The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1894-08-27
MIR. GRUMBLE'S CURE.

Henry Grumble deserved his name. Tie
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 1t was time to stop this state OF al
fairs, and one night Mr.. Grumble cam,
home and encountered an old man whom
his wife introduced as Uncle Tompkina.
Now, this hitherto unbeard of uncle prov
ed himself extremely peevish and irasoibls
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 ole
gentleman began again.
"Grumble," said he, ~ wish you'd stoI
that creaking Of your chair. My nerYes
are SO weak, and il you could keep YOU
children up stairs their racket wouldn',
disturb me so much. really don't know
how 1 am going TO stand that baby
noise"
81 do not think it is a very noisy ba
by" said Mr.. Grumble meekly. SITS teetl
are very painful just at present."
Mrs. Grumble, who was poking the fire
in accordance with her uncle's petulani
request, said nothing, but smiled quietl,
to hear her husband extenuate the baby's
sins.
"Well, remarked Uncle Tompkins, sal
babies are noisy. And, by the way, Grum
BILE, wish you would oil the hinges O
that squeaking door. And don't like thu
smell Of that geranium in the window
Halloa! You haven't any top button Oh
your shirt 'front.' / hope my niece isn't I
careless wifer'
Mot at all, SIR said Mr.. Grumhl
nervously, "but the care Of her child ant
housekeeping duties absorb great deal o
her time. The instant she finds Leisure
she will look to my Clothes"
~ don't see how woman can spent
her whole time keeping house and looking
after a pack of children" observed Uncl
Tompkins incredulously.
About 10 o'clock the old gentleman wa
ushered to the spare room, accompanies
by procession of medicine walls, tut
of hot water, wooden dressing robes ant
heated blankets for his feet, and his alb
sence occasioned very general relief.
"What an insufferable old duffer tina
isp' exclaimed Mr., Grumble, THROWN;
himself, with sigh of satisfaction, int
his favorite seat once more. my dea
Bessie, how could you endure his faul
| findings"
~ am accustomed to that, Henry. 1t j
! lesson that most married women ar
Obliged to learn, replied Mrs. Grumblc
with slight sigh.
| Her husband pricked up his ears it'll
uneasily. Accustomed to its" What dit
she meanp
| 1t was not possible-it could not be pos
sible-that he was like that odious oil
| Uncle Tompkins And yet lie wished Bes
sic had not spoken in that way. Somehoy
it made him feel very uncomfortable
Three days passed away, Uncle Tompkin
growing more intolerable the whole TING
while Mr.. Grumble improved the occasion
by making n sort of looking glass of tina
worthy old gentleman.
I "Upon-my-word," he said to him
self, 81 must have made a perfect nuisane
of myself all these years. Why didn'
somebody tell me of it?"
4 At length Uncle Tompkins went away
flannel robe, medicine bottle and all, an
/ on the evening of the same day Tom Carl
+ ton arrived from temporary absence, nc
body knew where.
$50 uncle has been visiting your" h
said gayly TO Mr.. Grumble.
Eyes" said the latter, with Sigh
grimace.
4 "What sort of looking man is hep"
! Mr.. Grumble was silent for moment.
! ado you know, he exclaimed, burstin
into a perplexed laugh, II couldn't dc
scribe single feature of his face. He wa
always enveloped, like an Egyptian mum
my, in silk handkerchief, something lik
that one you have in your hand.
1.-The most intolerable fault finder eve
met WITH absolutely the most disagreet
BILE man who ever numbered the earth
: don It see how 1t Is possible to growl at ey
erything as he did"
!, "That's not an uncommon thing, be
lieve, )" observed Tom, denTurely smiling.
Every likely" said his brother-in-lay
emphatically, "but his visit has been pre-
ductive of at least one effeet-it has CON
pletely cured me of any tendency Nigh
have had that way. l, for one, mean I
leave off grumbling.
"I'm happy to hear it, Nephew Grun
ble,n exclaimed cracked voice.
The yictimized man started up in dis
may, hardly believing tho testimony {
his senses as Tom twisted the silk hant
kerchief skillfully round his head and ben
himself nearly double, with an asthmati
sound between groan and a grunt.
why, you don't mean to say that 20
are Uncle Tompkins?' exclaimed Nj
Grumhle.
pardon me, Henry said Tom, smi
ing, shut saw that you had unconscious
ly become a habitual grumbler, and
judged that the best nntidote was faitf
full representation of your own falling
Was | rights'
His brother-in-l was half inclined I
be angry, but thought better of it.
|"Shuke hands, Tom, said he. YOU
an irreyerent young scamp, but forgi,
you. At all events the cure is complete.
And 80 Bessie found it.--Exchange.