Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1878-11-08
THE FRErrING WIFE.

"Why don't you ever clean your boot!
on the scraper, William ?" said Jane Low
EFT to her husband. 81 had just made
everything nice and comfortable when you
! came in; and now see the dirt wherever
you've been from one side Of the room tC
the other: and it must just be the same in
the entries and on every stair. Pm com
pletely tired out with brushing and dust
ing"
Fret fret just so every time I come
! into the house - was Williams soothing
response. II should think your tongue
would get tired"
81 do get tired of speaking to you about
things which make me so much trouble:
and yet you do not seem to mind them at
all'
"No; and so much speaking only makes
me mind the less.''
''That' just as amiable as you are. You
never care how much have to go through
nor how much I suffer. Such a continual
effort for me to get along! My. life seems
continual struggle, just for the sake of
life," and here Jane began to cry.
What fuss about little dust Oh the
carpet" snapped the husband.
mo, it's not merely that" retorted the
wife, in crying tone, "but you never
seem to care how hard and trying things
may be for me. You care nothing for my
pleasure or ease. You know very well I
wouldn't mind the carpet once, but it's
just so all the time and about everything.
The man who shook the carpets last
week said he never should have thought
that they had been taken up every year if
he hadn't been told SO, for he hadn't
shaken such dirty ones for four years.
Now, why should our house be SO much
dirtier than other peoples? You know
it's not my fault, for Pm as particular as
anybody"
s'You've got new saddle for your hob
by, and there'll be no end to your riding
it, just beca use that old fellow wanted to
make a fool Of you, and get the job OF
shaking your carpets twice year."
"But, William" said Jane, putting
down the handkerchief from her eyes,
'swhy don't you be more careful? When
try so hard to get along and keep things
nice you needn't make so much work
Dear me, to have to live with such. per-
son! 1t would have been better for us
both if we never had metz
Hereupon the husband, William, depar-
ted, leaving Jane to cry it out alone. She
sobbed awhile quite heartily, and made
herself believe she was the most unappre-
ciated, unfortunate and miserable of be-
ings; then, like good housewife, she be-
gan to think.
"What good does all this do? I am
making myself sick for nothing-my eyes
will feel so badly that [ can't sew" So
she wisely rose up and bathed them,
brushed up her carpet, and sat down to her
needlework. But she was not in a good
mood, nor even pacific.
She was in little better feeling when she
met her husband at dinner, but was quite
in t., e humor to make demands and let her
grievance be manifest. The carving was
hardly over when size began
"William. did you see about having the
stove cleaned and lined this morning
Bridget says she cannot cook with it any
longer as it is, and IL makes her so cross /
cab hardly manage herr
"No; I hadn't time,'' was the laconic
answer.
Hadn't time! guess you could have
found time if you'd tried-I've no idea
you ever thought of it. If you cared any
thing fol- other people you'd think of them
and find time to see to things. You find
time for your own matters"
''Y GU seem to know so much. why do
you ask me? Perhaps you'd better see to
your affairs yourself"
''What hadn't I better do ? do almost
everything now. yet you never seem salts
fed. suppose can 60 to the stove store
since you don't seem to be able to do any
thiAg-I don know but shall have to go
to the tailor's yet to order your clothes for
you. Well, I want to know if you saw
Walker about those drawers, as have Of
ten asked you to do. Everything is in
confusion in the closets"
''No; didn t see Walker"
swell, when will your"
81 don't know
evil you ever?'
ssThat don't know. Is there anything
further? p
Eyes. Did you get latch for Bridget's
door p
"No."
81 asked you to be sure to remember 1t
when you went out from breakfast. That
door is slam, slam, the whole 1lme' l
never saw anybody like you. cannon get
anything done. and it's just SO always"
Mr.. Lovett ate away nnmoVed' and MS
wife, not thinking Of any other suo]ect OF
complaint at that moment, hnlsneo mel
dinner in silence.
Just as Mr.. Lovett was leaving the aln'
ing room she called out, "Willlam, Aioon'
sings tonight; can't you take me W neal
her 2"
II have an engagement this evening,
he answered, with his hand upon tne door
cts the last night she SINGS ana
haven't heard her, said Jane."