Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1865-11-17

Ier afternoon, reading my newspaper"
"But you are just as well off withou
it," answered her husband, for want o
anything else to say.
II never neglect anything for reading
do ?" asked Mrs. Heath mildly.
mo, don't know as you do" answer
ed her husband "but it seems an extra
like-I shall stop it, he added in a tom
that showed plainly enough he wished t.
stop the conversation.
Il shall take the paper if l have to g
out washing to pay for it,
This was not spoken angrily, but 81
firmly that Mr.. Heath noticed it, though
by no means remarkable for discernmen
in most matters. 1t sounded so different
from her usual quiet, "as you think best,
that he stopped a moment to consider
whether it was at all likely she would de
as she said.
Mr.. Heath was a kind husband, as tha
indefinite description is generally under
stood, that is, .c did not beat his wife
and always gave her enough to eat
More than that, he had certain regard
for her happiness. which already made
him half ashamed of his decision, for like
many other men who have more obstlnacy
than wisdom, he could not bear to re.
tract al ythng, and above all to be con-
victed by a woman.
However, with a commendable wish to
remove the unhappiness he caused
he suggested that as the papers
were carefully saved, and she had found
them interesting, she could read them
over again, beginnin. at January, and
taking one week clear through the
year-they would just come out even, he
concluded, as if it were singular TACT
that they should do so.
notwithstanding this admirable pro-
position he felt some uneasiness. 1t fol
bwed him as he walked up the pleasant
lane to the pasture, and it made him
speak more sharply than was his wont. il
tie COWS stopped while he was driving
them home. to crop the grass where II
looked greenest ami sweetest on the sunny
slope. 1t followed him till he heard his
wife cal! him to supper, in such cheer
full tone, that he concluded she didn't
care much about the newspaper ate,
all.
Abou. week after this as Mr.. Heath
was moving cnc morning, he was surprls'
cd to see his wife coming out dressed a:
for Il visit.
Il am going said she, "t' spend the
day with Mrs. Brown leave a plenty
for you to cat" and SO saying she walked
rapidly on.
Mr.. Heath thourht about it just lone
enough to say to himself, "She don't g
visiting to stay all day once year hard
", ami it's strange she should 90 in hay
| time"
Very long the day seemed to him, tc
% in ior luncheon, dinner, and supper
and have nobody 20 speak to, to find
every one so still The old clock ticked
stiller than usual, he thought. the brood
of pretty white chickens, that were al
NEST always peeping round the door had
wandered off somewhere, and left II
stillcr yet, and he even missed the busy
click of the knitting needles that was apt
to put him out, when he was figuring.
Il am glad he said to himself, as he
begun to look down the road at sunset,
.that MilIcent don't 60 visiting all the
me. as some women do-there she Is
jus; coming.
"IIow tired you look said he, as she
came up. why didn't you speak about
it, and I'd have harnessed up and come
after vou?'
81 am not very tired" she answered
bat her looks beled her, indeed her hus'
band declared she looked tired like Tor
day or two after.
What was his amazement to see her &C
away the next Tue.day in the sane maa-
ner as she started before.
To his great dissatisfaction every thing
seemed to partake OF his wite's propensity
for going from home. "a man don''
want cold feed in hay time, said he, a
he sat- down to dinner. In The same
grumbling mood he recounted the mshaps
Of the morning. which seemed to have
been much after the manner set forth II
certain legend Of olden time for he
cmbelislled the recital by alluslon to
"Thc sleeps in the meadow.
The cows are in the corn"
adding that they wouldn't have been
there, if Mrs. Heath had been at home
because she'd have seen them before they
got in, aud halooel. She would have
seen the oxen, too. before they got across
the river, and saved him the trouble OF
getting them back. But alter tracing
all these untoward events to her absence
he said to himself consolingly, 81 guess
she won't 60 any more. She always was
home body"
Mrs. Heath did 60 again though, and
again, and the day she went for the
fourth time, her husband took counsel
as to what he should do to "stop her CAD
ding" Seated on the doorstep, in the
old trees, he spent an hour or two in de-
vising ways and measures, talking aloud
all the time, aud having the satisfaction
Of hearing nobody dispute him.
1T is hard to think of her being 8
visiting woman. said he, and it's clear il
amt right. Keep her at home.' I've
read in the Bible, (old Richards Bible
knowledge was somewhat confused, the
quotation varying slightly from the
seriptural phrase, "keepers at home, y
'but it says, too he added, with the true
sincere man, "that husbands must set
great stores for their wives. aud treat
them well. won't scoli Millicent, l'l