The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1876-12-08

DTdtA - ONcE-6OEhSus Sdiu tic fuHOCruL
creature with some anxiety, aud just
the least little bit of alarm.
very well, said John, in lofty to ne,
sthen you have no interest in nae get
ting strong and healthy and fat.
Don't 1, said Mrs. McDuffy; 'and
that reminds me that have something
to tell you.
'Ah, yOu have, have you?
Yes. Do you know, dear, that have
commenced the Bantam system? Yes
l shan't drink any more beer, and
shan't eat aay potatoes or cabbages,
nor drink milk, nor butter my bread,
nor take sugar in tea, and don't know
what all. But I'm going to stick to it.
I'm determined to grow thin.
All right, quoth John, 'and / am
determined to grow fat If can, So Eli
go in for kou (hicl kouuaiss, and you
can go in for Bantam. You save mon
ey on Bantam and I'll spend il on
kouniss.
Il have jast read the book Mrs.
Pease lent me, said Nrs. John, and
all have to do is to avoid eating any
SacrilegiOus substances. I will be so
glad ii am not fieshy.
This had been the nearest approach
to an unpleassntness between the
couple that had ever occurred
since the day they were married, and
ordinary wife-beater, it actually wOr-
ried the good soul next day to think
that she suspected John of having
drank little too much.
However, she proceeded systemat-
ically to make herself a practical illus
tratiOn of the Banting system, and
went on living on beef straight, as
John loosely called it, and BUTTERFLIES
bread and milkless team other words,
half-straving, and denying herself ev-
cry luxury-until the result began to
be quite perceptible to all her acqnain-
tances.
AS for McDuhry, he gave up his
downtown associates, came home at
regular hours, read books and drank
quart upon quart Of kouniss. You
would have thought their domestic
happiness was now increased tenfold.
1t was not.
Mr.. McDunfy was certainly growing
plump, and she was hs certainly grow
ing slender. But there came a change
somehow over the home. JOHN lest
much of his old sprigh illness and &C
tiyity, and ceased to have any DISPOSE
ton to entertain his wife. He fell into
after supper, and when friends called
to spend the evening he would quietly
steal away to his room and leave his
wife to entertain them. He never
lost his temper, he merely became pro-
sale, apathetic, and peky."
Mrs. AcDufy's native good
nature did not thrive on Banting.
In a month or SO she began to pine,
and, what was worse to whine. Thinss
went contrary" with her, and the
aosI good natured remark that John
could make was Immediately set down
as /" sarcasm. There was no more
going out in the evening together.
John would take his pipe after supper
and walk around the block aimlessly
until it was bedtime, and Mrs. McDuf-
fy would put on her thiRgs and whisk
off to q church sociable.
She had Joined q new church, being
melted thereto CHIEFLY by the reasoning
of the new tenant next door, who told
her that the new pastor was a perfect
gentleman, and was building up a
splendid society. The new pastor
made pastoral calls, and he and John
did not get along well at all. john
said he was a duffer, and he couldn't
be bothered with him. This drew
from Mrs. McDuffy occasional satirical
illusions to his lack of sympathy with
true refinement, and his natural aver
sion to society. "Ot course the peo-
pie he would meet ut the sociable
were not of the stamp he had been in
the habit of assOciaGing with down
town, and so on.
Spats were now of frequent oc-
currence in the family. No matter
what was the subIect-the planting of
q geranium in the back yard, the hang
ing of a picture in the parlor, the
shifting of a bureau from one corner
to another-it was sure to engender q
sharp disL ute and end in a mutual
huff.
Things were coming to sorry pass,
and poor John saw with a dull kind OF
pain that they were wandering away
from each other. The little rift with =
in the lutte was slowly widening. and
their lives were by iInpe:ceptible but
sure degrees becoming divided.
The other day Mr.. McDuffy, before
going home, encountered an old &C
quaintance down town, and by verv
little persuasion he was induced to
stop in and drink just one glass OF
beer. There was weighing machine
Ia the place, and John out of curiosity
went and weighed himself. He found
he had gained precisely fifteen pounds
since he commenced the new regime.
At supper he happened 60 mention
this important fact to his wife. She
put on cheerful smile, which made
her look more like her own self than
John had seen her look for months.
John, she said, 1 have something
to tell you. Do you know 1 was
down at the sewing machine place
this afternoon, and 1 got weighed.
What do you think I have lost since
l conmeced the Bantam system?'
'Lost your temper a good deal, nv
dear, said John thoughtfully.
You know what / mean,' she re-
torted REFRESHING a rising incliaation
to get up from the table; show much
do you think / weigh now? Now,
guess p
You weighed 172 pounds; let's see
perhaps 16S.''
Il just weigh 145, and no more.
Amt you glad? p
Why that's exactly my weight,
said MIR. McDuffy, setting down his
cup and walking round to the other
end of the table shake.'
Well, kiss me first, she said with
a leaning smile. You haven't
kissed me for q whole month and
more. Oh, John!'
'Ahl JennyI'
'Isn't it funny?' she said after wi
piBg her eyes, that we should have
met just here-at las. You have been
coming up and I have been coming
down, and here we are at 145 both to-
gerher.'
Jenny, said John, with emotion,
let US never part again.
Never, John, never. Well both
stay at las. and never get away from
it any more
They went and sat down together
on the front doorstep, and John lit 3
cigar. 1t was beautisul evening.
Have you taken your koumise,
to-day, dear?' she sail, looking rath-
ar tenderly up in his face,
'Confound koumiss, said he,
have had plenty OF it. DR.. Elah said
l was TO live on ir for three months,
and the times up. How's Baating?'
so dear, am 50 sick and tired OF
dry toast, and tea without milk, and
steak straight and bits of fish. You
won't be angry, dear, if I tell you
something that's on my mind? she
said, stroking johns hand in a concif-