The Middlebury galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1848-1850, 1849-04-03
MISCELLANY.
THE NEWSPAPER.

| look, as the setting sun guided Its small WIN
dows, over which the luxuriant grape vines
were carefully trained. In the open door sat
the farmer, with little morocco covered book
in his hand, on which his attention had been
fixed for the last half hour He was man OF
method and order-old Richard Heath-and
aside from his regular account books, which
he kept with scrupulous care, he always set
down in this little book, in the simplest man.
ner possible, all his expenses, Ono very compli-
Gated account by the way,) and all he had re-
ceived during the year, in the real metal as
he said. not by the way o'trade.'
This last account he had just reckoned up,
and the result was highly satisfactory, if one
might judge from the pleasant expression OF
his face as he turned to his wife, and address
ed her by her pretty old fashioned name.
sMllicent,' said he, this has been lucky
year. How little we thought when we moved
on to this place, twenty-five years ago, that
we should ever get five hundred year out Of
the rocky barren farm
1T does pay for good deal of hard work,
said she, 9 to see how different things look from
what they did then.
Now I'm going to figure up how much
we've spent, said Mr.. Heath, don't make
noise with your knittin' needles, cause it puts
me out
His wife laid down her knitting in perfect
good humor, and gazed out over the broad
rich fields of waving grain which grew so tall
around the laden apple-trees that they looked
like massive piles of foliage. Hearing her own
name thus kindly spoken, led her thoughts far
back to the past for after the lapse of TWEEN
ty-fve years, the simple sound of the name
she bore in youth, means more to wife thar
all the pulling epithets of dearest, love, and
darling, so lavishly offered in a long past court
ship.
Very pleasant was this retrospect to Mill
cent Heath. The pictures of the past had on
it some rough places, and some hard trials, but
no domestic strife or discomfort married its
sunny aspect. There were smiling faces on it
happy children's faces, without which no
llfe-picture is beautiful Soft blue ewes shined
with unclouded gladness and wavy hair float
ed carelessly over unwritten foreheads. She
forgot for moment how they were changed,
and almost fancied herself again the young
mother, and tiny hands stole lovingly over her
bosom, and young heads nestled there as of
old. The illusion vanished quickly, and she
sighed as she thought of her youngest born,
the reckless boy who had left her three years
before, for home on the sea. Once only had
tidings reached her of the wanderer. The
letter spoke of hardship and inconsistencies, in
that light and careless way that reached the
mothers heart more surely than repining and
complaint. To know that he suffered with a
strong heart, with noble, unyielding resolution
gave her feeling of pleasure not unmixed
with pride.
He will surely come back murmured the
afiectionate mother to herself; and read the
paper so carefully every week, that if it SAYS
anything about the ship Alfred sailed in, /
shall be sure to see it.
Mrs. Heath, said her husband, interrupt
ing her meditations somewhat rudely, we've
spent thirty dollars more than usual this year
where can it have gone TO !?
The new harness. suggested Mrs. Heath.
Z That don't come every year you know.
We'll, there's twenty dollars accounted for
I'VE had the carriage fixed up when you
bought the harness. continued his wife.
We'll that was eight dollars that's twenty
eight dollars we don't spend every year-bIt
the other two-where can they have gone 2
CHANGING his eye hastily over the pages of the
book, he continued: 'Pll tell
you what It's, the newspaper costs Just two
dollars, and We can do without it. 1t isn't any
thing to eat, to drink, Or wear. don't do a
ny thing with it, and you only lay it away up
chamber 1t may as well be left out as not,
and I'll stop my subscription right away
Oh said his wife, you don't know how
much set by the newspaper l always have
a sort of glad feeling when l see you take it |
out of your hat and lay il on the kitchen man.
tle-piece, Just as do when some of the children |
come home. And when I'm tired, / sit down |
with my knitting work and read, (can knit
just as fast when I'm reading,) and feel so con-
tented. l don't believe Queen Victory her
self takes more solid comfort than do sitting
by that east window of summer afternoon,
reading my newspaper
But you'd be just as well Off without it,
answered her husband, for want of any thing
wiser to say
Il never neglect any thing else for reading,
do p asked Mrs. Heath, mildly.
No, don't know as you do, answered her
husband ; but it seems to me an extra like
shall stop 1t ;'he added in a tone that showed
plainly enough he wished to stop the CONVEX
;ation too.
l shall take the paper remarked his wife,
if l have to go out washing to pay for it
This was not spoken angrily, but so firmly
hat Mr.. Heath noticed it, though by no means
remarkable for discernment in most matters.
It sounded so different from her usual quiet
as you tnlnk pest, tnat ne ACTUALLY SIOppeu Il
moment to consider whether it was at all like
v she would do as she said. Mr.. Heath was
kind husband as that indefinite description is
generally understood that is, he did not beat
lis wife, and always gave her enough to eat.
'1ore than this, he had certain regard for
Ter happiness which already made him feel
lalf ashamed of his decision, but like many
ther men who have more obstinacy than wis s
om, he could not bear to retract anything, {
nd above all, to be convinced be was wrong
~ woman.
However, with a commendable wish to re- '
move the unhappiness he had caused, he sug- ;
ested that as the papers were carefully seal '
d, and as she had found them interesting, she {
ould read EN- all over again, beginning at 5
January, and taking one week, clear through
he year-they would just come Out even, he
oncluded, as if it were a singular fact that S
hey should do So
Notwithstanding this admirable proposition,
e still felt some uneasiness. 1t followed him |
S he walked up the pleasant lane to the pas t
ure and il made him sneak more sharply than i