The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1877-03-08

oh the cushion, fell asleep, thereby evinc-
ing that ability to make the most of the
situation, which is main element of sue
cess.
From that time he became thoroughly
domesticated in the family, and wasted no
vain regrets on his old home or his de.
ceased mistress, while to the credit of
Mrs. Dolittle be it said, she performed her
part of the contract to the letter.
Sixty dollars year is pretty well for
taking care of a cat" observed Mrs. Do.
little, one evening, when she had given
Spotted Tail his supper and put him to
bed.
"That's So" said her husband. "And
now think I'll have the barn clapboard-
ed"
"What, with my money!" cried she.
II guess It's as much for your inter.
est to have the barn tight as it's mine,"
said he.
"Do you mean to say the barn is as
much mine as 1t is yours!"
"Of course DON'T" began he.
"Well, the moneys mine, aud don't
mean to waste it clapboarding barns"
said she.
Whatever you do, don't let sixty dol
lars year run away with what little sense
J
Things have come to q pretty pass
when my own husband call me q fool to
my face" said she.
~ didn't call you fool"
You said the same as that
No such thing"
Pm sure you did. What is fool If it
amt person without any sense"
"Oh. well. if the cap its, put it on,
FOOLS can or ANY other -
THANK you, Idon't choose to put it on !;
fancy it would fit you better"
If this money is going to whet your
tongue like that, shall wish twas all in
the Red Sea-
"Oh, very we'll! So I'm a scold, am
1? A scold and fool! Can't you think
of something else to call me?'
my patience! You used to he a
peaceable kind of woman to get along
with. l don't know you tonight; but
there, the old sayings true: Put beg.
gar on horseback, and he'll ride to the
DEVIL"
Now you've capped the climax.
could have borne anything else, but as to
sitting here and hearing you swear like q
trooper, l won't. I'll-I'll-go some
| where"
Where ." asked he. aggravatingly.
ITO bed," snapped she, and flounced
out of the room, leaving her husband to
smoke his pipe in peace.
This was the nearest to a quarrel that
ever the pair had come in all their mar
ried life, and if it had ended here all
would have been we'll.
But when did quarrel ever end with
the words which fomented ity That this
did not was soon exemplified, for, a fort
| night later, Mrs. Dolittle paid visit to
her neighbor, Mrs. Wyatt, and found her
| arrayed in all the glories of new alpaca
Why should not she have new alpaca
as we'll as Mrs. Wy att? was the question
which arose in her mind.
She thought of it all the way home, and
the more she thought of it, the more de.
termined was she to bring it about. That
| night, after supper, she preached the sub
iect to her husband.
II tell you it's q real beauty; anil
wear like iron not a thread of cotton in
| it. l could wear it to meetin' and circles
all winter; yes, and summers, too, for
alpacas are suitable to wear all the year
round. She says l can buy one for eight
dollars, and eight dollars amt highfor a
body's best dress. There amt any reason
| why your wife shouldn't look as smart as
Sam Wyatt's wife, is there, now? So, if
you can spare me eight dollars, I'll ride
to Gotham the next time you carry your
apples to market, and buy me one."
What, with my money! was her hus-
bands reply.
Thomas Dolittle, wonder at you,"
said she, Indignantly.
well, it's poor rule that won't work
both ways" returned he. IF you keep
your money to yourself. why shouldn't :"
As to that, haven't earnt all you ever
gave me, over and over? Haven't
worked twice as hard since was married
as ever did before, when was getting
good wages, toos"
Its most a pity you married me,
then. amt it!''
"No doubt you think SO; and perhaps
you might have found somebody that
would have been more prudent and saving
than I've been; perhaps you might, but
you do repent Of your bargain, you'll
have to abide by it,"
II didn't say repented of it, but good.
ness knows, shall if you keep on like
this"
Mr.. Dolittlc rose and pushed back his
chair so violently that it fell over.
"Well, wOuldn't break the furniture
to pieces If was you," remarked his
wife. Kicking chairs over don't prove
that you're in the right"
With an exclamation which it would be
inexpedient to transcribe, Mr.. Dolittle LETT
The house, and, after wandering aimlessly
for half an hour, fell in with an acquaint-
ance, who coaxed him to that refuge of
hen-pecked husbands, the village bar
room.
| The division which this little entering
wedge of discord had made, grew wider
and wider, until it threatened to sunder
this once united couple entirely. Scarce.
ly a day passed, scarcely an article was
purchased, without strife of words in
which "yeur money" and Tiny money -
| figured largely.
Unfortunately. Mr.. Dolittle had given
his wife the advantage of real grievance
by repeating his visits to the bar.room;
and coming home, if not drunk. not pre-.
cisely sober. So when he again proposed
using Hrs. sBuhsby's bequest for clap.
boarding the barn, which he did one
day at dinner-tablc, his better-half re.
tOrted--
why don't you take your oson money
instead Of throwing it away ut the tav.
ern?"
NOW, the fact that Mr.. DOlittle had al
ways been a steady, industrious man, and
was secretly very much ashamed of his re-
cent shortcomings, did not tend to make
his wife's taunt any less cutting; so he
answered her angrily, and a strife more
bittertlAn usual ensued.
7 Heleft the table. still in state of ex.
element, and went to the shed. where he
had been splitting wool, with the inten
ton of resuming his labor. Just as he
had taken his az in his hand, he saw,
summing himself in the doorway, Spotted
Tail, the cause of all his trouble.
Moved by sudden impulse, he raised
the Ak and struck poor puss q blow on the
head. The beautiful creature fell with.
out q struggle, stretched his fine limbs
and, with one reproachful i look, ct his
murderer, died. Z kaks -
Mr.. Dolittle dropped his Ak, and stood
horror-struck at what he had done. He
thought Of the little income which might
have been Of 50 much nse to himself and
wife, and which had now slipped away
with the parting breath of poor Spotted