Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1897-10-16

tO see you NI lulS tlMe OF uay, Laura!
Just in time for dinner!"
And Mrs. Grumble, and Tommy
and Maria sat down at the Joyce dim
ner table and regaled themselves
heartily off roast veal with mashed
potatoes and lettuce, and bread pud-
ding to wind up with.
At four o'clock Mr. Grumble came
home from the office, with an appetite
sharpened to double edge; but there
was no savory smell of dinner as he
opened the door,
Betty" roared Mr.. Grumble,
"bring me my slippers!"
No answer.
"Bet-tyw
Still no sound by way of response.
'I'll give that girl talking to that
she will not soon forget!" snarled the
head of the family, and down stairs he
went, three steps at time.
But the kitchen was empty and
lireless, and no Betty saluted his
view.
For second or two Mr.. Grumble
stood fairly rigid with surprise and
indignation, and then he walked up
stairs as stiffly as if his spinal verte-
bre were made of cast iron.
'Mrs. Grumble!" said he, opening
the dining room door, where his patient
wife was generally to be found in
waiting for his orders.
But hideous shrek from the par-
rot was all the sound that greeted him.
"Mrs. Grumble" he persisted,
opening the opposite parlor door,
where his wife sat at her sewing, with
Maria AMI Tommy playing at her feet.
"Yes, Mr.. Grumble?"
els dinner ready?"
Greatly, Mr.. Grumble, 1 don't
know"
"Don't know-aon't know" repeat
ed the astounded husband. "And
isn't it your business to know, Mrs.
Grumble?"
Mrs. Grumble lifted her faded blue
eyes to his face.
"It is not my business to submit to
such constant abuse and fault-fnding,
Mr.. Grumble," said she, "and 50 L
have struck. Not for higher wages"
with q half smile-"but for more
considerate treatment and kindlier
language. Until you can accede to my
terms, I decline to work any more in
your employment.
"Mrs. Grumble," said the husband,
''are you mad?'
"Not yet," said Mrs. Grumble; "but
I should be if I submitted to this sort
of thing much longer"
every well," said Mr.. Grumble,
"I'll take my meals at a restaurant. )"
"Just as you please, my dear"
'T will withdraw the household al
lowances.
Sin that case, I had better take the
children and 60 to my sisters"
"Mrs. Grumble, you shall not take
my children out of this house!'
"Then I will leave them here, and
you may hire nurse to take care Of
them"
Mr.. Grumble looked at his wife with
eyes fairly starting out of his head.
Rank rebellion! And from his meek,
subdued, much-enduring little Laura!
As we'll might the butcher expect the
lamb, at whose throat he holds the
sacrificial knife, to turn and rend him.
"Mrs. Grumble," said he. II am
surprised at you"
"I am surprised at myself" an
swered the lady, firmly, Gin that l
have not long ago come to this conclu-
sion. There are limits to human en-
durance, Mr.. Grumble. I have been
your uncomplaining victim for ten
years. Now decline to officiate
further in that capacity"
"Ungrateful womanw roared Mr..
Grumble, frowning like Jupiter Olym,
pus, "have your way! And let us see
how soon you will repent it"
"For of course," he said to himself,
as he retreated t6lshe solitary drawing.
room, "she don't mean it! It's only q
put-up thing to frighten me, but I'll
not be frightened"
But Mrs. Grumble proved that she
was in earnest by packing her things
and going to her sisters that very day
Mr.. Grumble went straight to the
nearest intelligence office, and hired
nurse for the children, and new cook
who asseverated that she had livee
Gin the first families of ould Ireland
and could bate the ould boy, entirely y,
at cookin'," in the place OF Betty, VINO
refused to remain after her mistress
| had gone.
T'Il show Mrs. Grumble that she
, isn't SO essential to my domestic com
fort as she seems to think" said Mr.
Grumble, vindictively.
, At the end of week, however. Mr.
, Grumble rang the bell of the Joyce
mansion-Mr. Grumble, with hail
disheveled. pale conntenance, au'
general aspect painfully suggestive o
a whipped cur. =.
p ooh. it's you, is it, Hosea?" sait
Mrs. Grumble, placidly.
"J,aura." said. Mr.. Grumble, plain
. lively. Ell hope you'll let bygone
{ he bvrones. aud come home again
, The cook is dead drunk on thekitchen
floor, the children are sickening fo
l the measles, and the nurse has ru'
e away with the silver teapot and til
n new linen pilow-cases.
/ Mrs. Grumble started up, turning
first pale. then red; but she recollecte
bersalf and sat down again.
e II shall be happy to RETURN sh
), said composedly; "but only on on
o condition.
r "And that
.Ts that yon never address me agai
), IN n fault finding mood-that you eS
tend to me at least the amount G
;, courtesy which You wonld accord
stranger, and that you appreciate i
=. some degree the efforts l have made