Middletown transcript., 1897-02-20

and turned the button.
, 1t proved to be an enjoyable afte
noon, though Mr.. Tucker did not con
to tea. 81 don't suppose it was SO
could get away" Mrs. Tucker explai
ed, apologetically; the hays ripenin'
fast" She was disappointed hersel
for she enjoyed her husbands societ
at such times-he ''made a good al
pearance in company" On this a.
count she returned early in the ever
ing, holding her muslin skirts well u
| to keep them out Of the dust. Coz
trary to their usual twilight habit, tn
side door was closed. Everythin
looked Just as she had left it. Sh
hooked back the door and opened
window to let in the fresh air. 1t wen
up with bang.
Rat-a-tat; rat-a-tat-tatl
What was thatp Mrs. Tucker
pulses jumped wiluly; both her hand
sprang up as she listened.
There it was again! A loud thump
thu mp going upstairs.
"Mercyl What can ii be? Where
Isr 'el that he don't hear that noise? II
can't" Awful fears chased her a.
dragging her everyday hat by ont
string, she rushed upstairs where the
sounds, louder and louder, guided hel
straight to the storeroom door.
There was no miStaking the animat-
ing motive Of those blows; rage, world.
less and important rage, was venting
itself in regular pounding thwacks
like battering ram inside that closet;
the door trembled under them. Mrs.
Tucker turned the button, and the
door shot forward with the force Of a
catapult. "A tall burly form, partly
white and partly black in the dusk,
stepped forth.
"Isrl Pr tnam Tucker, how you scaret
mel How come you there2"
Did Israel Putnam Tucker deign to
reply? Not be. He stalked majesti-
cally across the hall with a measured
tread that lost none of its impressive
ness from his being in his shirt sleeves.
His wife followed at his heels, all agi-
tated and remorse.
"You don't say you was In that
closet all the aft'noonP Why, the aw-
full Why didn't you speak? Why
didn't you say spmethingP I was in a
hurry, an I suppose you didn't have
lime. AM the boy was over in the
lot, want he2 OF course, he couldn't
hear you. Pm dreadful sorry, Isr'el.
wouldn't done it for anything if I'd
Known. Such hot day, tool Pm
afraid you'll be sick. Your face is just
This was going too far. Mr.. Tucker
lifted his free hand 1.-THE other held his
rest and wilted collar) in single de-
ermined gesture, as one who would
ay: Avauntl" He might have been
,osed just so on pedestal for stat ne
# his namesake. Then looking neither
% right nor left, he marched down.
tairs.
CONSERVATION made Mrs. fuckers
ound eyes rounder and puckersd all
Ter face; something else divided her
wifi mind, something tina t wanted to
,e amusement, and had no kindred
Ioul to share it with.
"Oh, my, he's just full of madl" she
oliloquized. '.Don't blame him. Sod
I'd be IL I'd been shut up four or FIVE
lours in that little closet; only I'D
,een thinkin' some how comical twas,
md kind o. maxim a story of it to tell |
an he don't get any COM
ort that way"
Mr.. Tucker came in from the yard |
.fter awhile, and sat down in the door |
With his newspaper. His wife fiuttered |
bout anxiously. "Let me make you |
glass Of lemonade, Isr'el," she sug-
rested.
The top of Mr.. fuckers head above
he newspaper waved decidedly from |
ide to side.
81 won't ask him; I'll go make it,"
hought his better half; he hasn't had |
my supper, either.'s
The pungent freshness of lemon peel
nd the tinkle Of the spoon in the
,itcher were pleasant things that warm
light, and Mr.. Tucker senses seemed
o greet them with approval; butas his
wife set the glass beside himhe looked
skance at it and spoke for the first /
tine: ST don't want it,"
"Do drink it, Isr'el it'll cool you off. -
"I-don't-want-it."
She said no mole, but carried the
lass out to the kitchen and left it In
be window. By and by Mr.. Tucker
rose, and with his eyes still on the
aper sauntered casually out that way.
When Mrs. Tucker went into the pam
ry to stir up bread the glass was empty,
nd an immense wedge was gone from
be berry pie she had baked that morn
ng. She looked pleased.
"Well, I guess be won't starve," she
aid.
"What makes pa SO solemn2" asked
Immeline, next Sunday. 'sHe acts
nst's he did at the time those bunco
zen took him in at Hartford"
''Now, Emmeline, you mustn't say
ne word" Mrs. Tucker was really
ching to tell the story. She told it
ramat ically because it was her nature
it had been joke against herself it
7ould have been the same. Emmeline
ropped the -four sieve and pumped |
erself down on stool in the pantry
be also was dramatic.
"Oh, map she said; 81 shall give