The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1854-08-31

/ sio aIunceS W restore tne GOOD hum0r OF Rose
had failed, signally; and BY the merest chance
nad stumbled on success, Is | discovered the
1 moment her smiling face beamed upon me-
] MY little interyiew with Mike had pleased her
more than thousand personal compliments
1 just as fond mothers are more delighted to have
| their children noticed than themselves. She
began she reconciliation by informing me that
she had had such headache ell the day past
her head had been nigh about ready to burst,
though abe had refrained from speaking of il,
because she know felt rs badly as she. ! af.
iected to receive in good faith oil har excuses,
and communicated the intelligence 10 reference
to Lucretia's movements; for Rose, as is common
| with people In her condition, took the livcliest
interest IN the affairs of her neighbors.
wonder how Mr.. Richards would ike to have
her come into the family 90 she said in the
| course of our conversation.
| 1t was useless to affect misrepresentation, 90
replied that it could not be other than mat
ter of indifference to him.
Il tell you it is not q matter Of indifference
| to him, and he would no more connect himself,
by marriage, with the Widow Wilkinson fam.
lily, than he would out his own head off, He is
proud, that man is; and I'll tell you another
thing-h be should pop the question to me to-
night, or any other night, wouldn't believe
he would ever marry me-
And why sol IF he were to ask you to be-
come his wife, you would certainly be warrant
ed in drawing conclusion favorable to rnatri-
monyp
Because replied Rose, folks of one color
don't marry folks of another color; and folks
that are brought up to think work amt for
them to do, don't marry them as are brought up
to think work is for them to don
smiled, though / fain would have sighed,
and spoke Of other things-my eyes, the while,
resting on my toil-hardened hands. TIE rude
wisdom Of Rose was unsatisfactory.
1t is going TO be coolish to night, again.
she said, seeming disinclined to leave She sub
ject so win kindle fire in the parsor, and
if Mr.. Richar comes home, why, it will be
ready for him; and if he don't it will warm
Fleet, for he is all of trimble, and his master
thinks more of him than your mother does of
Doke, or her short-tailcd cow. Soul ard body
of me, I'd hate to think more of brute beast
than did of my fellow creatures
Why, Rose, said l. @you seem to have hard
feelings What has aroused your indigna-
ton gu
Nothing she replied, speaking in tone
of csperity; only every man expects every
woman to be q molstter, and they might as well
be it. For nay part, / made up my mid long
ago to slave it out" So saying, she proceeded
to light the fire. i could hear her bio Ting VI
olently with her breath, regardless of the bel.
lows.
Ilaughipgly called to her to cease from blow
ing her life away, saying, how could Mike live
without her.
She was sure she didn't care, she replied !;
he might live the best he could. At any rate,
she would not marry him the longest day she
ever cav. g pretty fool, ], TO bind myself to
be hisen, when | can just as well belong to
myself, and do what please with wha. earn,
and no thanks to no man,
90, Nike cried, "what is the matter |! y
for he suddenly appeared, pale and sremhling,
and, seating himself on tho door-sill, book off
one shoe and poured from it quantity of
blood
Nothing much,D he replied, striving to
keep the tremor from his lips. II have cut
myself little, that is sll.D
There was DO need that should call Roee;
no sooner had che heard the voice of the
wounded mar, than she fastened to his side,
end, throwing her red, brawny arms about his
neck, kissed him repeatedly, making the most
vehement EXPLANATIONS and interrogations.
80, dear Mike, one of your legs IS cut right
off, and you never can walk as Ions az you
live. But can carry you in nv arms if you
only 1.-Two to get well. Do you think fou viii
die, Mike! o, Heaven help you !" and,
hiding her eyes in his bosom, she sobbed like
the loving girl she was.
"Never mind, Rosy amt hurt much, !" said
her adnlirer, caressing her; but half wild with
terror, che could not be persuaded but that
one foot was clean gone; and even when, with
many tender entreaties she was prevailed on
to look up, she could not cease crying and
kissing her dear Mike, though the accident
was proven q slight one. When the wound
was dressed (s cut in the left foot Caused by
the slipping of the sxe) and bandaged with
Roses best cambria pocket handkerchief she
insisted on his going to bed. She would milk
and feed the cows, and, if need were, do more
she was well and strong, and it would be
pleasure to her to wait on him.
In vain Mike urged his ability to do the
chores az usual. She would not hear of it
and, piling his chair with pillowe and placing
wine and apples, and camphor, and 6 book Of
pictures, on the chair beside him, she seft him.
smiling and wiping her eyes, for the perform
ance of his tasks
l took the household tasks upon myself and,
CHANGING to observe Nike shortly aftes the girl
was gone, saw the tears dropping SD lodg-
ing in his thickeDing and darkeninr beard
g L your foot SO painful, Mike - I as led. He
shock his head, and in manly pride COS cred his
face with his hands.
The tender care of Rose had touched his
heart; and, leaving him to recover his selfpos-
session, / unused on that mystery Of mysteries
which affects the peasant and the lordling the
same. Rudeness was softened, the pride of
manhood broken down, and stubbornness and
waywardness turned to the tenderest devotion
in moment.
And while 30 unused and busiea myself
with the preparations for tea, night sS at in. ]
.besitated to close the doors and ! ght the
candle, as if tho hour would be made my later
thereby, and, as long as ] could see, X pit about
my cares.
At length Ross camo in, with her pail and
pitcher trimming with milk, and her face
beaming, not 30 much from exercise 81 inward
Joy.
asked, pushing tho hair from his fore head.
! @Why,n said the young man, cit Seemed a
good while to men
aDear me,D said Rose, how the time goes
when body's busy"
Z And how the time goes, too, thouRht when
one is happy, Il had seemed Q loDtc time to
me that Rose had been milking. Gould not
rest anywhere; and when the door WIS closed,
and the young couple chattering SO FIST as to
make an approaching footstep un' card, it
seemed 70 nae that the coming of Mr.. Richards
was rendered impossible. went Fl I'm room
to room, restless in all, for il seemed me that
if absented myself from the parior II time
should find MIR. Richards there on te-enter-
ing. opened books upon books, ,ut none
could fix my attention. seated mys lf in the
chair where l had sat the previous evening,
and counted the hours, the few hours hat were
between me and the bIessedest time o. my life;
but, try as / would, could not make them
appear other than black, impossible gulf