, 1880-12-26

In pleasant little village In Connecticut
there lived fifty years since lawyer who
was familiarly known among his fellow
townsmen us Wornwood Munson, 4 sobri-
Quet which sufficiently epitomizes his char
acter. He lived in large, old-fashloncd
house, before which dismal Lombardy pop
lars stood like wo-beRone sentinels, while
behind, beyond the garden, lay private
burying ground, III which were deposited the
mortal remains of the three wives whom the
lawyer had worried from this world to the
next by abuse and ll1-temper.
When Munson brought to his domicile q
fourth bride, the tongues Of the village
gossip wagged right merrlly, rehearsng the
scandals, the tittle-tattle, and the veracous
history Of the lawyers relations to his de-
parted spouses. Nor did they neglect their
duty In the matter of pouring into the
ears Of the bride all this choice as
sortment Of scandal. Mrs. Munson, the
fourth, was brisk, determined little body,
for whom the lawyer had been Obliged to 60
all the way to Boston, his name and fame be-
ing somewhat too unsayory to allow his Sc
curing Wife nearer home. She received
all the communications Of her .ofticlous
neighbors with little remark, but witt: a GER
tain firm closing of the lips, and a determined
snap of the eyes, which boded little good to
the man who should attempt to impose upon
her.
She had not long to wait. One morning,
not three weeks after marriage, Wormwood,
who believed i'll taking time by the torclock,
attempted to correct his spouse with pretty
little willow switch. To his great astonisll-
ment-for lie had been i'll the habit OF marry
ing. meek women-AIrs. Munson refused to
be logged. She objected that nothing in the
marriage articles gave her husband tile right
to use force, and, after wOrdy quarrel, the
newlS-wedded neHd pair agreed to separate off
The belongings of Mrs. Munson had come
from Boston in one Of those enormous trunks
In use at that time, and in this she began to
replace them.
.Wormwood stood by regarding with sus-
ful lest some tribe Of lis own might lie car
ried away by his departing bride, from time
to time examining the trunk to assure him-
self that everything was right,
His wife was plucky, brisk, and strong;
over the great chest she tripped his heels,
and i'll lie went, head first, the lid being
closed over him before he knew what was
the matter. In vain he sWore and raved;
in vain he implored and threatened; his wife
on y begged him not to over-excite himself,
and merrily tripped away to the kitchen and
the pantry.
Never had the house of the miser known
such brewing and baking: The wizeued
oPAACAo A1 t4o CU114ClS ACluAlIy SWGlltu flol-
bly,, fattened by the toothsome odors peryad-
Ing the air. Flaky pastry, puffy cakes, spicy
dlshes,-the eyes Of the half-staryed kitchen
maid started from her head until sha seemed
to be III danger Of losing them altogether;
aud when she was sent to invite the village
Eossips to tea she ran from house to house
delivering lncollerent messages in which her
errand and rapturous descriptions Of the
yiands preparing were about equally mixed.
Much might be told OF the feast that fol-
lowed, but what concerns us mainly is the
fact that instead of being served upon the
table it was laid upon the great chest, within
which still lay the wretched lawyer. And,
oh the scandals, the gossip, the censures the
unhappy listener heard concerning himself.
Truths more bitter than his nickname we're
unstintedly poured upon him, and all his
cruelty to his former wives rehenrsed with
such junction as only village gossips can be-
stow.
Without the trunk was gayety, and things
unspeakably good to eat, Within, the lawyer
gnaShed his teeth in imp0tent rage until he
could endure it no longer, but knocked on
the lid and demanded to be let out Conster-
nation upon the part Of the guests, but calm
ness in tile hostess, who proceeded in the
coolest manner to dictate terms OF the most
absolute submission as the price of liberty,
and upon accepting these Munson, crestfallen
and meek, was ut last released.
Ut course the story was everywhere told.
laughed over. and enjoyed. and never could
more submissive spouse be found there
after than was Wormwood Munsou.