Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1881-08-13
DISCORD.


"Shucks! ye wouldn't wear that
thing, would We now, Delphy?n
- low to wear it fust chaince | git,
Ephraim Pickles" The little wisp of a
woman in shoyt tight dress and big
blue apron looke3 very determined as
she held by the collar polonaise of the
most flaming scarlet imaginable, and
. surveyed it through her spectacles. Her
tall, awkward husband, just in from the
field, surveyed it, too,with his head half
on one side and his eyes half shut. The
old Brahma rooster going by the door,
and evidently attracted by the vivid
spot of color within, stopped to inspect
it, too; jumping upon the step he put
his head inside the door, turning it from
side to side, then threw it back, opened
his mouth as wide as possible, as if in
dulging in spasm of laughter, and
sent forth loud, hoarse crow.
"The C-yapten's a-laughin' at ye,"
said Ephraim, as he picked up his pan of
pumpkin seed and started to the field.
Wise would it have been for the Cap
tain to follow, instead of standing stock
still, a mark for the arrows of Mrs.
Pickles's wrath. She seized the broom
and brandished it vigorously.
You jist tote yourself off, you
ole varmint," she cried, "standin' an
crowin' there like ole 'possum." The
Captain, still standing in innocent Won
der, exasperated her into hurting the
broom toward him, whereat he sprang
three feet straight up into the air with
an astonished ecu aw XXI" then
marched off around the corner.
The polonaise had been sent to Mrs
Pickles by sister in the city, whose
taste in dress ran to brilliance of color
ing, in part pay for the rolls of butter
supplied by Mrs. Pickles, who had sent
for the polonaise with vague order to
get something "kinder stylish an tax
mike" She shared her sisters taste
for bright colors in more moderate de-
gree, and, though she might not have
selected such a very striking article her.
self, now that she had it she was loath
to hide its gorgeousness from the light
of day and the admiration of Steep pie
vile eyes.
Probably the Captain had forgotten
all about the polonase, the broom and
his own misdeed as he reveled in his
noontide dust-bath under the hot May
sun. But Ephraim Pickles, leisurely
patting the tops of the pumpkin hills
smooth with the blade of the hoe, knew
by the shrill and vicious tone of the tin
dinner. horn that Delphy had not forgot
ten the Sights put that morning upon
her scarlet polOnaise.
But the bone of contention had not vet
reached the acme of its reputation.
The bells of the little village church
were ringing the next morning for Sab
bath-school when Ephraim put his head
in at the bedroom door where his wife
was struggling with mighty hair braid,
which perversely refused to be- arranged
in orderly fashion, but with an utter dis
regard for propriety bristled up in a
iauntily defiant manner, and kept slip
ping backward and forward and side.
ways with every motion of Delphy's i'm
patient head.
"Air We a-goin' to wear that red
thing, DelphyP' asked Ephraim.
"Yes, | air, answered his wife, pos
itively, gouging a big hairpin into the
refractory braid, and pinning it fast in
state of hilarious one-sidedness,
"Then l amt a-goin' with ye," said
Ephraim, with his usual deliberate slow
ness.
81 kin 90 alone, reckon" said Del
ply, her neck looking suddenly very
straight and her nose very stiff.
90 Hollis III tolyn for, hirr N,yo1 lii,
hollyhock, " said Ephraim, as he shut the
door. Never an idea of flinching from
her purpose had Mrs. Pickles, as shC
buttoned on the red polOnaise with
steady fingers. But as she stepped on
on the little buff portico as the bell!
were beginning to ring for church, anC
no Ephraim was to be seen, the though
that he really meant to let her 60 alOn,
was Il thorn that ranked sorely in he
heart. "An' we amt he'd nary furs
fer so long not since the time his steers
tramped up my piney-bed," she muir
INJURED, rs she carefully concealed tn,
door-key in its small hiding-place,
clump of grass pinks in the border
Perhaps the polonaise was much ad
mired by the church members, bu
Ephraim spoiled Delphy's satisfaction
effectually by casting haf-amused, hall
sheepish chances at it from across tn
aisle during the whole service, and fur
Their, by lingering after meeting to tall
to the deacons until his wife was safel
out of sight.
Dinner was attended that day with
Crispness and shortness that belonge
not to the pie-crust, and an acidity riva
ing that ofthe picked cucumbers. TIL
Rev. Mr.. Goodman's excellent sermo
was not pondered over with usual il
terest; and in the May dusk Ephrail
smoked his pipe on the long back porcl
while Delphy rocked in her split-bo
toned chair in the front portico.
And still the apple of discord tr
.umphed. The ladies of Steepl
vile were getting up fancy fair for tt
benefit of the church, and as the tim
drew near for the grand display I'll
scarlet polonaise, that had lain in ii
bureau drawer like a smoldering fir
ready to flame up and kindle anew Il
fire of contention, was again discussed
"Ye won't wear it this time, now wi
We, honey?n asked Ephraim, as !
watched the completion of an apple p
under Delphyis nimble fingers.
w.. I ,,.;sI - coil 1l,l,hv ara l.,