay back on the sofa pillow, thu
very picture of misery. The family physi
clan, who was called on an average to the
Stephens mansion three hundred and sixty
times a year, drew chair close to thu
couch, and waited quietly for his patient tt
open her book of complaints.
Last night, you see, Doctor, had al
| i'll turn, and he wanted to come for you
but when l got so he dared to leave me, hi
concluded then we'd better let you sleep
"Much obliged to him." said the Doc
tor-sarcastic emphasis on the persona
| pronoun. "Last night was the first undis
turbed nights rest l have enjoyed for {
week.
Mrs. Stephens continued:
"This spell is the same as had the las
| time you were sent for, Doctor"
ga slight nervous attack" broke ii
the physician, "nothing more"
Well, 1t don't make any difference
what you call tit was mighty hard tc
bear; but let me tell you what my husband
said first, Doctor, before we go into symp.
toms. When he was going down to break
| fast, he says to me, Kate, what shall
send you upe'"
Essays l, Il don't want anything in the
world but good strong cup of tea. Tel
Bridget to send it up in the little tea pot.
l saw, Doctor, that he didn't move after
said this, SO l turned and looked up al
him, and such a picture of rage and dis
gust l never saw in my life. Finally, says
he, Tea tea ! tea ! it's nothing but tea
Z from morning till night, Kate says he,
( you are the color of Chinaman now.
! Why don't you order good piece of beef
steak, and slice of brown bread, and a
cup of chocolate; that would be sensible
breakfast p"
"' But John,' says 1, you forget that
am sick and have no appetite l was all
ready to cry, but was determined that he
| shouldn't have the satifaction Of seeing
the tears fall"
"' Forget says he; forget? l 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,' he says. When we lived in part
of a house, and you did your own house
work, you were as well and happy as any
body, and no man ever had pleasanter
little home than John Stephens; but what
have l now to love, or to come back to o -
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;
because the majority of those poor devils
have some sort of an excuse for their con-
have Il 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-bool hoo hoo Oh dear me ! to
think | should ever have lived to have
heard such dreadful language out of my
husbands mouth; and then he says and
making me as miserable wretch as walks
the earth
"Pretty plain talk" interrupted the
Doctor, with shrug of his broad shoul-
ders.
"Oh, yes," sobbed the victim, "and so
awfully coarse and unkind. If had had
spell and died there before his very face,
don't believe he would have cared snap
of his finger. l tell you, Doctor Ellis,
there is such thing as mans getting
hardened
Evidently" replied the physician, with
laconism absolutely painful.
"But my husband has nothing in the
world to trouble him but just my poor
health; and l am sure | can't help that.
This remark was more in answer to her
companion's tone aud manner, than the
one single work that had accidentally es-
"Anybody would think by the way he
goes on continued the irrate woman,
"that l enjoyed myself with spasms and
cramps and fainting 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.
Oh, yes such a 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 considered
himself master of the situation; and il
Mrs. Stephens had not been so entirely
taken up with her own ailments, mental
and physical. that honest countenance
would have betrayed him.
You say" he began, setting himself
in the large easy chair, and assuming a
strictly professional air, "that your hus
band has nothing to trouble him but your
health; how do you know that, Mrs
| Stephens?'
| GLOW? Why how do 1 know any
thing? BY the evidences of my senses
! Don't | know that John Stepens has 6
| splendid business that looks after itself, q
magnificent income, and money enough tc
| live on the bare interest, as well as fam
! lily need to live, if lie never entered hi.
office again while he has breath ?''
| "But money isn't everything, Mrs
Stephens" proceeded the physician, will
calmness almost Mephistophelian.-
"There are other troubles besides money
troubles. How about health, madam ?'