Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1894-05-07
MR.. GRUMBLE'S CURE.

grumbled at the way his wife managed
the households; he growled over the serv-
ice of his meals and snarled about the
way his wife attended to his clothing and
always complained that the baby cried in
cessantly.
Mrs. Grumble's brother Tom decided
that it was time to stop this state of af-
fairs, and one night Mr.. Grumble came
home and encountered an old man whom
his wife introduced as Uncle Tompkins.
Now, this hitherto unheard of uncle prov
ed himself extremely peevish and irascible
from the start.
Mr.. Grumble silently devoured his sup
per, secretly wondering how long Uncle
Tompkins meant to stay. No sooner was
the table cleared than the irascible old
gentleman began again.
''Grumble," said he, II wish you'd stop
that creaking of your chair. My nerves
are 80 weak, and If you could keep your
children up stairs their racket wouldn't
disturb me so much. really don't know
how I am going to stand that baby's
noise"
II do not think it is very noisy ba-
BY" said Mr.. Grumble meekly. "Its teeth
are very painful just at present"
Mrs. Grumble, who was poking the fire,
in accordance with her uncle's petulant
request, said nothing, but smiled quietly
to hear her husband extenuate the baby's
sins.
"Well," remarked Uncle Tompkins, "all
babies are noisy. And, by the way, Grum-
BILE, wish you would oil the hinges of
that squeaking door. And l don't like the
smell of that geranium in the window.
Halloa! You haven't any top button on
your shirt 'front.' T hope my niece ism u a
careless wife!'
"Not at all, SIR" said Mr.. Grumble
nervously, "but the care of her child and
housekeeping duties absorb great deal OF
her time The instant she finds leisure
she will look to my clothes"
II don't see how woman can spend
her whole time keeping house and looking
after pack Of children, observed Uncle
Tompkins incredulously.
About 10 o'clock the old gentleman was
ushered to the spare room, accompanied
by procession of medicine walls, tub
of hot water, wooden dressing robes and
heated blankets for his feet, and his alb
sence occasioned very general relief.
"What an insufferable old dutfer that
Isl" exclaimed Mr.. Grumble, throwing
himself, with a sigh of satisfaction, into
his favorite seat once more. "My dear
Bessie, how could you endure his fault
ffnding!"
II am accustomed to that, Henry. 1t Is
a lesson that most married women are
obliged to learn" replied Mrs Grumble,
with slight sigh.
uau ~, ho, ,>r;oly oJ I'M I, oo nc n 1ttf1a
uneasily Accustomed to it?" What did
she means
1t was not possible-it could not be pos
sible-that he was like that odious old
Uncle Tompkins. And yet he wished Bes-
sic had not spoken in that way. Somehow
it made him feel very uncomfortable.
Three days passed away Uncle Tompkins
growing more intolerable the whole, time,
while Mr.. Grumble improved the occasion
by making sort of looking glass of that
worthy old gentleman.
Upon-my-word," he said to him
self, II must have made perfect nuisance
of myself all these years. Why didn't
somebody tell me of its"
At length Uncle Tompkins went away,
flannel robe, medicine bottle and ALL and
on the evening of the same day Tom Carl
ton arrived from temporary absence, no
body knew where
$50 uncle has been visiting your" he
said gayly to Mr.. Grumble.
eyes" said the latter, with slight
grimace.
''What sort Of looking man is he?"
Mr.. Grumble was silent for II moment
''Do you know" he exclaimed, bursting
into perplexed laugh, II couldn't de-
scribe single feature of his face. He was
always enveloped, like an Egyptian mum
my, in silk handkerchief, something like
that one you have in your hand.
"The most intolerable fault finder ever
met with, absolutely the most disagreea-
BILE man who ever numbered the earth! |
don It see how it is possible to growl at ev-
erything as he did"
"That's not an uncommon thing, l be-
lieve," observed Tom, demurely smiling.
"very likely" said his brother-in-law
emphatically, "but his visit has been pro-
ductive of at least one effect-it has COM
pletely cured me of any tendency might
have had that way. l, for one, mean to
leave off grumbling"
''I'm happy to hear 1t, Nephew Grum-
bic" exclaimed a cracked voice.
The victimized man started up in dis
may, hardly believing the testimony OF
his senses rs Tom twisted the silk hand
kerchief skillfully round his head and bent
himself nearly double, with an asthmatic
sound between a groan and grunt.
''Why, you don't mean to say that you
are Uncle Tompkinsi" exclaimed Mr..
Grumble.
pardon me, Henry" said Tom, smil-
ing, shut saw that you had unconscious
~ become habitual grumbler, and !
Judged that the best antidote was faith
full representation Of your own failings
Was right"
His brother-in-law was half inclined to
be angry, but thought better Of it.
"Shake hands, Tom," said he. "You'rs
an irreverent young scamp, but forgive
you. At all events the cure is complete. !"
And SO Bessie found it.-Exchange.
Something Refined.