Mexico weekly ledger., 1878-08-22
THE PHONOGRAPH.

was going down to Keokuk in q few
days, and Mr.. Barstingiow was in
eonaolable. At one time he protested
that she should not go; he could not
endure the lonesome house during
her absence. And then again he de-
clared that IL she must go he would
neglect his Office and let his business
60 to the bow-wows; and he would
go with her. At length, however,
she persuaded him to be reasonable,
and on her repeated assurance that
she would not remain away longer
than three days, he consented to let
business 20 to the bow-wows, and he
would 90, with her. At length, how
ever, she persuaded him to be reason-
able, aud ON her repeated assurance
that she would not remain away
longer than three days, he consented
to let her. 90. He even bought her
tickets and ordered the carriage and
paid for it two days ahead, lest his
resolution should give away and he
should forbid her going from him.
And from, that time till the morning
Of her departure, Mr. Barstinglow
spoke in subdued tones, and moved
about with the air of a man whose
heart was buried under mountains of
grief
Before she left the house, Mrs.
! BarstiAgiow set the phonegraph in
the sitting room, behind the clock.
Then she kissed her disconsolate
husband, and begged him to preserve
his precious life for her sake while
she was away, and then she was
gone. saa ,a .F r
Every day, during her three days
visis Ia the Gate City, she received a
letter from her mourning husband,
tsgging her 10 come back and telling
her how lonesome he was without
her, and how like . grave the empty
house seem, and how the hours drag
ged over his aching heart with leaden
feet. And in three days she came
home, and filed the solemn house
with sunlight and lsughter again.
The evening after her return to
Burlington she took down the phono-
graph.
81 WONDER" she said, "what we
said last'in its hearing? 1t must have
been something while We were dis
GUESSING my visit. Or maybe it has
csaght some OF your poor, longing
moaniings, while 1 was away.
O And then she turned the crank.
"Lord, no." croaked the phono-
graph. in tones Of naughty assurance,
mo danger of that, she's safe in
Ke"kak for three days +; saw her safely
of, myself, this morning. Light
your cigar while i light another lamp
and make the room look cheerful"
"Why," exclaimed Mrs. Barsting-
low, in q c~ountenance full of amaze
ment, ''what ON earth is it saying?'
sob, some nonsense of your WISH
tors have talked into it some time or
other,'' replied her hand, nervously.
''people talk all kinds of stuff into a
phonograph. yon know. They say
anything for talk"
Mira Barstinglow, looking only
half convinced, gave the crank an
other turn.
''This is deyilish good whisAey,
Barsty," calculated the MACHINE very
earnestly. "You don't get it in
Burlington, do your"
''My DEAR" said her husband look
ing now quite ss worried as be had
looked when he was Begging her not
o go1to Keokuk, ''put it away ; some
body hss had it o, t in the stable and
it might say something perfectly
shocking, you know. Put it away,
But Mrs. Barstinglow, upon whom
the spirit of investigation had de-
scended With great power. ground
away, and the phonograph, in q voice
remarkably ike her bushsnd's, went
remorselessly ON.
mot much ; they don't make this
kind nov. It's some old ltononga-
hels. copper distilled, that Mrs. Bar
stingaOw's mother gave her for medic
inal purposes three yesrs ago. Fill
up, there's plenty OF 1t, end ] ian re-
place 10 with any kind of beverage
when it's gone. The old girl will
nsver know the difference"
Mrs. Barstinglow felt herself turn
ing into stone, but the next turn Il
the crank brought out M u~proariour.
"Ha! ba! ba! Here's to the o.
g."'
That famed her cheeks into q
aaps.
sKor mercy's sake, Malachi Bar
stinglox," she shrisked, ''what does
this psani''
Mr. Rsrstinglow now looked as
though hs really did wish she had
never gone to Keokuk.
RS Just as I tell yeu," he said,
with an effort TO look unconcerne,l
that was ike . humorous book, a CO.
lossal ssscess, SO Far rs its utter fail
ure vas concerned. Somebody
has been talking all sort of onsens
into 1t just for talks sake. How else
coaid 10 get bold of such dreadful
stuff in ioar dear little home. loyey?' y,