The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1877-07-07

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abused her little children. Don't men
ton her again, especially before Mrs.
| Ravnor here, who laid the poor creature
out, and could not find among her wear
ing apparel enough articles in which to
dress the body decently. And as for in
dividuaI pocket books, much as you pro-
test against them they are an actual ne
cessity with you and me, and will have to
be endured by you, at least until you
have learned to behave like an honest
man.
Good" calculated Mrs. Jones. cts
pretty time Of day for him to bring up
his first wife. 1t was the talk of the
country how he misused her. She did
the milking as long as she could get to
the cow-yard, and when she got so bad
that she couldn't walk to the barn, Lut-
trell had the COWS driven to the door
yard gate, and she MIXED 'em then"
" People of his stamp usually get come
up with sooner or later, and | guess he'll
find that the second Mrs, Luttrell will
wipe out few of the evil deeds he COM
mitted against the first"
John Luttrell knew that he had what
in neighborhood districts is calleda I" bad
name"
He knew that people said openly that
he had abused his first wife, and that it
was the marvel of the town when he
married his second one. But he did not
care for that. He was too stingy and
mean to hire his household labor done,
if he could prevent it by marrying a
drudge, to whom no law compelled the
payment of wages for the service of her
hands and body.
But, with all his meanness, John Lut-
trell was wise enough to know that he
must look for his second wife in some
region remote from his own house.
He had a keen eye to business when
he selected Martha Hall, spinster, Of
uncertain age. She owned small farm
in neighboring State, near that of rel
alive of his own, and she was famous for
her Housekeeping qualities, as well as
for the possession of a tongue keen and
sharp as sword.
The courtship had been prosaic in the
extreme.
Luttrell had been recommended to
Miss Hall by his relative, as being 'well-
to-do," of "good business turn" and
mot overly old" and the said relative
had written Luttrell letter in answer
to one in which came the announcement
of his wife's death, telling the be-
reaved O. husband that the best thing to
be done was for him to come on and
marry Miss Hall,
Nothing 10th, Luttrell Immediately
obeyed the summons, and three days
after his first introduction to the spin
ster they were united and on their way
back to Ashcomb.
To be sure, Luttrell did not tell his
bride how long he had been a widOwer,
No need of that, he thought and she was
a good deal shocked the week after her
installment in her new domicile, to be in
formed by an otfiCious caller that the first
Mrs. L. had died less than two months
previously.
This was not all that she had discov-
cred. Luttrell began to clay down the
law" in the way of expenditures.
He ordered corn-bread three times a
day to be varied with an occasional ket-
tie of mush
There must be no pies, no cake, no
preserves. Eggs must be sent to mar
ket, and the earliest and best of all the
fruit went the same way. Hams were
smoked and sold. Honey disappeared
down the rapacious throat of the market
along with spring chickens and the but
ter that grew into plump golden rolls
under the skillful manipulation Of the
new wife.
Mrs Luttrell number two closed her
lips tightly as this phase gradually I'M
folded itself to her comprehension. But
she said nothing, while she found it
agreeable to prepare a separate end of
the table for her individual use.
The first time this plan was tried was
at breakfast. At one end of the table
she carefully placed the fried bacon
swimming in grease, the corn-bread
baked as he ordered it, without eggs or
milk, a plate Of pickles and glass of
water. Directly opposite this primitive
fare, and arranged around a solitary
plate, were viands that would tempt an
epicure.
Mrs Luttrell smiled to herself as she
called her husband to breakfast, but she
made no comments.
IlullICIl ulN HUI uOIlCC IhC dIllClCuCC III
the two ends of the table until he was
seated in his accustomed place. Mrs.
Luttrell poured herself cupful of coffee
and helped herself to fried egg.
In close proximity to his wife stood a
great glass dish heaped with strawber-
ries and cream, and a generous slice of
honey, snow-white and glittering in its
own richness, met his astonished eyes.
Luttrell's soul rose up in wrath.
Il thought told you, Martha, that
the fruit was reserved for the marketw
$50 you did," said she, Complacently
"What do you mean by wasting it in
this ridiculous manner?" he roared,
holding his knife and fork upright in his
rage.
g mean to have enough to eat first,
and if anything is left the market is well
come to it," said she, calmly, taking a
slice of ham.
You've actually cut into my best
honey-cap."
81 know it."
by George! madam, can't stand
this. Iwant you to understand that I'm
master here"
Yes, John master, but not mistress, u
was the placid reply, as a morsel of deli
ooto hon, yrant intn bar month