The Press., 1894-04-26

and wife drove over to Counselor Sabin's in the hgh-backed green wagon with the
 pumpkin-and-mi horse-heartily agree
 ing, fifthly, in pity for each other.
 s.Ye-es ye-esi As understand it, you two wish to divide your joint possessions
 and go each your way, without any formal public divorcement Wa-al, w;-al. let us see. let us see.n said Squire Sabin, re- ferring to paper which he had already filled with minutes. .sFive COWS; what will you do about them ?? make beef of l one and divide the meat. hey"
 "No, I would not consent to that. 1t is my choice; he has three COWS; he will
 find more use for them than 1 shall, being that cows make nothing of diary by themselves; while my share, be it less or
 more, will work right in with my broth er's," put in the good dame.
 "I sha'n't agree to any such division. | If I find need more cows can buy them; and am not willing she should go away l empty-handed. She won't find she has l got any too much to make herself com l fortable with the most she can have,o re- l turned he.
 Thus they now began to disagree again. q am willing for any thing which is | fair, but 1 sha'n't consent to such a one
 sided dividing off as he speaks of. mean | to take a reasonable view, and l want he
 should do the same; and he knows, if he l looks at the matter candidly, that he will | find more use for the cows than 1 shall.
 So there is no good in multiplying words
 about it, for sha'n't come back of what | I have said!" protested Mistress Puffer, | resolutely.
 "Hu-mph If you can not agree to live
 together, you must agree to separate, you I lrp inf hG laI who tnCti
 fies that contention of mutual concession
 may be as difficult to settle satisfactorily
 as strife of mutual greed.
 | Silenced but not convinced, Goodman l Puffer held his peace hereupon, while he | inwardly reflected that all the Good-wife said could not prevent his driving this | bone of contention-the third cow-over to her brothers barn in due season. So
 he allowed her face to glow with satisfied
 triumph without any further protest
 But passing down along Squire Sabin's list, the swine proved quite as unmanage-
 able in their turn as the kline.
 II have no notion of taking the fat hog
 and one of the little pigs. What can do, should like to know, in the first place, with such pile of meat? And
 when you have fed that porker up to this time, and thought so much of him,
 sha'n't hear word to taking him, any
 way. Now that is so.'' affirmed the Good wife.
 On the other hand, the Goodman was
 equally decided. "Mother couldn't try up all the fat into lard and take care oi
 the meat, if we kept it; and the pork is
 worth as much for her to sell as it is to
 me-" he said.
 "Ye-es! Wa-al, would suggest that : as you two can't seem to agree even to !, disagree, you make 8 compromise. Mrs
 Puffer had the matter of the cows her owr way; suppose, then MT. Puffer suits him. , self in the pig question ?" interposed the , counselor, mending his pen for fresh ) start. l "Come. now this is no more than fair v , assented MT. Puffer; although, of course
 the arrant hypocrite was all the time con scious in his in klOst heart-and outmost too, for that matter-that he had never 7 for a n oment intended to abide by the de cision of good Mrs. P. in the last dispute Therein you see silent partner has al advantage in an argument; for good Mrs 7 P. herself, having no power of knowing [ this mental reservation, was obliged re ) luctantly to concede.
 Thus, inch by inch, and animal by ami l nal, they fought their way through tht } livestock and coming after a tedious l WnIl0 tO GI6 p0ESOHdl lOuuu to be even more refractory.
 r ''He must have two bed-quilts and two pairs of sheets to my one. I sha'n't give my consent to any thing else for his l mother is getting too old and feeble fol quilting, and weaving, and the like O. that work" affirmed the Good-wife, witl , cheerful beneyolence.
 : ''Of course sha'n't take her setting ) out, and she needn't propose it!" protest ed Goodman. r Mrs. P. opened her mouth with fac, l which evidenced burst of words as clear } ly as ever black cloud betokened a burs
 of rain.
 7 "You needn't say word for nor against 3 tell you won't hear to it, even if yol run out case as long and as strong a.
 the Moral Law!' added her lord, with un ) usual fervor. Hmm! ye-es! Wa-al, wa-al, my ad vice to you two good people is, seeing you } can not agree to separate, to get into you
 wagon and ride home together" said wis' Counselor Sabin, at last, cleaning his pel upon his hair and twisting the paper O l minutes into a cigar-lighter.
 The two good people were finally per 5 suaded to follow this advice, which proved r the soundest he ever gave; and paying ) the price of the fatted swine for it the, 3 clambered into the high-backed wagon and rode off, with g joint feeling of con scious relief, and yet too shame-faced tt ) speak during the whole distance home. 7 When they arrived there Bose came r running to the end of the lane whichlet 3 to the house to give them gruff bark O welcome, and Mrs. P.'s heart warmed with pleasure. She even stopped to pa
 him and call him nice fellow upon hel way into the porch in. full view of MT } Puffer, who felt grateful to the very tips l of his callous fingers for this unwonteo 7 token of friendliness, while Bose jumped
 and frisked awkwardly around, whining with delight. Then she disappeared thro the doorway into the kitchens and wher she saw the homely room and it's furni } ture looking so familiar and kindly, as they, in their way, gave mute welcome home again to their mistress, she sal , down in her old splint rocking-ch ano had hearty cry Then she brushed away