News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1883-02-15
Farmer Thicker Courts Els Wife

Although Farmer Tucker had long
dreamed of visit to Chautauqua, when
he actually found himself at that Mecca
of devout excursiOnists, early last Au-
gust, the brawny man was tempted TO
doubt his own identity. The holiday
surroundings were wholly unlike any
thing to which he was accustomed in his
prosy New England home; the rich,
crowded programme offered was in strik-
ing contrast to the monotony of farm
life When this son of toll first entered
the auditorium, and saw that rustic am
phitheatre crowded with thousands of
people listening breathlessly to the full,
sweet tones of the grand organ, his
cramped, selfish heart was strangely
touched and expanded For an instant
the wish crept in that he had asked Jane
if she would like to come, too. But
there was not much time for his own
thoughts, for as the music ceased, a
white haired speaker arose, and was in
troduced to the audience as Mr.. John
B. Cough.
At this announcements Samuel fuckers
satisfaction was too great to be kept to
himself, and he said, half aloud to his
next neighbor:
'Well, now, I am beat, to think Tn
going to hear the man I've wanted to
see for more'n twenty years"
The young lady gave an amused little
laugh, but it fell unheeded upon the IN
sophisticated speaker whose attention
was already caught by the orator.
Mr.. Cough commenced his brief lee
ture with one of his inimitable descrip-
tiOns. The story was of man who ap-
piled for divorce, and was advised by
his eminent lawyer to try the effect of
making love to his wife as he had done
before marrying her, instead of resorting
to the measure he had proposed. 1t in
cluded also an account of later visit
when the happy husband withdrew his
application, and, fairly dancing with
glee, assured the lawyer that his expert
ment had worked like a charm, that
"SaIly had become as amiable and afec-
tionate a wife as a man could wish to
have"
Mr. Coughs representation of the
scene drew forth prolonged applause :;
but Samuel fuckers interest was of too
serious a nature to permit of his joining
in the laughter. As if unconscious for
the moment of the multitude about him
he said in an undertone "Td be will
ing to take my oath that wouldn't work
with Jane. All have TO say is that
mans wife was different from mine. I'd
as soon think of feeding serTup to Il
mummy as to begin sparkling again with
her"
It would seem that this course of
reasoning did not wholly dismiss from
the farmers mind train of thoughts
and possibilities suggested by the
lecturers story. In every treat of the
following days-at sacred service o1
popular lecture in the museum or by the
model of the Holy Land when listening
to a concert or gazing with throngs
upon the illuminated feet-the far away
husband was relentlessly followed by q
vision of hard-worked Jane, looking
upon him with reproachful eyes.
At length he quieted his conscience
with the determination toprove that his es
innate of his wife was correct. when &C
back, " he said to himself, 'I'Il Just SHOW
the woman some little attentions, and II
see they won't have no more effect on he
than they would on the old bay mare
James bound to be sullen and obstinate
and suppose I may as well make up my
mind to it..
On reaching home the resolution was
not easily carried out.
When Mr.. Tucker planned some gal
antry toward his wife, the very though
made him feel so unnatural and foolisl
that postponement resulted; but the
Sabbath offered an opportunity 50 con
venient that he improved it.
The farm was nearly a mile from
church, yet Samuel Tucker had 70
years been in the habit Of driving bacl
alone after the afternoon service, leaving
I his wife to attend the Sabbath school
/ and then walk home as best she coul,
/ through mud or dust. Great was Mrs
| fuckers astonishment, therefore, on tn
I Sabbath after husbands return, to fin,
him waiting for her at the close Of tn
Bible service. The faintest suspicion
that he had driven back to the churc
for her did not cross the good woman
mind; she supposed that he had bus
ness with some of the brethren, and wa
hesitating whether to walk on as usua
or to suggest waiting for him, when tn
farmer called out:
''It's jest as cheap to ride rs to walk
| Silently the wife took her seat in tn