St. Paul daily globe., 1893-02-16
HIS MEAN REVENGE.

tuan his WlIe. But This Slmple TACT
would not have bothered him in the
least. What mace Samuel aweary of
this life and dyspeptic between meals
was the fact that Elizabeth was strong
minded-not simply strong willed, but
with an intellect of wrought-steel
turn, with nckel-plated hinges; that
quality of mercy in small, obscure
place. She bossed him around pretty
much as she please. When she
wanted anything her story was told in
few terse words, and Samuel meekly
did her bidding. The poor little man
chafed under this, but what was he to
do?
One day new servant came to the
house. She was big, buxom girl with
lively tongue, from the end of which
her native wit flowed like electric force
from live wire. She also soon eX-
perienced the sensation Of an encounter
with Mrs. JakeS. But she was of diff
ferent mold from that of the suffering
Samuel, says the Detroit Free Press.
"Ann," said the colossal Mrs. Jakes,
as with sarcastic smile she surveyed
the kitchen floor, ''you will take the
brush and go over this floor again. l
see several spots that haven't been
touched''
'lndade" reioined Ann, with a grim
smile. "Yez have better eyes than l.
Won't yez take the brush and thry it
yerself?''
"Wh-a-a-t!"
Mrs. Jokes was stricken dumb with
amaZement. TO think that this green
looking girl should dare stand and defy
ciSed only over man, but nevertheless
supreme.
Then she considered moment. The
girl had already done the work Of two
ordinary girls, and she had secured her
at 50 80 per week and board. Her hours
of heartbreaking Servant-hunting came
into her mind and she heSitated and was
lost
"Oh, very we'll, Ann, if you have done
your best we will have to let it go at
that" This speech of apparent resig
nation, augmented by the appearance
of Ann, who stood with arms akimbo
and impudent face. had the effect of an
electric shock upon the insignificant
Samuel, who had been keyhollng the
two women.
''Icebergs and sunstroke!" he gasped,
as he tottered to a chair. $40 think
llldI III Cdll uO III q Ddll lulHulG NHdb
| couldn't do in fifty years."
Then Samuel was struck by an idea.
They don't come very often, but when
they did arrive it was usually in an
hour of need. In this the gentleman
had more than ordinary luck. Some
people are fairly crawling with ideas,
but the ideas never amount to anything.
Revenge is sweet. and l see golden
chance to secure some," he said.
Forthwith he began to cultivate the
good graces of Ann. He praised her
work, when his wife was at distance,
and one day he capped the climax and
bought her calico dress-a gaudy
print with flowers galore in it. She was
pleased with his evident appreciation of
her work, and Samuel detected the feel
ing and concluded the time was ripe to
spring his coup. So he handed her
dollar bill, told her to say nothing about
it, and gave her this parting injunc-
tion:
"When my wife shows the slightest
inclination to boss you, just stand on
your dignity and give her as good as
she sends. I'll back you up" and he
Strutted away. et-
Ann looked at him from the corner of
her eye, but said nothing. That very
afternoon she and the mistress had it
hot and heavy. but, as usual, Ann con-
quered. Samuel overheard it from a
window, and his delight was so gem
uine that he went out and bought him
self SIX sherry tiips, mixed this dose
with ten cocktails, and rolled home at 2
a. III. in state of blissful inebriety.
Three or four times week these tiffS
occurred and each time Samuel filled
himself with grape and corn juice. But
one day-a Wednesday-his wife had
received an unusually severe dose from
the servant and retired in precipitate
discontinue ouly to run plump into the
half-prostrate figure of her husband,
who, crouching at the keyhole, had not
time to vanish from sight.
''Well, well, you poor, driveling imbe-
cile," she remarked. as she cOolly lifted
him up by the arm and led him to aseat.
You overheard our quarrel and that
girls insoence, did you? Amt you a
pretty sort of husband noW?''
But Ann was doomed this time. Pride
was not to be sacrificed that comfort
might he gained. and in five minutes
the girl had received her discharge no.
tice, 81 back pay, and a warning to
mend her ways, and was on her way to
the depot.
Mrs. Jakes sued for divorce, and her
grounds were these: Drunkenness, eX-
treme cruelty, neglect, and tendency
to make merry at the expense of his
wife's dignity.
Samuel made no effort to fight the
case. but settled by giving his wife a
cottage in a northern suburb and $50
month alimony.
Then he hunted up that servant girl,
married her, and drives with her past
that cottage in the northern suburb
three times day.