Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1889-09-05

! place have the law take you in hand. |
have one brother who Is lawyer as YOU
I know, and We have already talked over
Your case, 50 that we are only waiting for
you 10 strike the first blow: and IL Won
| have any Idea, my love, how very uupleas-
ant the consequences are likely To be. am
positive you would not think that the sat
isfaction of brating me all day would he
/ worth buying at price SO high
7 Peter glared at his wife. speechless with
( rage. He had really no idea what the pen
| atty of wife-beating might be, 1t having
never before been necessary for him TO
/ consider anything so unpleasant He
| stood in sort OF daze while Mrs. Skroogs
4 went on with uudisturhcd placidity -
| Then you may remember that my
4 brother David is the prize athlete OF our
/ county. and am his favorte sister IL
4 had sent him word that yon had talked to
Z me In the way you have gone on this
morning, he would not leave bone whole
| In your body. Now 90 and pat that whip
away. for IL Is a constant temptation TO
! me to use ii on your great hulking coward
/ ly self. Then come here a moment. and
| let me tell ynu how propose that this
| difficulty b., settled"
I Mrs Skrnogs looked 80 determined aud
/ capable ~ carrying out her threat that il
+ seemed advisable 10 Peter to do "a ~he
T suggested. and for the first time IN is
/ history the whip was put away unused.
/ Wien her husband reappearcd his wife.
/ with the same cNaSpcTaiing Calmucss which
I she had preserved through the interview
/ state, her decision
Since 1t seems that we cannot live to-
/ ,;hcr In peace any longer" she remarked.
/ ~ seems tD me best 10 20 back to where
/ ! ca:;c from We VIII divide our goods.
! and wi, take what want and you III ~
( have the rr>t."
Have the rest" roarcd Peter. Won
mas -, ont Of the house and the sooner
the better Good radiance tn bad rub.
hi~ii But Id like - see you dare to take
single thing Of mine
iielp ne bring my chest in out ~ the
bedroom. was the cool response of his
wife. aud Won will see what intend 10
takr
Th' chest was one OF those huge old
fashiunc! affairs in which our erca; grand
mothers f.icAci the whole If ih,ig earthly
possess '.n. tu leaving the roof Of the.r
parent, frf That u husband Peter had
/ hrcr -laii,n'el by it. size when y came
h.cau~c il showed that the bride brought
gaugh svar ~ her new home Now that {
wa- again "a hc hlis'i with goods 20 70 ont
q! BIZ house, he cursed ~ inoriinatc size.
anu resolves! fn stand by ~ SEE that no .T
tirlr went into II which hsd not come in
IL III Insisted that a. preliminary
measure Il should he cmytjcd Ia the bot
tom, measure 10 which hi. wife object
cd - >trrnuou-lv that he wholly failed %
notice the curious sparkle ln her eve when
he q; length began 70 take out the thing.
himself and look them over The chest
was enormous. and Peter. for all hs
prowe~~ a. woman heater. was by no
mran~ large man. 50 that by the time the
bottom ~ the trunk was reached he was
forced 10 stnop nearly iouhe 70 rcsch H.
Jus; A- he lifted the last article his loving
>p"u~" who hai waited patiently tiil
everything was out. gave icXternus and
,u4si~n trip and a push, whirh' sent him
~pfaNling npun the bottom To clap dow
the lii and secure the lock was the WORK
~ but ar instant a. she had been watch
inE her chance; and ;her, was the redouht-
ahlc and wrathy Peter Gagged a. securely
AMI a. satisfactorily as II he had been
wiid beast in menagcric
IL j. hardly necessary 10 tell how he
cursed and Kicked and threatened and com
mandcd, or how utterly in vain were ali
these demonstrations. lie ws- in aud
there seemed no prospect Of hi- getting
out until such time ss Il pleased the wifn
Of his bosom 10 set him at liberty
'-oh. no" she answered him when from
sheer want OF breath he paused and gave
her an opportunity OF making herself
heard You Won't smother. my love.
had the carpenter make four holes In the
back IF The trunk last week a. soon a
saw YOUR ugly d; was coming on.
brought It with me on purpose for your
benefit Ms first husband has been In II
- know il i safe l. j. strong too,
she aided, after hc had answered her w'th
Vollcy Of kicks on the sides OF the
chest
BY all means kick. II il amuses you.
love but don't get exhausted for lin gon.
10 invite company 20 tea Good ny. dear
Try not 10 be lonesome until get back
Into the kitchen trlpped Mrs Skroog-
with an air If yirtuous triumph on her
couutenance She directed the maid 10
concoct with all possible speed the most
dainty Of custart-. Of cakes. and Of dain-
tic- of whatever sort could be compound
ed before lea time that night Then with
serene viSasc did the mistress OF the man
ion den her walking apparel. and with all
spaced did -hc HE her personally - the
most notorious gns-ips IN the town whom
"a" hid 70 take tea At her homo that even
ius.
Through the afternoon Mrs SkrongS
Kept clear of the room wherein her lord
ara master lay la durance vile She was
dJnly aware that from time 10 time lie
mad noisy demonstrations. but 70 these
She made no response. Late in the day
having arraycd herself IN all her tncry she
tied an apron an over her best gown. and
proceeded 20 the prison chamber Hum
ming cheerful ditty. She spread upon the
fiat top Of the bi. chest snowy table
cipth and upon this proceeded 10 lay the
dishes ready for her expected company.
"Iet M out + yelled Peter for the hun
dreith time. she deposited some heavy
dish inst above his head With a thump
which cuFasc! him to the last degree OF
eXa>pcration.
Now, my love" she replied pacidly, II
have Invited company TO tea. Miss Sharpe
is coming AMI Miss Gabble. and Mrs. Can
dor. and two or three more Of that set.
We shall re forced 10 use this chest for q
table. and it would be very awkward for
both you and u if YOU let them know that
you are there. Don't you think that 1t
woulf be better for you to keep quiet un-
! til they are gomez
Let me out now, roared Peter In i'm
minent danger OF bursting q blood vessel
in has rage.
"Oh, my dear cant let you out now,
for have the table all set on the top of
the chest II you had only spoken Of II
before | might have done il. you know,
but there isn't time TO take the things all
of and put them on again"
Nv hen do get out" was the enraged
response. "I'll tear you to pieces"
Then ! cannot let you out until | am
ready to be torn to pieces" replied Mrs
Peter; and resuming her song she tripped
airly off to receive her guests, who by
this time were heard at the door, leaving
| her husband in a state that may be imag
! ined by anyone who ever has been in like
| case.
What may have been the reflections of
| Peter as he lay during the long afternoon
| ln the chest, his knees bent up, his head
| aching from the confinement, and his
whole soul SO ahame with rage that he
| could hardly breathe, 1t would not be
wise to attempt TO imagine. His wife
| took the trouble to have the door into the
next room where the company sat left
| ajar, and she without difficulty led the
! conversation To the tales which were told
| In regard to her husbands cruelty to his
| former helpmates.
| II don't like to talk of these things"
| she said in voice of so much sweetness
! that her husband nearly betrayed himself
| by cursing her on the spot, "but of course
| if these things are really true ought to
| know what to expect. l am such help
less creature. that I've no doubt that il