The Morning herald., 1878-06-08

Il
clemency was used toward him Providence,
as a just retaliation Of his conduct, would
smite bis innocent progeny, and sweep
them off the face of the earth!
ALI this, however, did not ''melt' the
obstinate Peter, and, for the first time
since they had been united, the wife found
that her tears proved unavailing with her
husband. He was not to- be moved, but
continued incessantly to mourn over what
he soon came. to look upon as 10 great mis-
fortune. 1ss -- -
One day when the infants were about two.
months old, Mrs. skewerby met her hus-..
band, as heentered at teaztime, with a look.
Of the widest alarm upon her features,
which raised uneasy feelings In his
BOSOM z ~ ~ ~ .g 4 81 s'ggSy
What is the matter ar inquired he,s
anxiously; you look frightened.'
IT am frightenedl" said she terribly
frightened, can Assure you. And / have
good cause TO be frightened. .si
"What on earth is it n
"It Is, Peter Skewerby, that the sins Of
the father are about to be visited upon the
heads of the children"
This vague piece of intelligence, so.
scripturally worded, nearly knocked Peter
down. His fears began really to be ex-
cited, and he found that he actually har-
bored an affection in his heart for the twins
which he was not aware of till he thought
them in danger. ,.&.IH @n...a
"Are they sick ?" he tremulously asked.
"They are not SICK" she replied with
emotion, "but who knows how soon
their bodies will be laid in the cold, cold
gravel" ....
Don't talk in parallels to. me at such
a time as this, don't; tell me all at once"
"Well, then, the measles is in town, Mr..
skewerby; and I hear of two children in
the next street who are down with the
mumps"
Peter breathed freer.
"And you consider that a sufficient
cause" said he, feeling his old preju-
dice again returning, ''to alarm me as
you have? I think you are trife incon-
siderate." n"
"Well, now," replied Mrs. Skewerby,
with touch of reproach in her tone, ''if
there is not the very strongest ground for
alarm in the fact that the measles and
mumps are around us, am no judge.
I know" she continued, forcing couple
of diminutive tears to the surface of her
eyes, II know that the lives of those two
cherubs are of little account to you; every
blessed day you remind me of it. But I
wasn't quite prepared for such an exhibi-
ton of inhumanity as you have now shown.
You want 'em to die, I know you do, or
you wouldn't act as you do towards the
darling things" !"
'Now; my dear, you know I am inca
pable of any such thoughts" Peter hastened
to remark, soothingly; II only meant"
Don't tell mep interrupted This wife,
in rather shrill key, seemingly determined
to work herself into something of pas
sion-'T know very well what you
mean--you mean to break my heart, SO
you do !"'"| - ~. - >" - ~
She went hastily out Of the room, as she
finished speaking, while the tears came
forth as copiously as she could have de-
sired, leaving Peter dumb with amazement,
to reflect upon the unparalleled heinous-
ness of his general conduct.
Peter was wholly unused to such scenes,
and freely confessed to himself that he did
not like them. And during the time that
supper was going on, he did everything he
could to appease the Indignation Of his
companion, but the clouds upon her brow
did not wholly disappear, though she was
certainly modified to some extent. Mrs.
skewerby, however, did not, as usual, seat
herself with her husband after the meal
was over, and enter into pleasant chat,
but gave him to understand that domestic
duties required her presence in other
quarters of the house; and, accord
ingly, to other quarters of the house she
repaired; whereupon the forlorn Peter, in
order to pass away the time and calm bis
perturbed spirits, produced from an ad-
joining closet bottle of ancient port
and proceeded t.. enjoy himself as best he
might. .sst1g .G ,.r " @n a--'-
The port was good. AT the first glass
Peter smacked his lips approvingly; at the
second he rubbed his corpulent nose with
e foot;on. and at the third he