St. Paul daily globe., 1896-04-06

speechless for while and my wife felt hurt
at my appearance Of Indifference.
You see this cash over my ternple?'' he
said, pushing back his hat. "My wife insisted
that should try the chair to see how com
Portable 1t was. 1 couldn't refuse and sat
down and rocked gently. My wife sat down
on one arm of the chair and 1t fell over sud
denly. My head struck on one corner of NV
desk.
The other morning, before starting down
town on my wheel, put my foot on the chair
TO ADJUST the guards around my ankle and the
back Of the rocker struck me in the nose, and
l thought I would bleed to DEATH Coming
home from dinner few nights ago, I con-
cluoed to go to my study and finish some
work know where to find everything in my
den In the dark. and so I walked in boldly
and made straight for the electrolier. MY wife
mad changed the position of that chair and
IefE over 1t, and as 1t swayed back I caught
nolo franticaily to keep from falling. My right
hand was caught some way in the mechanism
Oh 1t and two fingers were badly lacerated.
was exasperated and gave the chair a kick.
Fart or the framework is steel and my shin
struck the sharp edge Of steel bar. and il
made me sick at my stomach
My wife heard me groan and came rush
ing In. She fell over the chair and bruised
herself badly. My wife thought was drunk
and wouldn't listen to reason. She cried
with pain and abused me between her sobs.
protested that was sober and had fallen
over chair In the dark. I had turned on
ene Agnt when she fell. My appearance must
nave been against me, for she derisively in
Yltea me to look at myself in the mirror
lnat made me angry and I spoke rather
hastily. L didn't swear, but my wife said
mlght try to talk like gentleman, even if
were drunk. In my evaporation I forgot
ABOUT the chair and threw myself into il Tt
reared naek Like a. vicious. horse, and, think
ing 10 eaten myself, threw my foot out
spasmodically and kicked my wife
She was crazy in second. She called mo
a brute, and declared that she would NOT
live with me another day. T told her how r.
iappened, but she frowned my words with
ioue and shrill reproaches and almost
screamed that 1 had kicked her. The newt
morning l met my neighbor as was leavinq
Ior the ofhce and he nodded his head coIdIv
so Knew that he had heard the racket. 7
aHS got my wlre TO believe that was sober
anu oio not intend to kick her. but naturally
can't condeseend to explain tn tho noiab1
pors, and everybody in our block thinks T
came nome drunk and beat NV wife Tho
people out my way shun me as if wera q
viper and the minister of our church called
the ether evening, and by his being so III Of
ease knew he wanted to warn me about
looking. on the wine when it was red, but
1" ~" W 90 dDOuC 1t. / am GLAD
ne alan screw up his courage to do it fnr
L would. have been tempted to kick some one
in earnest "--o o-Ae
,od NoW, w, don't think I'm crazy" he contfn-
, ueu, out neip me all you can. I can't rid
myself of the idea that a rocking chair will
some sol Time cause my death, and from the wav
IL. TINS one mas started in L believe it's the one
the dev1l has secured to do the work. Pve
baby boy, you know, and 1 want to pro-
Vioe Ior MS future while I've got the chance
when was youth an old hag told NV
fortune, and she delivered her oracle in
rhyme. 1t was like this: 49,
" Death will not meet
You on the street,
In railroad car
Nor yet in war.
You'll not be hung
Die old or young
Beware bewarei
OF a rocking chair
Il have never forgotten it. and it has been
nightmare to me ever since. There may
not be anything in 1t, but 1 scarcely ever
sit in a rocking chair but what something
happens"