Year: 1864

: W hat IN the world was JOB Poison Il
: say now? He had never heard his wifi,


speak so sadly and solemnly before. II,
sat upon nettles, He got up and wen
, TO the closet he tried to whistle anC
finally be left the house. He went tt


the barn, and examined the beam ovei


the tie up. 1t was loose, and he saw a


once that it ought to be fixed but ht


would not do it then--it would look toe


much like being governed by his wife


BY and by he went around and looked a


the steps at the front door. Thoy oar


tainly needed dxing,. b1i Alg wasll4l aat-dc


the job until after dinner. HIS wife had


told him that be had better do Il before


dinner. If he pu: it off till afternoon


that would show that be was net control


led by his wife.


For an hour and half Job Poison


loafed about the barn and shed like a man


who knew not what to do with himself
The door steps and the tie up beam


troubled him. He knew that they ought


to be fixed but he could not turn his


back SO soon upon the new road


At length the dinner horn was sound
ed, and Job went in and took his seat at
the table. The old smile, that had for
fifteen years cheered him morning, noon
and night, had faded from bis wife's face,
and she gazed upon him meekly and sub
missively.


'Will my master have some of this
sauce 2 she asked. There was no irony
in the tone-no malevolence; but she
spoke quietly and politely.


Yes said job, I should like some of
it,


But his dinner did not taste good to
him. He did not feel at home. He felt,
to use one form of his own thought, like
a cat in strange garrett After dinner
he went out and smoked in the shed, and
then went in and fixed the door step
This was finished about the middle of the !
afternoon, and from then until supper
time he worked at his wood pile. At the
supper table he felt more nervous and
uneasy than at dinner. Once or twice
be ventured TO raise his eyes to bis wife's
face, but there was nc smile for him
none of the old, happy look.


This was more than Job Poison had
been prepared for. He had-or supposed
he bad-screwed bis courage up to the
point Of meeting his wife's show of tenn
per. In fact, he had store of harsh
commanding words, already arranged, to
lurl back at her when she dared to ques-
ion his authority, or offer to treat him
With contempt. But he had not planned
or meeting such an emergency as this
he bad announced his intention Of gov
3rning his wife, and she had taken him
1t his word. What should hedo? How
should he commence? What sort of
ask had he before him? As he sat in
he chimney corner, after evening chores (
lad been done, smoking his pipe, be felt
iery much like man who has attempted
0 speak in meeting and has forgotten
lis speech. His wife had been in the
labit, every evening, when she was well,
f singing and chatting over her knitting
'ut her voice was now hushed. ,


AT nine o'clock he arose to attend to )
is cattle. He looked for bis lantern but
ould not find it. ,


Where is my lantern?'


i guess it is where you left it, said
'arah. She laid down her knitting, ard =
rent out into the porch where she found !;
sitting on a bench. She had lighted !,
nd handed ii to him.
Shall / do anything more for you,
oh P


She was calm and passive; be was r
loking with perplexity. c
That's ALL he gasped. And be then
ent away and fed the cattle, and got in
is wood for morning. -
What a cLeerless evening it had been D
On the following morning Job found c.
ie same sedate face at the breakfast Ia O
e-no smiles-no c h ers-no social a
lasting. After breakfast he went out a
ID fixed the beam at the tie up; and ci
en- be was at his wits end. Wha: d
ould he have given at that moment for l.
suggestion from his wife. By and by r,
lucky thought struck him. He went
to the house with this purpose.


Sarah he said, with his hands work. 0,
g nervously in.his pockets, what do you
ink about having the loom put in or
r.? F
Il don't think anything about it, Job. of
Ou can do as you think best