Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1875-08-03
MISGELLANEpUs.
A SLACK HUSBAND PUNISHED.

WSeOR. M0NCT0N,'' said my grandmothesI
81 have no wood toburn to-day. What
shall 1 do 2"
rOb. send Louisa to pick ap some, P said
tho good man, making stride towards the
door.
ccBat she has picked up all shc can 6ud.n
"Then let her break up some old stuf."
But she has broken up everything al
ready"
.ohl well then, do the next best thine4-
1 must bo of, said the farmer, aud OF no
was, whistling as ho went, and NO doubt won.
dering in his heart what the next best thing
would turn out to be.
Noon came and with ii came my grand.
father and four hungry laborers. My grAnd>
mother stood in the kitchen spinning on hcr
great wheel and singing pleasant dittyS
Louisa was securing in tho back room, and
the cat sat purring on the hearth before o
black and freless chimney, while tho table
sat in the middle of the room, spread for DIM
nor, with empty dishes.
SWELL, wife, hero We are" said my graudS
father, chceringly.
so see" replied she, placidly; ''hLye
you had good morning in the corr 6eId ?"
"Why, yes, so. Bat where is tho dibherg''
"In the pot on the door step. Won't you
see if it is dono ?"
And on the door step, to be sure, sat the
great iron pot, nicely covered, but not looking
particularly steamy. Ny grandfather raised
the cover aud there lay all the ingredients Of
nice boiled diDner-everythiug prepared in
the incest manner,
began my grandfather, Indignantly. "This
dinner isn't cooked at all !"
"Dear me, is it not Why it haspat in tho
''SAt in the sun ?"
eyes, you told me to try the next beSI
thing to have FIRE, and 1 thought setting my
dinner in tho sun was about that"
My grandfather stood doubtful for . mo.
ment, but finally his sense of humOr over
caroe his sense of injury, and he laughed
aloud. Then picking mp his hat, he said:
"Come, boys, We may as we'll start for tho
woods. We shall have no dinner till We have
earned it, perceive"
won't you have some bread and cheese
before you go!" asked my grandmother,
generous in her victory, rs women almost n.
ways arc. And so she won tho day.
Tho cellar stairs in the old farmhouse had
become broken and SO unsafe that my grand
mother besieged her husband, early aud late.
to repair them, least some accident shot1d
happen. he always promised 70 do so, aud
Always lOIgoL 10 IuluIl HlS PROMISES nv Ihsbe
ono day, my grandmother fell in going down,
and spilled tho milk she was carrying.
'Are you hurt?' asked my grandfather.
smoking his pipe beside the FIRE.
"NO matter whether Am or not ]" returned
the angry housewife, reappearing with her
empty pan. "That is the last time carry
milk down those stairs until they are
mended."
"Pleasc yourself and iud the next best way
to get it down." said tho husband, lfttlo
vexed ut her tone.
81 WILL" said my grandmother, aud she
was as good as her word. The next evening
my grandfather went down to the cellar 70
draw some cider.
'whatiu thuudcr!" exclaimed he-pOthipg
worse. 1 assure you, for he was hot iprefane
man-t'what in thunder is the matter doFn
here Z Why, woman, your milk is hEl over tho
cellar bottom r.
"Is it?" replied my grandmother tran.
quilIy. "Welf I think that Il il likely
enough. falling so far"
"Falling SO farY What do you mean p
"Wby, you know said should've carry
milk over those broken stairs again, and yol
told me to try the next best way Of getting u
down, and so took up board in the kitchen
floor, threw down the pans and then strained
the milk down into them"
The cellar stairs were mended next day.