But it was too far gone; it was un-put-togetherable, and so he, more in
sorrow than anger, stood gazing at the wreck, while his wife, being a
woman, could not resist the impulse to cry exultingly, "I told you so; I
knew it." That on top of all the rest of his trouble was a little too
much; and after fumbling over the pieces a while, "I told you so"
ringing in his ears, he completely lost his temper, and vented his
passion in the words:--
"The deuce take the wheelbarrow."--
and then in a low voice, cautiously turning his head aside, he added:--
"My wife and all."
Together they trudged homeward. Fearful misgivings as to the wisdom of
his step came swooping down upon him, and he almost wished he had not
tried to mend matters, but had patiently borne with the rats, when
suddenly--the vision of a _cat_ swept athwart his mind, and he groaned
aloud in bitterness of spirit.
Not even the ever after clean hearth-stone, with the dead bodies of his
enemies, the rats, piled thereon, could make him forget that one moment
of agonizing consciousness, when he realized for the first time that he
had burdened himself with a wife when a cat would have answered as well.
* * * * *
HURLY-BURLY.
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