A WAY TO BE HAPPY. 137

 

about doing nothing all the morning! [ll
be bound that if -you had been in your shop
ironing hats or waiting on your customers
since breakfast-time, there would have been
no complaint about the dinner.”

Mr. Parker was taken all aback. This
was speaking out plainly “with a ven-
geance.” Since his retirement from busi-
ness, his self-estimation had arisen very
high, compared with what it had preyious-
ly been; he was, of course, more easily
offended. To leave the dinner-table was
the first impulse of offended dignity.

So broad a rupture as this had not oc-
curred between the husband and wife since
the day of their marriage—not that causes
equally potent had not existed, for Mrs.
Parker, when any thing excited her, was
not over-choice of her words, and had fre-
quently said more cutting things; but then
her husband was not so easily disturbed—
he had not so high an opinion of himself.
Tt was still raining heavily, but rain

could no longer keep the latter at home.