st affectionate reverence, and, therefore, are
not only contented, but happy under his dominion.

HIS WIFE.

Whilst Frank Meriwether amuses himself with his quiddities, and floats
through life upon the current of his humor, his dame, my excellent
cousin Lucretia, takes charge of the household affairs, as one who has
a reputation to stake upon her administration. She has made it a
perfect science, and great is her fame in the dispensation thereof!

Those who visited Swallow Barn will long remember the morning stir, of
which the murmurs arose even unto the chambers, and fell upon the ears
of the sleepers; the dry-rubbing of floors, and even the waxing of the
same until they were like ice;--and the grinding of coffee-mills;--and
the gibber of ducks and chickens and turkeys; and all the multitudinous
concert of homely sounds. And then, her breakfasts! I do not wish to be
counted extravagant, but a small regiment might march in upon her
without disappointment, and I would put them for excellence and variety
against anything that ever was served upon platter. Moreover, all things
go like clock-work. She rises with the lark, and infuses an early vigor
into the whole household. And yet, she is a thin woman to look upon, and
a feeble; with a sallow complexion, and a pair of animated black eyes
which impart a portion of fire to a countenance otherwise demure from
the paths worn across it, in the frequent travel of a low-country ague.
But, although her life has been somewhat saddened by such visitations,
my cousin is too spirited a woman to give up to them; for she is
therapeutical, and considers herself a full match for any reasonable
tertian in the world. Indeed, I have sometimes thought that she took
more pride in her leechcraft than becomes a Christian woman; she is even
a little vain-glorious. For, to say nothing of her skill in compounding
simples, she has occasionally brought down upon her head the sober
remonstrances of her husband, by her pertinacious faith in the efficacy
of certain spells in cases of intermittent. But there is no reasoning
against her experience. She can enumerate the cases--"and men may say
what they choose about its being contrary to reason, and all that;--it
is their way! But seeing is believing--nine scoops of water in the
hollow of the hand, from the sycamore spring, for three mornings, before
sunrise, and a cup of strong coffee with lemon-juice, will break an
ague, try it when you will." In sh