Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1875-12-13
soPER,s Fatal ERROR.

for some weeks, but. although extremely
reduced in body and mind. there is still
enough Of the true woman remaining in
her, which led her last Monday, in a
faint whisper, to ask her husband. who
had entered the sick room with u funeral
cast Of features what was the news.
WELL" answered Mr.. Soper, sitting
unesily down on the extreme edge of
chair, and balancing his hat on his fin
gers by the brim, there amt nothing
to speak Of n pitcher. S'pose you heard
of Miss Coles death; she was taken the
same time you was"
IL should think, James" said Mrs.
Soper. with a feeble emphasis. "that if
you couldu' find somethn' more cheerful
to say to your poor sick wife, you'd hold
your tongue"
Certainly" said Mr.. SOper, meekly,
"only news is so sca'ce. Lemme see,
he continued. looking thoughtfully into
the crown Of his hat, as if he had a
reserved fund of gossip therein, "you
heard bout Mathy Carriers breakin' her
Lego"
A snappish nod of the head from the
invalid signified to Mr. Soper that he
was on dangerous ground, but after a
moments reflection he frightened visibly
as he said:
You orter ben to town meetin' a
Mond'y. The towns voted to have a
new hearse and never was SO glad of
anything in all my life"
james Edward sOper - whispered
his wife, with painful intensity, "be you
a natural born fool, or be you lookin'
forrad to gettin' rid of me ?"
"0h, you en- go. If you can't spare
a few moments to sit with me, an jes'
give me some little interestin' news
don't want you to stay ag'in your incli-
nation" she continued with the sigh of
martyr.
Mr.. Soper hastily expressed his will
lingness to remain aud desire to please,
50 after a brief interval of thought he
continued reaectively:
well. femme think. | was over to
the Widder Stacy's last night to see f |
couldn't make trade for Jersey heffcr,
au' tell you. Myria," said Mr. Soper,
enthusiastically, ''if she amt a harnsum
critter never see one"
An Ominous light appeared in Mrs.
Sopers sunken eyes, and if her husband
had been observing closely. he would
have seen q restless motion Of the hands.
Indicative Of an apparent desire to make
a personal attack upon some one or
something. but he saw nothing and con-
tinued:
"She's jest about the right size, an
her skin is white as snow. She's got
the pootiest legs" continued the unre-
fecting Mr.. Soper, with descriptive
motion Of the hand "an' when you
come to talk about shape-why Mira, !"
said Mr.. Soper. rising from his chair in
his warmth, shell measure two feet
across her breast"
The scream which came from the af-
ficted invalid at this juncture was of
such piercing shrillness that Mr.. Soper
placed his fingers in his ears, and Mrs.
Soper's mamma, who was in the next
room, appeared on the scene in the
twinkling Of an eye. -
"0h, you awful brute % she exclaim-
ed as she bathed her daughters brow
with hair oil and camphor, while the
wretched man feebly endeavored to ex.
plain that he was only telling Mrs. So.
per about Jersey heifer that he was 9
going 10 buy.
There, ma" said Mrs Soper with ;
gasp, I'm better now" rr
You'd better leave the room" sale
the matron, with world Of signifcan
wrath in her eye. and the unfoItunat,
Soper departed, muttering as she slam
med the outside door behind him, tina
he'd be master in his own honse som
day; but he hasn't been yet. for Mrs
Soper has recovered, and her mother ha
taken up a permanent residence wit
them.
To this day they don't speak to tn
Widow Stacy, and MIR. Soper's reiterate
explanation has always been received i
digni6ed and incredulous silence
Detroit Free Press.