Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1880-02-25
NV Wife'S New Shawl.

But why did you pay 50 much for
shawl. 1t was sheer nonsense, said my
old friend, Captain Morton, as he mixed his
third glass of grog, and stirred in a multi
plicity of spices before drinking it-afteI
the manner of sailors when they can get it
''Why on earth did you pay somuch money
for a shawl, when you could by one SC
much cheaper? Nine hundred dollars-by
the blood OF a shark it would buy house. :
That was his oath-''By the blood of d
shark he never swore any other: and the
most abusive epithet he could apply TO a
man-one that to him embodied the quin-
tessence of meanness-was 10 call him "a
shark -
I'll tell you, Captain, said |; ''but then
YOU must acknowledge that the shawl is a
beauty-if it did cost small fortune TO Il
poor man. Last year, when | came home
with a cargo of tea from China, left my
boat IN good hands and hurried 10 my home
in the little village of Twiceaweek 1--WE
called it that because our mail came twice
a week., where all my hopes and affections
were invested in wife and two children.
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 as when left him
many months before, and my gentle, six
year old Nellie lovelier than had dreamed
she could be- Ny welcome was all ] could
have wished: and oh, what bright days
those were that followed my immediate ar
rival,
THE third day my boxes were brought
ont. Now the opening of a sailors boxes
is always momentous affair TO his family,
and Lad brought mine all the presents
could possibly procure for them. Two
pieces OF rich silk for dresses for my wife.
beautiful Chinese table linen, carved chess
man. and so on. | saw a look of disap-
poirtment on my wife's face, but | said
nothing, and the matter passed of.
ssMy old friends came TO see me-my
wife gave me my favOrite dishes-and the
week so happily spent was gone before
knew it. Sunday morning came, bright
and beautiful To my surprise, my wife
came to breakfast with rumpled hair, and
locking decidedly cross. After while she
decided that she would not go to church
though she was as regular as the sexton,
for she had nothing fit TO wear. Thought
it very odd, but said nothing, having long
since found out that arguing with woman
abou. as efTectual as dipping the ocean
dry with a teaspoon.
"When Nellie and got back, there stood
nv 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. interfered with
a good deal of firmness, and we went into
dinner. Nothing on the table was cooked
decently. And so it was all the next week,
nv coffee was thick ana muddy, my meat
done to crust. and / well knew the demon
of mischief was about to he let Loose, but
why could not guess
s.In the meanwhile, my wife's sister,
who mad been kind of ships cousin, quar-
tered upon HE ever since my marriage.
looked ss demure as Connecticut deacon,
and gave me no hint what it was all about
On the next Sunday afternoon | was sitting
with mywife and children when there came a
knock at the door, and in came first mate
William Bendoin and his wife, she in all
the splendor of new rig. He had returned
the week before me from Calcutta, and we
were tine only seataring men of the place,
and our wives were neighbors and had al
ways been professedly great friends.
II was delighted to see them, andthought
at the time that my wife WAS very cool,
though so exceedingly polite. l soon for
got all about her manner, though, in the
Measure of talking over old times, and they
made a long and to me very pleasant call
s.As soon as they left, my wife went up
To her room, and | saw her no more that
evening. for when tea was ready she sent
down word she had a headache, and
wanted none. The next day things were
no brighter than before, and when the frst
church bell rang, my wife burst into flood
of tears and set off for her chamber. fol-
lowed her. and there she lay on the bed In
regular Mysteries. When she came to her
self little, asked:
"Why. what on earth is the matterf"
"She losked at me full in the face and
said: