Mrs Flint's Married Experience.

Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, Issue 429, 4 August 1904, Page 6

Mrs Flint's Married Experience.

v%-(Co*fou»d.) r i , '?*^ en ' t ion'got any-right to save - yourhfe?'indignantly asked Mabel. *■ 'lt ha'n.'t come to that, not quite,' said * Mrs Flint, eadl£ • " «Well, fools aie't all dead jet Wine I guessnot; a gocd drink of thoroughWOf ±J ~*~ ?"*& *"- the wine increation.' * Wine'B a 2nd strong drink is raging. Doctor Grant don't read his Bible aa he'd ought to.* 'There ain't nothing in the Bible against beefc*ea,Zgueas,' feebly piped his wile. ■ I do feel as though that would fetch me upj can't you get a piece o" nteat down to the slaughter, deacon F 'I don't see no need on't, Suepty; you're doing reasosably well j meal is reel costy, and pomparin' the flesh is sinful. I'll git another cod-fish the next time I go to the store s that's nourishing. I don't hold to Grant's-ideea entire j besides,'twa'n't nothing* what he said: ha come sb a.friend.' The poor woman burst'into tears; indignation gave her momentary strength; . she did not hear the shed doer open behind her, but she rose in her chair like a spectre, and looktd at him with burning tyes.

'Amasy Flint, I believe you'd a Bight xateer I'd die than live» I hain't had decent Tittle since I was took sick, nor no care whatever. You're a loud pray-er an' reader, but if twa'n't for the name of ie -, I you'd kill ma with the axe instead of starvation, I've a good mind to send for Squire Battle and swear the peace against ye.'

Deacon Flint at this moment saw a shocked face behind his wife's chair; it was Polly Morse. His sentences came to the reicue. 'She's a leetle said, nodding to the unexpected guest. • Gomeright along, Pclly.' This was too much fer the weak, woman to bear. She fell back and fainted. Her indignation had overborne her weakness fcr a moment, but exhausted it also. And when fete awoke to'life, Polly was rubbing her and crying over her. but her husband had gone. Those tears of sympathy were more than she could bear silently. She put her arms round Polly's neck, aid sobbing like a child, poured out the long list ot her Eorrowa into that fttthful ear.

*Bleea jrcur &<>& £Cu ij« Eaid p ollyi wiping cfer eyee, «jou~ csn't tell me nothing new about him. Didn't I summer , and winter him, Bo to speak, afore you come here P Don't I know what Jailed the fust woman P 'Tira'n't no fever, ef they did call it eo; .ftwas iiving with him—want of food and fixe and loving-kind-neea. D.n't tell me. I pitiedjye afore ye waa married, and I hain't stopped yifc' But Polly s wordß were not worda only,f rom that day on. Many a cup of broth, vial of currant wine, or bit of hot stewed . chicken found ita aay surreptitiously to-* Mrs Flint, and her etiength of mind and body returned fast, with thia sympathy for one and food for the other. She made up her mind at last that the. would leave, hgr husband, at least for a time, aad in . he»own»hoase endeavor to find the peace and rest necessary to her entire recovery. If she cculd have scan MindwelLand Sam, aad taken counsel might have been: different, but the road 3 were now well-nigh impasaablo from deep t .mud,.and the could net get to Colebrook, "and in sheer deeper ation Ehe resolved to ■ leave her present home ag soon as Hiram Smith moved from the faim-hcuse. Fortunately ior her, the deacon had to attend towu-22;eetisg»,thrte miles off, on the fiist Monday in April, and, with Polly and Israel to help her, Mrs Fliat was established in the otter house before he re- * turned and found her flown. His wrath "was gieat but etillj he said asd did nothing, never went near htr, and, for very ahame's sate, did sot speak of her—for what could he eij f Perhaps ih that solitary Louee, whose silence waa like balm to her weary and ieveied eoul, ehe might Lave starved but fcr the mexcy of htr neighbors. Poily Moise h*d a tongue of twiftnese, and it never w*ggtd Mis Fiict'6 beha;f. Dr. Uxant sent tait a taritl ot flour to tint destitute dwelling, andlßrael a busnel of applet. p Ci ],, out of her poverty, snarta n b r kit of poik with the poor woman, and Hiiam South brought in a Daxrel of pctatcte and a bag of ratal which he duly charged againet her eccouat with the iwao. But there were many who dated her, ior the deacon held notes and mortgages on many a home aad of many a man in Basiett who ccuid not tfloro. to tffeud kiic. And *oid Parecn Ecteita was joet then shut up witt -an attack cf iow itver.s. he Jtntw flotoing about-ike matter. However, tne irac.n *ae not long to he left nuking hia nt&ih. P«d wia nie are not enough .for 1;e sometimes. The old Uu,* y, tc u & i y damp, comfoitles*, ard in a i c « weeka' Mrs i'iint waa taken again with duease lof the lungs, and Polly Mor ie toand atr a bar bed, unable to eptak aloud, her fire gune out, and the rain dnppmg down in 6-e corner of her bedroom. PUij h £ (i some, lie tell her that laiae) waa going to

