The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1884-09-25
sli.., Partners.

''bon you ever rFN@A Y" u.s." -
ssid Mrs. Benton. "and ! will never speak
10 you from this hour on.
There Was something positively alarm
Ing 10 this united command aud prsm"e'
a Inc tones In which it was uttered were
'lmprcssiyely earnest. aud the manner OF
tbs speaker was very far irem srih'ns'
aud .hsv fell upon the startled ears Of her
worse bali Ia a way TIA, caused Mr. Ben
ION 10 quail little, for he knew enough
Of the temperament Of the angered woman
who spoke TO feel that this vas no idie
threat
John Benton aud his wife Mary had
been married nearly quarter OF csntu.
~ at the time Of this violent outbreak and
had hitherto bees active and talkative
ms,rins snial partners. They lived in the
country upon their svs little farm. And
though they had not always hsld the most
absolute hsrmsuy OF oP;aioa thar lave
ton 10 each other asd their unity upon oil
the essential matters Of life were undisput'
ed II was only in the infnitesimal OBJ
| iects Of life that they clashsd. They had
together. met and surnoun.ed great OBJ
staeles in their common path, but they re-
moved rocks only to stumble over peS-
BILE. They had, usitsd. hewn their way
through an almost interminable ferest oi
difficulties, to be stopped in their onward
career by some insignificant bramble oil
contention. They had safely stemmsd
the floods Of adversely, yet were OCCASION
ally almost overcome by some petty stream
OF wranglipg that flowed from the lips OF
either. And finally the contsmptible little
lriyule,s that had been constantly trickling
for so many years in 50 many different
ways had seemingly met 10 form great
vortex 10 which they were doomed TO re
swallowed up. Those hitherto active
and valuable tongues were about to rust
in idleness, at least at homo. They were
resolved to become henceforth Silent
Partners.
John Benton accepted the situation with
ont replying, for what was there to be
said? Had he not been commanded TO re-
frain forever from speaking to hi'
wife?
Gallantry forbids us TO cast any grea'
share OF the odium Of this scene upor
/. Mrs. Benton. Besides, had not John JUS
before the last volcanic eruption OF speech
upon tho part Of his wife, insinuated tina
her "unruiy member was as long as
fence rail-" Could female flesh and sloot
endure snes, a base simile as this whel
applied to herself? And had lie not as
serted that her words we're legion, an'
, that her tones were thunder? Should
|! wife pass ever such insulting persona
metaphors rs these? Mrs. Benton, eithe
wisely or unwissly, decided in the nsga
tive.
The first night Of the self enforced 81
lence in the Benton cottage was awkward
The usual curtain lecture was omitted an
such q deathlike, desalate stiffness pre-
vailed that sleep was cut OF the question
About Midnight the awful silence had
worked upon the nerves 9f John Bento
that, unable to endure it onger, he aros
aud going down stairs, SOON returned VIII
the old clock which was IA ct only lou
ticker, bat also cheerful striker II
must have something for ompany ths
would appeal to his sense OF hearing
>. perish with loneliness. John started an
, stopped as he was about to pli 'ce this ne
companion on the bureau; he thought
heard sound proceed from under IL
bed coverings but not unlike smothsrs
! laugh. But his Imagination b ID to SUI
ply the place Of his senses, as 10 expl
nation could be asked. The clock, thoug
. feeble and imperfect substitute for th
human voice. was better by far han th
absence OF all sound, and l'e fe
fell asleep. The morrow brought II
ulations, following one another in clos
:. and annoying succession. Mrs. Benton
finding the position too irksome 70
born without some new excitement to r.
y place the lost art OF speech, determine
upon a revolution Of the whole household
the grand safety valve for the pent u
feelings Of housewife, and one OF tb
best known remedies for the disease Q
hypocbondria or anger. She went abou
this herculean task as though life an
: deith hung in balance, or as though up
on its conf pletion depended the casting OH
. Of the dumb devils that had taken vi
their abode here.
John Benton, coming in about moo
from the field saw at once that something
= : unusual was under way. He knew ths
his wife was just then out at the barn, 81
n be crept up stairs to ascertain the natsr
4 OF tho operations. There was = scsne o
chaos indeed. II would seem as thougl
{ this energetic woman had decided, con
trary to her usual wisdom, to begin q
!. every room 10 the houss at once.
And II certainly looked as though orde
could net be restored TO even ono Of tbes
wrecked apartments by sunset. Ns'
John was always kind hearted man, AMI
neticing the carpets rolled up. il occsrre'
to him that here was clear case in which
! be could anticipate the wishes OF his poo
; tired, tongue tisd wife. With him 70 thinl
vas TO ACT, - out vent the carpets upo'
lawn; but scarcely had be finished hi
task before be heard his wife tugging an'
pantisg on the stairs, trying TO get ib
carpets int the house again. and bsek 10
to their respective rooms. He had eyi
IDENTIFY been mistaken. asd be fastened =
: make amends BY restoring the carpets 4
their former places; then, from fear .