Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1876-03-29

| power OF man, but Charlotte Is afraid OF
her mother and cannot be induced to
eject or forsske her.
"If she expressed a wish to leave us
of her own accord, then should gladly
reconcile myself to do without her."
the wife declares.
Simson takes the hint and immedi-
ately sets about the delightful task of
making his house as agreeable for the
lady as possible, but she has her wits
about her, and enjoys her revenge.
She likes the room warm. AS soon
as he enters every door and window is
thrown open. He is ready to freeze to
death rather than endure his mother
| in-law. The old hen trots out, but re-
turns wrapped in furs. She orders in
turn the very dishes he dislikes above
all others, and is compensated for her
troubles thus:
She is taken sick. The first day she
is forced to keep her bed. He believes
himself in heaven, to have the table
alone with Charlotte. He is SO happy
he stays home the whole day. The next
morning the doctor is called aside and
anxiously asked how his patient is.
'DO not be alarmed, my dear sir.
/ Il
in day or two"
"You are mistaken, DOCTOR" the poor
fellow exclaimed, "you treat her case
too lightly. She is i'll, very ill; i'm fact,
she is out of her head. Oh, for heavens
sake impress her situation upon her do
not let her leave her room for at least a
week or two, or a month. She is sick,
the woman is indeed. Tell her so."
Some evil spirit must have whispered
his Joy to the old lady, for Charlotte
was in such constant demand at her
bedside after this, that Simson got so
tired of taking his meals alone and hav-
ing no one to talk to evenings that he
longed for her convalescence. He knows
his mother-in-law detests the sound of
music, or practicing on any musical
instrument, and he begins to take les
sons on the cornet. Morning. noon and
night this abused instrument gives ut
terance to such terrific groans and ear
splitting shrieks that the neighbOrs
threaten to have him arrested for dis
turbing the peace.
The old lady is furiOus-but she stuffs
cotton in her ears, covers them with
ear-muffs, and scents herself so fear
fully with musk that the house is intol-
cradle, because she knows the least bit
of this perfume makes him sick. The
conflict becomes warmer on both sides.
If he ventures to bring a friend home to
supper, he can be sure there will be
nothing fit to eat, or that it will not be
served until bedtime. He cannot drive
the woman away. His house becomes a
hell to him, and he begins to pass his
! .i,,sr ~ ha l..h Tho aananh
ing he finds his door key missing, has
another made, and it likewise vanishes.
He bribes the night watchman to sound
the hours directly under her windows,
and she revenges herself by noisy
quarrel with the servant before his door
as he takes his nOon-day nap. He is
frequently tempted to strangle the
dragon, pitch her out of the window,
or poison her, but the angelic patience
and sweet disposition of his wife hold
him in check. He wonders how this
angel can be the offspring of such a
devil. He observed her spectacles fall
one day and he placed his foot upon
them until they were ground almost
into dust. The following day he found
all his cigars had been thoroughly oiled.
Accidentally ne discovered that his
mother-in-law had a perfect horror of
mice. He jumped for joy. In the even
ing he brings home box literally
swarming with white mice. He con-
quered his own disgust for the creatures
for the pleasure of tOrmenting his
mother-in-law. He takes one of them
out of the box for the purpose of show
ing the cunning pet to Charlotte. By
chance it escapes his hold and rushes
for the sofa where the old lady is sit
ting. With a wild cry she rushes out
of the room. He catches the little mousy
and kisses it in his extravaganza delight.
He would have Rugged rat that had
driven this woman away. He resolves
to follow up his success and become a
regular mouse hunter.
The following noon the august dame
sails into the room with cat on her
arm. However, SimsOn is not discour-
aged. He thinks a cat can dispose OF
J ten mice a day. l will fetch home
twenty; if she devours twenty L can
get forty. He is resolved to sacrifice
, his fortune, if need be, on mice, and al
last succeeds in clearing his room of the
old lady, and SimsOn permits the de-
tested little beasts to Overrun his whole
house. The mother-in-law rTOodre'
! anots.s- CT, a.d scatters poison about
; but he daily brings home new case o.
mice. and after awhile fetches two rats
Ii was war to the death with him, if h,
+ was forced to scour the sewers of Pari.
and London to obtain the wherewith Il
| conduct it.
The old lady does not venture out o
, her room any more, but issues her or
r | fn Charlnffn and fhs
4. servant.
His wife complains that the noxiou
animals are destroying kitchen and lar
der, even penetrating the clothes-pr
, to build their nests.
: ssNeyer mind, let them devour ant
, destroy everything, will buy more y
! He thought it was time enough to begir
to cxterminate rats and mice when th'
/, larger annoyance was extirpated. :"
shall not give up until they have de
youred us all! Your mamma has de
, stroyed weeks and months of my hap
piness, and that cannot be replaced.
: One day Charlotte informed him tina
; mamma had found another residenc'
. and resolved to leave them. He claspet
her i'm his arms and danced around tn
, room like one mad at this information
q Sure enough, the very next day tn
, dame departed bag and baggage. Sim
r son straightway buys his wife the fines
> outfit i'm town, donates fifteen dollars Il
the poor, and absolutely goes to churcl
\ the following Sunday to pour out hi
q gratitude for this deliverance.
Months passed before his mother-in
law honored his house with visit, ant
= then only because Charlotte was Oblige'
q to keep close and guard little son o
; tender age. Simson received her witt
4 ceremonious pomp. Since then matter
: seem quite tolerable between them. Tn
q captains widow never remains afte
eight o'clock i'm the evening and rarel
sits at the table with him. And Simsol
r is happy.
r. .f,yPet Birds.
f "No one, 'i.says writer on bird. keep
J. ing. "whO has not kind heart
th0uohtful head. observant ewes, an