The Rugby news. (Rugby, Morgan County, Tenn.) 1890-189?, 1890-12-20
BY HARSH WORDS.
How Squire Sadley Was Taught
to Speak Kindly to His Wife.

ward the nineties; the leaves hung mo-
tionless in the furnace-like air, and the
scent of the perfumed swaths of newly
cut hay pervaded every thing, as Squire
Sadley stood under the umbrella-shaped
apple tree and wiped his reeking brow
with yard-square handkerchief of yell
low silk.
''Phewv' cried the squire, 'this is
getting too much; I think shall go
home an hour earlier than usual"
sod l, if / wasn't workin' for days
wages" said Israel Newcomb, who was
vigorously turning the fragrant billows
of green with fork which cleaned
like serried lightning in the sunshine.
The squire glared angrily at Israel; it
was his pride that he worked as hard as
any of his hired men, rich landowner
though he was.
II s'pose can do as please" said he.
''Sartin!" observed Israel. ~ only
wish l could!"
The squire went home, selecting the
shady path which lay part way through
the woods, and crossing the noisy little
stream on a make-shift bridge formed
by fallen cedar tree Far down in the
green cross-lights and glinting refec-
tions of the glen, he could see Will
Dallas, who had abandoned all pre-
lenses of fishing, and lay on the moss at
Mary Sadley's feet, reading aloud to
her, out of some pocket "olume OF
poetry. The squire frowned.
''Spooning-as usual, growled ne, un'
der his breath, and pushed steadily on.
The old homestead, painted white,
with a refreshing cont ,st of green
blinds, lay basking in ohe vivid sun
shine. The squire looked at it with a
complacent sense of proprietorship, as
he went around to the back-door, where
a great honeysuckle vine was all in
curls of buff and white blossoms. The
roomy kitchen, with its shining copper
boiler and white-board floor, was silent
and empty. He looked around.
'Hallo!" he shouted. 'Is every one
deadw
Little Kitty came running out of the
front-room.
Hush, father!" said she, holding up
small forefnger. "Mother is asleep
'Asleep!' roared the squire. "a
pretty time of day to be asleep, and the
whole house wide open, ready for any
tramp that may come along, and your
grandmothers silver spoons in plain
view on the dresser-shelf. Asleep"
'T'm sorry, Titus" said an apologetio
voice. as pale, shadowy little woman
issued from the hall beyond, where she
had been lying on a Procrustean lounge,
fashioned of unpainted pine boards, and
draped with a lumpy mattress. 81
hadn't any idea of falling asleep wher
lay down; but my head ached a little
it's the heat, suppose-and felt dizzy
I'm very sorry, but surely it isn't twelve
o'clock yet"
1T don't lack many minutes of it,
said the squire, gloomily, looking at the
big wooden clock, whose fat, black
Roman numerals glared back at him
from behind green nebule of aspara
gus branches. ''The heat, eh? Well,
s'pose other folks feel it, too My heat
aches, but don't take to my bed. Anc
when man comes home tired and bea
out from the bayfield,, he naturally ex
poets to find things comfortable. ldon'
know what a woman has her board ant
keep for, if it amt to see that meals il
reg'lar and things decent" :"
"rm sorry, Titus" nervously reiter
ated the little woman, huttering to ant
fro like lame-winged pigeon, ''but III
make all the haste can. Dinner vii
soon be ready. Here, Kitty Ito tn
child), "wash these potatoes in the sinl
as quick as you can, and trim the beets
while run out for some kindlings t.
hurry up the fre."
A minute afterward, he could hea
the quick strokes of the hatchet, and h.
bethought himself that, in the hurr.
incident to haying-time, the pile Q
kindlings had been allowed to get low
'It does seem," he said, petulantly
''as if every thing hindered mans din
ner.."