As for Mr. Herman Uhler, he was looked upon, abroad, as a mild, reasonable, good sort of a man. At home, however, he was held in a very different estimation. The "wife of his bosom" regarded him as an exacting domestic tyrant; and, in opposing his will, she only fell back, as she conceived, upon the first and most sacred law of her nature. As to "obeying" him, she had scouted that idea from the beginning. The words, "honor and obey," in the marriage service, she had always declared, would have to be omitted when she stood at the altar. But as she had, in her maidenhood, a very strong liking for the handsome young Mr. Uhler, and, as she could not obtain so material a change in the church ritual, as the one needed to meet her case, she wisely made a virtue of necessity, and went to the altar with her lover. The difficulty was reconciled to her own conscience by a mental reservation. It is worthy of remark that above all other of the obligations here solemnly entered into, this one, _not_ to honor and obey her husband, ever after remained prominent in the mind of Mrs. Barbara Uhler. And it was no fruitless sentiment, as Mr. Herman Uhler could feelingly testify. From the beginning it was clearly apparent to Mrs. Uhler that her husband expected too much from her; that he regarded her as a kind of upper servant in his household, and that he considered himself as having a right to complain if things were not orderly and comfortable. At first, she met his looks or words of displeasure, when his meals, for instance, were late, or so badly cooked as to be unhealthy and unpalatable, with-- "I'm sorry, dear; but I can't help it." "Are you sure you can't help it, Barbara?" Mr. Uhler at length ventured to ask, in as mild a tone of voice as his serious feelings on the subject would enable him to assume. Mrs. Uhler's face flushed instantly, and she answered, with dignity: "I _am_ sure, Mr. Uhler." It was the first time, in speaking to her husband, that she had said "Mr. Uhler," in her life the first time she had ever looked at him with so steady and defiant an aspect. Now, we cannot say how most men would have acted under similar circumstances; we can only record what Mr. Uhler said and did: "And I am _not_ sure, Mrs. Uhler," was his prompt, impulsive reply, drawing himself up, and looking somewhat sternly at his better half. "You are not?" said Mrs. Uhler; and she compressed her lips tightly. "I am not," was the emphatic response. "And what do you expect me to do, pray?" came next from the lady's lips. "Do as I do in my business," answered the gentleman. "Have competent assistance, or see that things are done right yourself." "Go into the kitchen and cook the dinner, you mean, I suppose?"