Page:Fables of Aesop and other eminent mythologists.djvu/33

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HE Wife of Xanthus was well-born and wealthy, but o Proud and Domineering withall, as if her Fortune and her Extraction had Entituled her to the Breeches. She was Horribly Bold, Medling, and Expenive; (as that ort of Women commonly are) Eaily put off the Hooks, and Montrous hard to be pleaed again: Perpetually chattering at her Husband, and upon All occaions of controvery, Threatning him to be gone. It came to this at Lat, That Xanthus's tock of Patience being quite pent, he took up a Reolution of going another way to Work with her, and of trying a Coure of Severity, ince there was nothing to be done with her by Kindnes. But this Experiment, intead of mending The matter, made it wore; for upon harder Uage, The Woman grew Deperate, and went away from him in Earnet. She was as Bad 'tis true as Bad might well be, and yet Xanthus had a kind of Hankering for her till: Beide that there Was matter of Interet in the Cae: and a Petilent Tongue he had, that the Poor Husband Dreaded above all things Under the Sun: but the man was willing however to make the Bet of a Bad Game, and o his Wits and his Friends were et at Work, in the fairet Manner that Might be, to get her home again. But there was No good to be done in't it eems; and Xanthus was o viibly out of Hu-mour upon't, that Æop in Pure Pity bethought himelf Immediately how to Comfort him. Come Mater (ays he) Pluck up a good heart; for I have a Project in my Noddle that hall bring my Mitres to you back again, with as good a Will as ever me went from you. What does me Æop, but away Immediately to the Market among the Butchers, Poulterers, Fihmongers, Confectioners, &c. for the Bet of Every thing that was in Seaon. Nay he takes private People in his way too, and Chopps into the very houe of his Mitrees Relations,as by Mitake. This Way of Proceeding et the whole Towne a Gog to know the Meaning of all this Butle, and Æop innocently told every body That his Maters Wife was run away from him, and he had Marry'd another: His Friends up and down were all Invited to come and make Merry with him, and This was to be the Wedding Feat. The News flew like Lightning, and happy were they could carry the Firt Tydings of