The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1875-07-30
MAD IN SPITE OF HIMSELF.


Everything goes wrong,m said Mr.. Trip
icr laying down his knife and fork with the
face of martyr.
There are some people in the world with
whom 'everything' seems chropically to gc
wrong--there are some whose first inlantine
vail is altered in the minor key, and who go
on lamenting through life and of this much
abused class Mr.. Nathan Tripler was burn
ing and shining light.
WHAT'S the matter, dear2" questioned
Mrs. Tripler, who sat opposite her husband
with a round eyed baby On her knee, and
two or three little one, clamoring for their
share Of the matutinal meal on either sid.
Of her.
Mrs. Tripler was n trim. neatly-mad,
little woman, with blue eyes and haxen
hair-a woman who might have been pretty,
could she have diyested herself of certain
frightened. apprehensive look that came
| oyer her face whenever her liege lord spoke
or looked toward her. Not that Dorothy
| Triper was actually afIaid-her husband
| had never either beaten her or used coercve
! measures, but when a man beg inS to find
| fault, woman never is easy in her mind
lest some domestic screw should be waxing
| loose.
"Ican'teat a mnuthful, Dorothy, 'croaked
| Mr.. Tripler, doleiully. such cooking! and
such food You may aS well turn that new
cook Of yours into the street at once"
'But, Nathan, IL am very sorry but
| cooked the break fast myself, dear, this morn-
ing. Isn't it nice?''
"Nice?' YeS-very nice for those who
oan digest leather and drink dish-water!"
The biscuits are fresh and hot, Nathan. :"
II don't want to be poisoned with hot
bread"
"And thought the steak was unusually
tender"
No reply. Mr.. Tripler had folded his
arms and was gazing with an expression of
distracted despair at the ceiling.
''Will you have another cup Of coffee ?''
timidly questioned his wife.
| Coffee? l. that coffee? Really thought
it was hot water that had got into the urn
by mistake
II vii! order some fresh made. 81 id Mrs.
Tripler, with her hand on the b.ll- rope.
''You will do no such thing ma am, if
you please said Mr. Tripler, shortly. My
appetite is completely destroyed"
evil you have an egg boilcd2"
cNo."
There's some very nice ham in the
pantry"
Il dare Say-there always is when don't
want it,
81 am very sorry, Nathan" said poor
little Mrs. Tripler. despairingly.
Yes she was sorry. this faithful, much en-
during wife nor did the frequent repetition
of this domestic storm at all abate her peni-
tence and sense of guilt. Some women
would have got accustomed to the daily dis
turbance and thrown il off a. a robin casts
the dew drops from her wing. Not 50 Doro-
thv Tripler She was too sensitive, too
conscientious, too delicately organized to
laugh off her troubles a. some surface deep
characters would have done. So when her
husband had departed, still grumbling under
his breath, as he slammed the door, she
leaned her throbbng head upon one weary
little hand and murmured softly to herself >
"Oh, wish Nathan was different,'
Then, as if she had uttered high treason,
she started to her feet, checking the sens,-
ton OF repining, and began industriously to
prepare the three apple checked, headed
little Triplers for school
"It's Monday morning and Nathan don't
like them to be too late," thought the meek.
spirited wife.
Meanwhile Mr.. Tripler was slowly walk.
ing down the path through the wild and
solitary glen that led to the road where
twice day, the Lendville stage rolled by
conveying passengers to the train at Martin.
Station. 1t was cheaper to live in The
country, and so Mr.. Tripler lived there, al
though, as far as actual tastes went, h'
didn't know a buttercup from a burdock,
Az Nathan trudged along, thinking how
) best to get rid Of some troublesome shares
of railway stock that were sinking uncom
fortably on his hands, he suddenly became
conscious of the presence Of man, stout anC
middle aged, with head as smooth ant
shining as a billiard ball who was sitting Oh
a boulder Of moss grown stone just wher
J the pathway merged into the Lcndvil!c road