The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1880-03-16
My Wife'S New Shawl.

"l'ut why did you pay 80 much for a
shawl? 1t was sheer nonsense, said my
old friend,t Captain Norton as lie mixed his
third glass of grog and stirred in multi
plicity of spices before drinking it-after
the manner of sailors when they can get it
"Why OH earth did you pay SO much money
FOR a shawl, when you could buy one so
much chcaper2 Nine hundred dollars--by
the blood of a shark it would buy house.. .
That was his oath--"By the blood of a
shark" he never swore any other; and the
most abusive epithet he could apply to a
man-onc that to him embodied the uuin-
tesscncc of meanness-was to call him ga
shark =. i ~ fEE = 4
''1'll tell you, Captain, said I; 'sbut then
you must acknowledge that the shawl is II
beauty-if it did cost small fortune to a
poor man. Last year, when / came home
with cargo of tea from, China, l left, my
boat in good hands and hurried to my home
in. the little village of Twiceawcck (wc
called it that because our mai, camogtwice
weck), where all mythopes and affections
were investedih wife and3 two :ohildreh.
l was in joyous spirits, and as happy a
man as ever stepped on terra firma. My
handsome wife was well and young as ever,
my boy as much like me us when left him
many months before, and my gchtle, six
year old Nellie lovelier than had dreamed
she could be. My welcome was all could
have wished; and oh! what bright days
those were that followed my Immediate ar
rival! "..0il& gt'. T 5hH5g >l9& @
''rhe third day my boxes were, brought,
out. Now tile opening of asailor's boxes
Is always a momehtous affair to his family,
and had brought mine all the presents I
could possibly procure for them. Two
pieces Of rich silk for dresses for my wife.
beautiful Chinese table linen, carved chess
man, and 80 on. I saw look, of ,disap.
pointment on my wife's face, but / said
nothing, and the matter passed off.
"My old; friends came to see me-my
wife gave me my favorite dishes and tho
week SO happily spent was gone before
knew IT, Sunday morning came, bright
and beautiful. TO my surprise, my wife
came to breakfast with rumplcd hair, and
looking decidedly cross. gAftera whilessh
decided tliat she would Shot 30 toSchpiclll
though showass asa regttlars ass tile gsexton, G
for she had nothing fit to wear thought
livery odd, but said nothing, having long
since found out that arguing with a woman
about as effectual as dipping the ocean
dry with a teaspoon. - .S''T2 .,Si"" ~ ,t,""i@
"When Nellie and got back, there stood
my wife, her hair still .uncombed and ready
to scold the child for muddying her shoes;
her blue Chinese boots with the little bronze
bird on the side of them.. I interfcrcd with
good deal Of tirmness, and we went into
dinner. Nothing on the table was cooked
dcccntly. And so it was all the next week,
MY coffee was thick and muddy, my meat
done to crust, and we'll knew the demon
OF mischief was about to be let loose, but
why could not guess. .fftSaS 's&c &{G@J
'In the meanwhile, my wifc's sister,
who had been kind Of snip cousin, quar-.
tered upon me ever since my marriage.
looked as demure as Connecticut deacon,
andgave inc no hint what It Wasail about.
On the next Sunday afternoon r was sitting
with lnywife and children When, there came 4
knock at the door, and Id damo frat mate
William Bcndoin and his Wife, sfis III all
the splepdor Of q new rig. He had returned
the week before me from Calcutta, and Ne
were the only seafaring men 'of tie place,
and our wives were neighbors and had al
ways been profegscdly greet friends. f2tffl !
t ttT uau dolt fod IL, az. ~ az