Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1875-11-15
Mad in Spite Of Himself.


with the air of martyr.
There are some people in the world
with whom everything" seems chronic
ally to 60 wrong-there are some whose
first infantile wall is uttered in the mi
nor key, and who 90 on lamenting thro'
life and of this much-abused class Mr..
Nathan Trlpler was burning and shin
ing light.
What's the matter, dear ?" question
ed Mrs. Tripler, who sat opposite her
husband with 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 trim, neatly made
little woman with blue eyes aud faxen
hair-a woman who might have been
pretty, could she have divested herself
of certain frightend, apprehensive look
that came over her face whenever her
liege lord spoke or looked toward her.
Not that Dorothy Tripler was actually
afraid-her husband had neither beaten
her nor used coercive measures, but when
man begins to find fault, a woman is
never easy in her mind lest some domes-
tic screw should be waxing loose.
81 can't eat a mouthful, Dorothy"
croaked Mr. Tripler, dolefully. "Such
food and such cooking! You may as
well turn that new cook of yours into
the street at once"
But Nathan, IL am very sorry,
but l cooked the breakfast myself, this
morning. Isn't it nice ?'
Mice? Yes-very nice for those
who can digest leather and drink dish
water"
The biscuits are fresh and hot, Ma
than"
81 don't want to be poisoned with hot
bread"
"And l thought the steak was unusu-
ally tender"
No reply, Mr.. Tripler had folded his
arms and was gazing with an abstract
despair at the ceiling.
"Will you have another cup of coffee ?''
timidly questioned his wife.
Coffee? Is that coffee Really, !
thought it was hot water that had got
into the urn by mistake y
''I will order fresh made" said Mrs.
Tripler, with her hand upon the bell
rope.
"You will do no such thing, ma am
if you please" said Mr.. Tripler, short
ly. My appetite is completely destroy
ed"
"Will you have an egg boiled"
.No."
There's some very nice ham in tn,
pantry"
al dare say-there always is when
don't want it"
81 am very sorry, Nathan" said poo
little Mrs. Tripler despairingly.
Yes, she was sorry, this faithful
much-enduring wife nor did the FIRE
quent repetition of this domestic storm
at all abate her penitence and sense o
guilt. Some women would have got ac
customed to the daily disturbance an,
thrown it off as a robin casts the dew
drop from her wing. Not so with Dor
othy Tripler. She was too sensitive, to
conscientious, too delicately organized
laugh off her troubles as some surfac
deep characters would have done. Sc
when her husband departed, still grum
bling under his breath as he slamme
the door, she leaned her throbbing hea
7 upon one weary, little hand and mul
INJURED softly to herself:
''Oh, l wish Nathan was different -
Then, as if she had uttered high tres
f son, she started to her feet, checking th
v sensation of repining, and began indus
f triously to prepare three apple-cheekeC
O tow-headed little Triplers for school.
+. "It's Monday morning and Natha
q don't like them to be late" thought tt
: meek-spirited wife.
e Meanwhile Mr.. TIipler was slowl
d walking down the path through the vii
: and solitary glen that led to the rOa
Y where twice a day the Lendville stas
It rolled by, conveying passengers to Il
e train at Martins station. 1t was ehea
e er to live in the country, and so NJ
N Tripler lived there. although. as far
n actual tastes went he don't know a bu
a tercup from a burdock.
D. As Nathan trudged along, thinkiI
.v how best to get rid of some troubleson
le shares OF railway stocks that were SIN
,e ing uncomfortably on his hands. he su
or denly became conscious of the presen
n of man, stout and middle-aged, with
Of head as smooth and shining as billia
m ball, who was sitting on a boulder
moss-grown stone just where the pat
way merged into the Lendville road.
d. ..GoOd morning, sir" said the stra
Dy ger. "Have a seat p
of Mr.. Tripler had no very strong soc
i'll elements in his nature, as he stifiy
he clined his head and kept on his W;
90 But the first be knew two iron gras
he were on his shoulder. be felt hims