The tribune. [volume] (Beaufort, S.C.) 1874-1876, 1875-02-10
THE GURNHAM MYSTERY.

Just within the little town of Gurn-
ham there stood, some twenty years ago,
a comfortable, old-fashicHed dwelling,
overshadowed by two huge elms, the
property and residence of Ezra Gentry
and his wife Harriet.
Two years before the opening of my
story, he had sstonished the good folks
of Gurnham by bringing home to the
old homestead wife, young in compari-
son with himself, and remarkably good
looking.
Now, had Mrs. Gentry been as good
tempered as she was good-looking, there
would have been nothing to complain of.
She was industrious, neat, and attentive
o her husbands comfort; but, alas she
had, rs Ezra soon discovered to his cost,
that one great defect of woman, q sharp
and never-ending tongue. The least
thing worried her; she had no patience
with her husbands little failings, and in
his especial failure to use the door mat,
and his habit of smoking was
second nature to him-afforded q con-
slant source of irritation and fault-fnd-
ing. So poor Ezra, finding little peace
at home, absented himself as much as
possible on the plea of business, " until
at length he rarely visited home more
than once month, and then but for q
day or two ut time.
This still further aggravated his wife's
temper and tongue; SO that now, instead
of q welcome, he was generally received
with bitter reproach, invective, and
threats to leave him altogether, and re-
turn to the relatives with whom she had
formerly lived. All this the husband
bore at first with stoical patience; but
there were times when even his quiet
temper was aroused, and it was known
to the neighbors that more than one
scene of violence had taken place be-
tween the two.
Once, after an unusually long absence,
Captain Gentry paid visit home from
Northbeach, the harbor town, fifteen
miles distant, at which his schooner
sometimes received her lading. On en-
tering Gurnham, he met his friend
James Halliday, to whom he mentioned
that he should remain until Sunday, this
being Tuesday. On the Thursday fol-
lowing, Halliday, having some little
business affairs to discuss with Captain
Gentry, about dark stepped over to the
homestead for that purpose.
Harriet Gentry stood at the supper
table, washing knives and forks with
great energy, while her tongue was evi-
IDENTIFY going ut an equal rate. Her hus-
band sat in an armchair beside the fire,
smoking pipe; not in his usual placid,
dreamy manner, but with short irregular
puffs. Both were evidently excited and
angry, and as the visitor stood for a mo-
ment without the window, he caught the
sound of the woman's voice, uttering, in
broken phrases:
"Lazy, good-for-nothing lubber !;
Wonder what could have been think
ing of when married you, or why I
married you at all2"
"You married me, may be, for money
and home," returned Ezra, apparently
aroused by this cut.
"And a pretty home it is, where
everything depends upon me to be kept
in order. 'Twould go to rack and ruin
but for me, as you know very well.
There's to-day's work of yours, for in
stance; the garden gate left open, and
the pigs ruined n whole patch of cab
bages. Dear knows the trouble I have
whenever you come home %
"And the Lord knows what trouble I
have" returned Ezra 1T is the first
time in my recollection that the peace
of this roof has been destroyed by a
woman's i'll tongue and i'll temper. I
wish to heaven that my good old mother
were alive again |"
"There it is always throwing your
dead mother into my teeth, as if be.
ieved all you say about her. I've no
doubt she was stingy, stuck up, hypo-
critical -
"Woman !" thundered Captain Cen
try, rising, and laying down his pipe,
s.Ive borne enough from you already.
You may abuse me as much as you will |;