Litchfield enquirer., 1859-02-24
THE NEWSPAPER.

look, as the setting sun gilded its small win | dows, over which the luxnriant grape vine; were carefully trained. In the open door Sal 1 the farmer, with little moroccocovered book in his hand, on which his attention had been fixed for the last hour He was D man oi method and order-old Richard Heath-and | aside from his regular account books, which he always kept with scrupulous care, he always set down in this little book, in the simplest manner possible, all his expenses. (no very complicated account by the way,) and all he had received during the year. in the metal, as he said, not by the way of trade.
 The last account he had inst reckoned up. the result was highly satisfactory, if one might judge from the pleasant expression of his face her pretty, old-fashioned name
 Mllicent," said he, this has been a lucky year. How little we thought when we moved to this place, twenty-five years ago, that we should ever get five hundred dollars a year out of the rocky, barren farm'
 "It does pay for good deal of hard work, " said she, "see, too, how different things look from what they did then" ..
 "Now, 1 am going to figure up how mu:h we have spent, said Mr. Heath C don't make a noise with your knitting needles, Cause it puts me out"
 The wife laid by her knitting in perfect good humor and gazcd 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 kindly spoken, led her own thoughts far back, to the past for after lapse of twenty-five years the simple sound of the name sine bore iu her youth means more to a wife, than all the dearest epithets of dearest love, and darling, so layisbingly offered iu long past courtship.
 Very pleasant was the retrospect to Mill cent Heath. The picture of the past had in it some rough places, and some hard trials, but no domestic strife or dscontent marred its suu- ny aspect. There were smiling faces on it. happy children's faces, without which no life picture is beautiful. Soft blue eyes sllone with unclouded gladness, and wavy hair foated carelessly over unwritten foreheads She for got, for a moment, how they were changed, aud almost fancied herself again the young mother, and tiny hands nestled there as of old
 The illusion vanished quickly, and she sigh ed, as she thought of her youngest born, the reckless boy who fas left her three years be- fore for a home on the sea- Once only had ti- dings reached her of the wanderer. The let ter spoke of hardships and home sickness in that light aud careless way that reached the mothers heart more surely than repining and complaint. To know that he suffered with strong heart, with noble and uDyielding resolu- tion, gave her feeling of pleasure not unmiil- gled with pride.
 He will surely come back" murmured the affectionate mother to herself and 1 read the paper so carefully every week, that if it says any thing about the ship Alfred sailed in, l shall be sure to see it." ...- .... .........
 Mrs. Heath,' said her husband, interrupt ing her meditations somewhat rudely, "we have spent thirty dollars more than usual this year where can it have gone to 2'sgssF
 The new harness" suggested Mrs Heath :; " that don't come every year, you know"
 ''Well, there's twenty dollars accounted for" tv We had the carriage fixed up when you bought the harness" continued his wife.
 "Well, that was eight dollars, that's twen- weight we don't spend every year-but the other two, where can they have gone p
 Glancing his eye over the pages of the memorandum book, he continued
 "Ill tell you what 'tis, the newspaper costs just two dollars, and we can do without it. It isn't any thing to eat, drink or wear. I don't do any thing with it, and you only lay it away up chamber. It may as we'll 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. I always have a sort of glad feeling when see you take it out of your coat and lay it on the kitchen mantle-piece, just as do when some of the children come home ; and when I am tired l sit down with my knitting work and read. 1 can knit just as well when I'm reading, and feel so contented I don't believe Queen Vic tora herself takes more solid comfort than l do, sitting by the east window, on summer afte ternoon, reading my paper"
 But you are just as we'll off without" an- swered her husband, for want of any thing else to say.
 never neglect anything else for reading, do 1 ?" asked Mrs. Heath, mildly
 No, l don't know as you do," answered her husband but it seems an extra, like-I shall stop d." he added, in a tone that showed plainly enough he wished to stop the conversa- tion.
 shall take the paper," remarked his wife," if have to go out washing to pay for it."
 This was not spoken angrily, but so firmly that Mir. Heath noticed it, though by no means remarkable for discernment in most mat ters. It sounded so different from her usual quiet :" as you think best," that he actually stopped a moment to consider whether it was at all likely she would do as she said.
 Mfr Heath was kind husband, as that in definite description is generally understood !; that is, he did not beat his wife, and always gave her enough to eat. More than that, he had a certain regard for. her happiness, which already made him feel ashamed of his decis- ion, but like many other men who have more obstinacy than wisdom he couldn't bear to re tract any thing, and above all to be convinced be was wrong by woman.