Year: 1865

much to make herself comfortable with tn
most she can have" returned he.


Thus they now began to disagree again.


Il am willing for anything which is fair
but shan't consent to such oBe-sided divi
ding off as he speaks Of 1 mean to take
reasonable view, and l want he should do tbt
same ard he knows, if he looks at the mat
ter candidly that be will find more use fol
three cows than l shall. So there is no ust
of multiplying words about it, for I shsn't
come back of what I have said ~ protested


Mistress Puffer, resOluiely.


"Hu-umph !! If you cannot agree to live
together, you mus agree to separate, you
know" interposed the lawyer, who testifea
that contention Of mutual concession may be a.
difficult to settle satisfactorily as strife of mud
tual greed.


! Silent, but not convinced, good man Puff
! fer held his peace hereupon, when he inwardly
reflected that all the Good-wife said could not
prevent bis driving this bone Of contention
the third cow-over to her brothers barn in
due season. So be allowed her face to glow
with satisfied triumph without any farther
protest.


But passing down along Squire Sabins list,
the swine proved quite as unmanagesble in
their turn as the kline.


Il have no notion of taking the fat hog
and one of the little pigs. What can do, /
should like TO know, in the first place, with
such pile of meat? And when you have fed
that pOrksr up to this time. and thought so
much Of hirn, I shan't hear a word to take
him, any way. Now, thas is 50 ?" affirmed the
Good-wife.


On the other hand the Goodman was
equally decided. Mother couldn't try up the
fat into lard and take care of the meat if we
kept it and the pork is worth IS much for
her to sell as it is for me- he said.
.Ye-es! Wa-al, l would suggest that, as
you two cant seem TO agree even to disagree,
you make a compromise. Mrs. Puffer had the
matter of the cows her own way suppose,
then, Mr.. Pufer cults himself in the pig ques-
tion ," interposed the counselor, mending his
pen for fresh start.


Come, now, that is no more than fair "
assented Mr.. Puffer although, OF course, the
aren't hypocrite was all the time conscious in
his inmOst heart-and outmost, too, for that
matter-that he had never for moment in
tended to abide by the decision of good Mrs.
P. in the last dispute. Therein you see a ST.
| lent partner has an advantage in an argument;
for good Mrs. P. herself, having no power Of
knowing this mental reservation, was obliged
reluctantly to concede.


Thus, inch by inch and animal by animal
they fought their way through the live stock;
and coming after a tedious while to the per-
sonal property, found that TO be even more re-
fractory.


"He must have two bed quilts and two
pairs of sheets to my one. shan't give my
consent to anything else; for his mother is
getting too old and feeble fer quilting, and
weaving, and the like of that work." affirmed
the Good-wife, with cheerful benevoIence.


"Of course shant take her setting out, and
she needn't propose it p protested Goodman.
Mrs. P. opened her mouth with face
which evinced a burst of words as clearly as
ever black cloud betokened burst of rain.


"You needn't say word for nor against.
tell you won't hear to it, even if you ran
out a case IS long and as strong as the Moral
| Law !" added her lord with unusual fervor.


"H-m,m yes-es Wa-al, wa-al, my ad-
vice to you two good people is, seeing you can
not agree to separate, to get into your wagon
and ride home together" said wise Councillor
Sabin, at last, cleaning his pen upon bis hair
and twisting the paper of minutes into a ci-
gar lighter.


/ The good people were finally persuaded to
follow this advice, which has proved the SCUM
dest advice he ever gave and paying the price
of the fatted swine for it, they clambered into
the high-backed wagon and rode of with a
joint feeling Of conscious relief yet too shame
J faced too speak during the whole distance
| home.


When they arrived there Bose came run
ming to the end of the lane which led TO the
house to give them q grnff bark of welcome
and Mrs. P.'s heart warmed with pleasure
She even stopped to pat him, and called him a
nice fellow upon her way into the porch 10
| full view of Mr.. Pufer, who felt grateful to
the very tips of his callous fingers for this un-
wOnted token of friendliness, while Bose jump,
ed and frisked awkwardly around, whining
with delight. Then she disappeared through
| the doorway into the kitchen and when she
saw tbs homeIy room and its furniture looking
SO familiar and kindly, as they, in their way,
gave mute welcome home again to their
mistress, she sat down in her old splint rocking
chair and had hearty cry. Then she brushed
away her tears, which were by no means bitter
ones, and raked open the very Goals upon the
stone hearth, which she had covered so careful
y before leaving the room forever, as she be-
lieved, hung the teakettle upon the crane, and
drew out the table for supper.


So when the husband came in from unbar-
Messing the horse, and feeding the COWS and
pigs, instead of the dresry Stiffness he had been
bargaining for, he found the room alive with
warmth and cheeriness. The fragrance Of new
made tea, mingled with that of stewed peaches
and broiling beef, which spluttered pleasant
sort OF accompaniment to the humming tea
kettle while the Good-wife, with a satisfied
face, was putting plate of smoking hot flap
jacks, buttered, and sugared, and quartered,
upon the table, and singing as blthe and light
of heart ss May bird. TO tell the truth,
the weak minded woman had been actually
kissing, with tears in her eyes, the clumsy old
rolling pin, which, from its rough finish, had
been to her like thistle in the shoe for years.


"Well, wife, this seems like getting home
again after long journey" said Mr.. PufFsr,
after warming his hands and his heart also at
the blaze, and looking about with a smile up
on his face which quite trans6gured it.
| And so il was. Madam the mother came
indeed with her asthma and her palsy, but il
was only to sit in the easiest chair in the
warmest corner. A hungry gray cat appeared
also very mysteriously, which Mrs. Puffer tried
at first to drive away, but which Mr.. Pufer