TAMING THE SHREW

An old American boasted to his grand-children "Y’ Know, in all the fifty years your grand-mother and l have been married, we have never had a quarrel.’

“Gee grand-pa, how did you manage that?" asked his wide-eyed grand-children,’ 'tell us the secret.’

“Waal, it was this way,’ said the old man reminiscently. “ your grand-mother as a maiden was one of the most peevish . and ill-tempered women, whom nobody wanted to marry. Her previous lovers left her as she started fighting with them after a few days of courtship. The last man actually wanted 5 to marry her mainly” on account of her beauty. However when he did not turn up for days because he had gone outstation for some business, she was very angry, and when at last he came, she slapped him and incidentally broke his spectacles. He went away scolding her and that was the last l heard of him! Though i knew all that, I married your grandma being confident that I could tame that shrew.

‘It was in her home town that our wedding took place. After the wedding, l took her to my home town, Which Was about fifty miles away. i put grandma on my horse and began the long journey walking by her side. Halfway the darned hours stumbled and fell. I dragged it to its clumsy feet, looked into its eyes and snarled, "That’s once!" After going a few more miles, the fool stumbled again. I raised it to its feet, looked in the eyes and said, That's twice!" As we were within sight of my house, the horse stumbled for the third time. I immediately took my gun and shot it dead.

Your grandma scolded me thoroughly saying that l was a hard-hearted man to have shot a poor harmless creature that had brought} her fifty miles. I listened patiently to all that she had to say and when she had finished I looked into her eyes and said, "That’s once!”