Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1898-12-22

he train 10 the city two days befor,
Christmas. \ heavy snow aud rIIu
storm had come up in the night. and in
the morning the suburb Of Jouesviilc
was a thing of beauty to the eye. bat a
thing OF discomfort 10 the feet of -
lestrians. especially 10 those who mus,
latch the early morning train IN the
rity. breakfast had been little late.
the coffee had been poor. the mullins
UNDERGONE and the Eggs oyerdone; the
dining room was cold aud Mr.. Jones N
one Of his most irritable humors. Had
bis wife been at the breakfast table e
would have indulged in 4 few sarcastic
remarks about the Incompetence OF
women 10 manage household or TO
train and direct se-vants. but the poor
woman had not come down owing TO
the fact tina; the baby had wakened and
set up loud demand for attention just
a. the breakfast bell rang. Little Rob
bic. three years old. RAD come down
stairs half dressed and had been sent
back with 4 sharp reprmand and
must it he confessed sharp slap On
his little bare legs. Yes. Mr.. Jones was
an educated. Christian gentleman. but
all the same he slapped his little son 20
smartly that the child cried out with
pain and started TO climb the stairs TO
his mother. For n moment Mr.. .Ious >
realized the atrocity OF his act and its
utterly unwarrauted nature. and then
he excused himself TO his conscience by
saying that he was naturally irritable,
and that cold house a poor breakfast
and the prospect of wading through
the unbToken snow-drifts to the train
were too much for human nature-hls
human nature-to bear. As he thusex-
FUSED himself his temper began to rise
again. and just before leaving the
house he called tobis wife from the foot
u the stairs:
Tell that old fool Hans that IL re
rant manage the furnace SO as to vt
the house warm in the morning he car
get another job" Then. remembering
that for several DAYS his wife had h. en-
telling him that something about the
furnace was wrong that Hans could not
fix. and had asked him 10 see about Il.
he hurried OF 10 avoid hearing her re-
ply. He knew his wife would feel ba..ly
TO have Robbie hear his father cali
names "a exploit his ill-temper. but
Mr.. Jones was in that very common.
very human. Yet very cruel frame OF
mind that finds a satisfaction in vent
ing its discomfort and ilI-temper on
some other human being: and although
he loved his wife and was in the main
4 kind husband. vet when he was in me
Of his Irritable spells" she was usually
the victim.
It was good half mile TO me station,
and when Mr.. Jones reached it he was
n glow of perspiration. besides be-
ng almost exhausted with his walk
through the deep unbroken snow. Ar
irving there, he learned what he had
not suspected before. that the storra
was one of the heaviest and most dis
lstrous of the season; that wires were
iown in all directions and that no
trains had passed or were likely to pass
for some hours. The alternative
seemed to be either to stay in the cold
and dismal station or TO return home.
The idea Of a morning at home was no,
very alluring TO M. Jones. He was at
home so little except on Sundays that
he really felt quite awkward and out Of
place there al any time but evenings
and Sundays. Then be had not forgot
ten the encounter with Robbie. nor for
given the household management; for
he poor breakfast and the cold house