Year: 1873

IN what my husband said to me this
morning, Doctor, word for word" and the
invalid, Mrs. Stephens, lay back again on
the sofa pillows, the very picture of mis-
cry. The family physician, who was called
OH an average to the Stephens mansion
three hundred and sixty times year, drew
chair close to the couch, and waited
quietly for his patient to open her book of
complaints.


"Last night, you see, Doctor, had an
i'll turn, and he wanted to come for you |;
but when got so that he dared to leave
me, he concluded then we'd better let you
Sleep"


"Much obliged to him." said the Doc
tor, with little sarcastic emphasis on the
personal pronoun. "Last night was the
first undisturbed nights rest have enjoyed
for a week" a,.r


Mrs. Stephens continued "This spell
was the same as had the last time you
were sent for: Doctor"


GA slight nervous attack" broke in the
physician, "nothing more"


"Well, it don't make any difference
what you call it, it was mighty hard to
bear but let me tell you what my husband
said first, Doctor, before we go into symp-
toms. When he was going down to break
fast, he says to me, Kate, what shall l
send you up?'


Essays /, Il don't want anything in the
world but a good, strong cup Of tea. Tell
Bridget to send it up in the little teapot
saw, Doctor, that he didn't move after
said this, so turned and looked up at him,
and such picture of rage and disgust /
never saw in my life. Finally, says he,
Tea tea tea its nothing but tea from
morning till night Kate, says he, you
are the color of chinaman now. Why
don't you order good piece of beefsteak,
and slice of brown bread, and cup of
chocolate that would be sensible break
fast ~


"But John" says I, "you forget that
am sick and have no appetite" was all
ready to cry, but was determined that he
shouldn't have the satisfaction of seeing
the tears fall.


Forget" says he forget ~ / wish to
Heaven l could forget Its nothing but
grunt and groan from one years end to the
other have lost all patience with you,"
says he "When we lived in part Of
house, and you did your own houseworl1
you were as well and as happy as anybody,
and no man ever had pleasanter little
home than John Stephens but what have
l now to leave, or come back to?'' and
this, Doctor, is what he ended up with


Kate" says he, "you are nothing
more nor less than drunkard and in the
sight of God, more culpable than most of
the men who stagger through the streets
because the majority of those poor devils
have some sort of an excuse for their con-
duct, and you haventthe slightest. You
have luxurious home, husband doing
his level best TO make you happy--every-
thing under the light of the sun to please
you, and yet you will persist in swilling
tea" Yes, Doctor, stoiIling was the word
he used-bool hoo hoo oh dear me to
think should ever have lived to have
heard such dreadful language out of my
husbands mouth and then says he and
making me as miserable wretch as walks
the earth"


"Pretty plain talk" interrupted the
Doctor, with shrug Of his broad shoul-
ders."


"Oh yes" sobbed the victim, f" and so
awfully coarse and unkind. If had had
spell, and died there before ais very face, I
don't believe he would have cared snap
Of his finger l tell you, Doctor Ellis,
there is such thing as mans getting
hardened"