The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1914-01-19
Copyright. 1918, by Associated Lit
erary Press

Just what has Henry done?''
He's treated you like a child or
slave. saw it the first day | wa
here. and it amazed me that you didn'
show your spunk.'
why. mother. how strange yol
j talkn' said the wife "Tell me on
thing Henry has done that WASH
right"
I'm going to tell you of more thar
one. Tilda. I've been setting then
down on paper so as to be sure, ant
here they are:
''The first day | was here he walks
in and orders you to melt some NUT
ton taller for a sore back cow
why. he didn't order He asked mt
to-
Don't try to excuse him. There was
commanding tone in his voice. The
second day he comes stomping in like
a duke and calls out:
"'Hey. Tllda. I'm going to town. ant
don't you forget to feed the hogs al
noon"
But ! don't see. anything wrong
about that" was protested. He was
going after nails" .t
We'll. I'd just like your father to
roar out at me like that just once. I'D
tell him to go to Texas quicker'n wink
On the third day your Henry hollered
at you from the barnyard and wanted
TO know II the sheep shears were in
the kitchen"
But he wanted them. mother"
~ s'pose he did, but he spoke like old
Nero. If your father had called TO me
like that I'd have gone down there
with aJclub. On the fourth day. as we
was eating supper at 6 o'clock. the
clock stopped You must remember
what Henry said"'
HE said 1t had stopped"
Eyes. but how did he say II? He
looked right across the table at you.
and there was pounded glass in his
tones as he said:
"'Tilda. you forgot to wind up the
clock last night"
"But did forget. mother"
And what If you did,"
"What do you want me to do. moth
err
Assert yourself. Be the boss OF the
house. Have things so as you want
them to. the same as ! do. Your ia
Their wouldn't dare to pull cabbage
head in the garden without asking my
leave"
The wife hadn't looked upon her
husband as tyrant. On the contrary,
she regarded him as one Of the hndest
men she had ever heard of. She had
no wish to NEEDLE or boss. and she had
felt that she was getting all the rights
she could well take care Of. But the
mother had sowed the seeds of discon-
tent. and they soon sprouted. Tilda
began to find fault and tender advice
and to even threaten suicide II her
opinions were not deferred to. Henry
figured out that the mother-in-law had
been talking and using her influence
against him. but he went ahead pa
tiently and avoided anything like
rupture.
1t was when the boy baby was born
that Tilda's mother said to her:
Now. you want to put your foot
right down about name for baby.
am sure Henry will want to call him
James. after an uncle"
but that's good name. isn't lit"
"T1lda Scott, have you lost your
senses?''
IT hope not. mother"
"Then perhaps you can tell me who
The ravens fed"
Moses, wasn't it?'
mot by a jugful! 1t was Elisha,
and that's the name you want to give
baby"
But I'm sure Henry won't like It"
1t so happened that Henry overheard
most of the conversation as he was
training a vine by an open window.
He didn't walk In and order the moth
er-in-law out of the house, but be
sauntered Off to the home of the par
son whose church he and his wife at
tended and stated his case down to the
baby, then added:
MY wife is to threaten to jump into
the horse pond IL ! object to the
name"
you have horse pondf'
81 have. sir"
"How deep is the waterT'
about four feet"
"The mother-in-law is about Eve feet,
! believe"
Thanks said Henry. 81 have the
idea"
Henry got home just as the mother
fn-law was leaving the house. He
picked her up and carried her to the
pond and heaved her in. When she
waded ashore he heaved her back. |
When this performance had been re-
peated for the fifth time he asked:
Have you anything TO say to me-"
"Y-yesw was gasped in reply. Baby |
can be named James. and I'll never
darken your door again"
And peace came back and never left |
the household again. What should we /
do without the parsons 10 advise Us?
She Is Wise Woman