The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1875-11-04
MAD IN SPITE OF HIMSELF.


There are some people in the world
with whom "everything F" seems chron-
icallyto go wrong I; there are some whose
first infantile wall is uttered in the minor
key, and who go on lamenting through
life, and of this much abused class Mr..
Nathan Tripler was o burning and
shining light.
"What's the matter, dear" question
ed Mrs. Tripler, who sat opposite her
husband with a round-eyed baby on her
knee, and two or three little ones clam
oring for their share of the matutinal
meal on either side of her.
Mrs. Tripler was q trim, .neatly-made
little woman, with blue eyes and haxen
hair woman who might have been
pretty could she have Invested herself
of a certain frightened, apprehensive
look that came over her face whenever
her iege lord spoke or even looked
toward her. Not that Dorothy Tripler
was actually afraid-her husband had
never beaten her nor used coercive meas
ures, but when a man begins to find
fault aswoman never is easy in her mind
lest some domestic screw should be wax
ing loose.
"I can't eat a single mouthful, Doro-
thy" croaked Mr.. Tripler, dolefully.
"Such cooking and such foodi You
may as well turn that new cook of yours
into the street at once"
"But, Nathan, II am very sorry,
but I cooked the breakfast myself, dear,
this morning. Isn't it nice2" ;
"Nics2 { YesAFery nice for those.
who can digest leather and drink dish
water" .,i
"The biscuits are fresh and hot, Ma
than"
at donFwant to be poisoned with hot
bread" ~;-Es - m.,7
"And I thought the steak was n
usually tender"
No reply. MI. Tripler had folded his
arms and was gazing with an expression
Of distracted despair at the ceiling.
"Wm you have another cup of cof-
fee Z" timidly questioned his wife.
Golfer Is that coffeef Really /
thought it was hot water that had got
into the urn by mistake !"
81 will order some fresh made" said
Mrs. Tripler, with her hand on the bell
rope.
"You viii do no such thing, ma'am,
if you please" said Mr.. Tripler, shortly.
"My appetite is completely destroyed"
"Wm you have an egg boiled2"
"No."
"Thereis some very nice ham in the
pantry"
"I dare say-there always is when I
don't wanfTit." @
"I am very sorry, Nathan" said poor
little Mrs. Tripler, despairingly.
Yes she was sorry, this faithful, much
enduring wife; nor did the frequent rep
etition of this domestic storm at all abate
her penitence and sense of guilt. Some
women would have got accustomed to the
daily disturbance and thrown it off as the
robin casts the dewdrops from her wing.
Not so with Dorothy Tripler. She was
too sensitive, too conscientious, too deli
cately organizedto laugh off her troubles
IS some surface deep characters would
have done. So. when her husband had
departed, still grumblng under his
breath as he slammed the door, she
leaned her throbbing head upon one
weary little hand and murmured softly
10 herself:
"Oh, 1 wish Nathan was differentt"
Then, as if she had uttered high
treason, she started to her feet, checking
the sensation of repining, and began in.
dustriously to prepare the three apple.
checked, tow-headed little Triplers foi
school.
"It's Monday morning and Nathan
don't like them to be late" thought the
meek-spirited wife.
Meanwhile Mr.. Tfipler was slowly
walking down the path through the wilc
and solitary glen that led to the roat
where twice o day the Leadville stage
rolled by conveying passengers to tn
train at Martins station. It was cheaper
to live in the country, andso Mr.. Triple
lived there, although as far as aetna
tastes went he didn't know a buttercuI
from a burdock.
AS Nathan trudged along, thinking
how best to get rid of some TROUBLESOME
shares of railroad stock that were sink
ing uncomfortably on his hands, he sud
denly become conscious of the presenc,
of a man, stout and middle-aged, with
head as smooth and shining as a billiard
ball, who was sitting on a boulder o
moss-grown stone just where the path
way emerged into the Leadville road.
GOOD moring, sir, said the stranger
"Have asseat2"
Mr.. Tripler had no very strong socia
elements in his nature, SO he stifiy in
clined his head and kept on his way
But the first he knew two iron grasp
were on his shoulders, he felt himsel
twirled suddenly around like a humal
humming top, and seated with NOR
force than was exactly agreeable on tn
boulder.
What do you mean"
"Dear me-" suddenly interrupted hi
uncomfortable companion, "what a YER
nice hat you have. Now, what do yoI
say to exchanging hats ? Mine is a YER
nice straw, but I find it's somewhat heat
ing to the brain"
"You are quite welcome, sir" faltere,
the tremulous Nathan, speaking all th
more rapidly in that the freakish mania
had already deity effected the change.
"And your coat, too-nice cool linen
Upon my word, now, that coat is il
finitely preferable to this swallow-taile
concern of mine, with the brass buttons
Yes-it fits me very nicely. hope 20
don't object, sir, to the recommendation
"N-no!" faltered Mr.. Tripler.
"Well, good morning." said til
stranger, looking round with a bewildel
ed air. 81 don't really see where m
chief orderly isl told him to be her
precisely at nine o'clock-andeverythin
will be in confusion if 1 don't attend t
it p~ersistently."
He plunged into the green, dens
Businesses of the woods, talking r~estlessl
to himself as he went, and Mr.. Natha
Tripler was solus in a coarse straw hs
and coat of coarse blue cloth, garnishe
with huge metal buttons, whose bril-
lance was considerably furnished.
"Dear me, what a figure I cut,
groaned Mr.. Tripler, cycling himse
with disgust. 81 must go directlyhom
and get on something decent. A ms
would be hooted through the streets {