By Rose Terry^ooke

Colebrook to bny a pig, and would take any, message.-- She, did not telfcfaer, but, stepping to*the door, called to him across the yard to tell Sam Pratt he most come over to Bassett directly. This-done, she hunted about for something to mske a fire, and then looked for the tea; but there was none. , Nothing like food re. mained but a half-loaf of bread and some cold, potatoes, so she, had to break the bread up in Borne hot water, and feed the exhausted woman slowly, while she chafed her icy feet, and covered her closely with her own shawl. 4a a next day Sam and Misdwell came over, shocsx>i_ and indignant, tbeir waggon loaded with p*& visions, and the old house waß goon fillu? with odors of bsef brotb, milk porridge, fragrant tea and toast, and the sharp crackle of a great fire in two room?, while, b*Bt of all, tender hands fad and soothed the poor woman, and soft filial kisses comforted her starved soul* Mindweil could not stay—there was a little baby at home—but Sam would be left behind -while old lerael drove her back to Colebrook, and fetched Mabel Eldridge to tafceber place Mab buret into a passion of teais when she entered the kitchen. ' I knew it!' Bhe sobbad; * I knew that old wretch would kill her !' And it waa long before Sam could calm her anger and grief, and bring her in to the invalid '* ' VIl7

In the course of two or three weeks, however, Mao's faithful nursing, and Sam's care and providiag, brought back life and some strength to the perishing woman. And meanwhile Polly's tongue had wagged well; it flew all over Bassett that Deacon Flint's wife had left him, and almost died of cold and hunger. To-day such a rumour would have had some direct effect on its object, but then to find fault with authorities was little lees than a sis, and for a wife to leave her husband,- a fearful dcendal, In spite of the facts aad all their witnesses, the sentiment of Bassett went with the deacon. Conjugal subjection was the fashion, or rather the principle and custom, of the day, and was to be upheld in spite of facts.' However, Parecn Roberto by this time had heard of the matter, and balled Daacen Flint to* account, thinking it to be his duty.

'This is the hull sum and Eubetance oa't, parson,' explained the deacon: ' Miss Flint- is a; mieerahte. hystericky female, a dreadful weak vessel, aad ! noways inclined to foliar Scripter in the marriage relation. I've gin her the same living I had myself. I hain't denied" her food and raiment, wherewith she" had ought to be content, as the 'Postle Poll BEys; but she is real pernickity, and given to the lusts of the fleßh about her eating, and I feel it to be my dooty tp be ...a. faithful Btooard of my substance, and not pomper up our poor perishing bodies, while there is forty million more or less of heathen creturs lying in wickedness in .foreign parts,,. Ye know, parson, I hain't never sfcented my contributions to them things; I've ben constant to means of grace alius, and I may s%y & pillar—mabbe a small and creaky one, but still * '^pillar—m the temple, each aa 'tis. I don't know as I had ought to be disturbed bs thia strife of tongues.' - Paison.Boberts was a little confounded. . Me himEalf loved a bHr of • good eating—a cantlo of chicken pie, a tendes .roast, pi? a young chicken broiled on hickory ccala cr a Euceulent shad from the Connecticut' washed down with sparkling cider or foaming flip—and the consciousness of this mild weakness gave undae exaltation to Deacon Flint's boasted asseticism. The parson was too honestly bumb'e to see that Daaeon Flint loved money with a greed far surpassing that of any epicure j fc&at Lis own fault was but a failieg, while the otLer was a passion. Besides, he con- • sidered that Mrs Flint had made light of the sacred ordinance of marriage, and set an awful example to the wives of the parish; so he went away from this interview convinced that the deacon was a stern saint, and his wife a weak sinner. Next day, however, the deacon himself wis surprised by another visit. Pale and w>rn, clißging tight to Sim Pratt's arm, and followed by Mabel carrying a cqsMon, hia wife entered tie kitchen, where he sat devouring salt pork aad potatoes' with the test of a dog wno gnaws his boae unmolested.

I come baok r to see if we couldn't agree, to get aloag together agim' she eaid, weakly ard meekly. «I near there's bsn considerablo talk about my leaving on ye, and I don't want to cast no reflectione. I was tired ail out, and I wuntftd to xeat a epell. S«m and Mab has nursed mo up, so't I could get along now. I gutsa.'

Tut man turned hie cold grccn-gray tjtsonbere.Jowly. «I don't know what you want to come back for now,' he said. * Why, I want for to do my duty eo far &b I can.'

'You had oughter have considered that sfore you, wfent'ifl,' waa the dogged answer. . *" •

Tears ran down the poor woman's face,

A specially constructed covered van containing twenty-eight cages is to make the daily round of the Paris police fctahonß to pick up B tray dogs that have been captured and convey them to the pound, eays the ' Matin.'

Dunag an action in Bench Division in London, it was stated that the rent of some premises in Old Bond-street came to £2200, ox about .86 a day. A motorcar that runs down a Blope and turna a somersault tff a. spring-board over a chasm is the newest sansation. It will probably be seen aboxtly at a musio-i hall. .-■• '•"■•: •«

Footing (energetically helping at Btz*ar) ; 'Won't you put in for a reffl* for thia cuahion ?' Visitor : ' Ob, no, thanke.' ' ' ' Footinitt: «Of oouree it's rather useless and gaudy, and bo forth j and personally I think the designs rotteH. 'But do nut in for it.' * * w a Yiaitor: J No, thanks, Imadeit--