Year: 1871

1


whose better haIfis considerable youn.
ger than himsclf-in fact, he is old
enough to be her father-became quite
| Jealous of her on account ola disposl,
ton hs had discovered in her to firt
with the men. He could charge her
with no absolute wrong, but her con-
tinued coquetry e1aspcrated him to
such an extent that, in a fit of wrath,
he came home ono day and declared
they must separate. :,


They we're boarding, and he said she
might stay there, but he would pack
up his things and get out. Her con-
duct was unendurable, he said and he
wouldn't be tortured any mere. 50
he flew around and gathered up his
effects with view to packing them in
q trunk.


The work of packing up begun, when
his wife, who had been weeping, fell
upon his neck, with choking sobs and
lamatations, begging that he would
reconsider his vote on reconstruction
and not take the desperate step he
meditated.


The husband faltered a little at this.
He became confused and instead OF
packing his best breeches in the trunk
lie tried to stuff them inside of his
vest. Then he laid his handkerchief
carefully away in the trunk and blew
his nose in a box Of paper collars. His
wife's tears at length conquered, and
he relented. lie discontinued packing
up to pack off, and they embraced and
made up.


1t was not long after the recoucilia-
ton, however, before he caught his
wife chatting aud laughing most vio-
leutIy with 4th street dry goods clerk,
q Young aud handsome fellow, and his
Jealous wrath returned with greater
force than ever. This time he GER
tainly would be of. lie hurried home,
and when shortly after his wife follow
cd him, she found him with bis trunk
packed, and he in the act of locking
it.


The previous scene was re-enacted,
on,y it was of lougcr-duration. tire"
.quired a greater quantity Of tears, more
and more earnest entreaties, and sighs
of much greater size to melt him this
time. He melted, though, and the
trunk was again unpacked.


But there came yet another and more
aggravating cause for the old follows
jealousy. 1t really looked this time as
though it would be three times and
out, or rather off. He had been away
from the city, and he learned on his
return that every night during his as-
serce his wife had been seen at the
theatre with the good looking clerk
aforesaid. Tears aud protestations of
innocence were of no avail then.
While they were going on he continued
packing bis trunk in the most
deliberate and artistic manner. The
experience he had had in packing
that trunk was made available. He
economical space so we'll there was
room left, and he asked her sarcasti.
cally if there was any little thing OF
hers she would like to pack away there
to keep things from shucking around.
Then he shut the trunk, and the spring
came together with vicious snap.


He buckled all the straps with pro.
voking coolness, while his wife was
formulating on the verge Of Mysteries.
He buckled a great leather strap
around it, ard finally tied it up with
a piece of BEDFORD.


During all this time the wife was
grieving as though her heart would
break. At last, finding that tears
could not melt him, she resorted to
woman's last erpedient-she swooned.
This was just as her cruel and hard
hearted husband was going out Of the
door to get an express wagon. lie
hesitated, looked at the prostrate and
senseless form on the floor, fumbled at
the door-knob, took a step or two in
the hall, turned back, stopped again,
and finally came to the rescue. The
result may be guessed. The trunk was
unpacked again, and all was serene.


The next day be was surprised on
going to his dinner to find his wife
absent. He found in her stead, how
ever little note lying on the bureau,
which ran as follsws:


"Dear Old Husey: Moved by your
example in packing up, l have been in
trying my hand in packing up, also,
as you will find by examining the
drawers and closet. 1 think you will
acknowledge I have succeeded very
well for a first attempt. AS the lock
of my trunk was not in frst-rate con-
dition, 1 borrowed your strap, but l
will return it to the first opportunity.
You will prcccive that | have taken
nothing of yours. | had enough OF
my own (priucipally bought by myself
before marriagc) to I'll the trunk, and
so didn't have to take any little thing
of yours to hep things from shucking
around


"You are now at liberty to pack
y"n. trunk and pack off as soon as you
nlease. as I intended to do. Thankir-