The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1859-05-19
THE NEWSPAPER.

the open door sat the farmer, with a lit
tie morocco covered book in his hand, on
which his attention had been fixed for
the last hour. He was man of method
and order-old Richard Heath-and a
side from his regular account books, which
he always set down in this little book, in
the simplest manner possible, all bis ex-
penses, (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 be bad just reckoned
up, the result was highly satisfactory, if
one night judge from the pleasant express
sion of bis face as be turned to his wife
and addressed her by her pretty old fash
/ ioDed name.
'Millicent,' said he this has been lucky
year. How little we thought, when We
moved to this place twenty-five years a.
/ 60, that we should ever get five hundred
dollars year out Of the rocky, barren
farm
1t docs pay for q good deal hard work,
said ,he, sec. too, how different things
look from what they did them
Now, am going to figure up how
much we have spent, said Heath; don't
make noise with your knitting needles
cause it puts me out
The wife laid by her knitting in perfect
good humor; aud gazed over the broad, +,
rich fields of waving grain, which grew
so tall around the laden apple trees, that
they looked like ID assive piles OF foliage.
Hearing her own name kindly spoken, led
her own thoughts far back, to the past; for
after lapse oftwenty fve years the rim
pie souHd Of the name she bore in her
youth means more to a wife, than all the
epithets Of dearest love, and darling 70
lavishiugly offered in long past court
ship.
Very pleasant was the retrospect to
Miliceut Heath. The picture of the past
had in it rough places, and some hard
trials, but no domestic strife or discon
tent marrcd its sunny aspect There
were smiling faces on it-happy children's
faces, without which 90 life picture is
beautiful. Soft blue eyes shone with un-
clouded gladness, and wavy hair foated
carelessly over unBritten foreheads. She
forgot. for moment how they we're
changed, and almost fancicd herself sgain
the young mother, and tiny hands nestled
there as of DID,
The illusion sanished quickly, and she
sighed as .he thought Of her youngest
born, the reckless boy who had left her
three years before for home on the sea.
One only had tidings reached her of the
wanderer. The letter spoke of hardsbips
and home sickness in that light and care
less way that reached the mothers heart
more surely than repiniug and complaint.
To know that be suffered with strong
heart, with noble and unyielding resolu.
tor, gave her feeling of pleasure not
unmiugled with pride.
'He will surely come back, murmured
the afectionate mother to herself; 'aud
read the parer SO carefully every week,
thst if it says anything about the ship
Alfred sailed in, shall be sure to see it.
Mrs Heath, said her husband. inter-
rupting her meditations somewhat rude
ly, we have spent thirty dollars more
than usual this year; where can it have
gone to 7
The new harness. suggested Mrs.
Heath; that don't come every year, you
know
'Wc had the carriage fixed up when
you bought the harness. continued his
wife.
well. that was eight dollars, that's
twenty ght we don't spend every year
but the other two, where can they have
gone 7
Glancing his eye over the pages Of the
memorandum book, be continued
III tell you what It's, the newspaper
costs just two dollars, and we can do with
out it, 1t isn't anything to eat, drink or
wear. l don't 60 anything with it, and
you lap it away up in the 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
bow much | set by the newspaper | al.
ways have a sort of glad feeling when |
see you take it out of your coat aud lay
it on the kitchen mantlepiece, just as
do when some Of the children come home;
and when | am tired | sit down with my
knitting work and read. | can knit just
as we'll when | am reading, and feel SC
contented. | don't believe Queen Victo.
ria herself takes more solid comfort tn an
l do, sitting by the east window, on a
summer afternoon, reading my paper;
But you are just as we'll off without it.
answered her husband, for want Of any.
thing else to say.
L rever neglect anything else for rea.
ding. do [ = asked Mrs. Heath mildly.
No, don't know as you do answer
ed her husband; but it seems an extra
LIKE SHALL STOP IT. he added, in Q
tone that showed plainly enough he wish
ed to stop the conversation.
i shall take the paper remarked bi,
wife, If have to 60 out washing to pay
for it,
This was spoken aDgrily. but SO firmly