Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1865-06-15

and as their custom was to sit apart after
a quarrel, they repaired to their separate
chambers each ignorant of the others eX-
curson.
By and by, being called to supper, instead
of sulking as aforetime, they came down
together each being secretly in the best
humor, though mutually suspected of the
worst. Amongst other things on the table
there was a calfs sweebread, being one of
those very dainties that had often set them
together by the ears. The dame looked
and longed, but she refrained from its ap-
preparation, thinking within herself, that
she could give up sweetbreads for one gear;
and the farmer made a similar reflection.
After pushing the dish to and fro several
times, by common impulse they divided the
treat and then, having supped, they re-
tired amicably to rest whereas until then
they had seldom gone to bed without fall
ing out The truth was, each looked upon
the other as being already in the church
yard.
On the morrow, which happened to be
the DANES birthday, the farmer was the
first to wake, and knowing what he knew,
and having, besides, but just reused him
self out of a dream strictly confrmatory of
of the late vigil, he did not scruple to sa-
lutte his wife, and wish her many happy re-
turns of the day The wife who knew as
much as he, very readily wished him the
same, having, in truth, but just rubbed out
of her eyes the pattern of a widows bonnet
that had been submitted to her in her sleep.
She took good care, however, at dinner, to
give the fowls liver to the doomed man,
considering that when he was dead and
gone she could have them, if she pleased,
seven days in the week and the farmer, on
his part, took care to hel p her to many tit
bits Their feeling towards each other was
that of an impatient host with regard to an
unwelcome guest, showing scarcely bare
civiity while in expectation of his stay, but
overlooking him with hospitality when
made certain of his departure.
In this manner they went on some six
months, without any addition Of love be-
tween them and as much selfishness as
ever. yet living in a subservience to the
comforts of each other, sometimes not to be
found even amongst couples of sincerer at-
fections. There were as many causes for
quarrel as ever, but every day it became
less worth while to quarrel 50 letting by
cones be bygones, they were Indifferent to
the present, and thought only of the future,
cdCu OIlcI, 10 use IL COnllnOH
phrase) "as good as dead"
Ten months wore away, and the farmers
birthday arrived in its turn The dame,
who had passed an uncomfortable night,
having dreamed, in truth, that she did not
MUCH like herself in mourning, saluted him,
as soon as the day dawned, and, with a
sigh, wished him many years to come. The
farmer repaid her in kind, the sigh inclu-
ded his own vision having been Of the
painful sort, for he dreamed of having a
headache from wearing black hat-band,
and the malady still clung to him when a.
wake. The whole morning was spent i'll
silent meditation and melancholy, on both
sides, and when dinner came, although the
most favorite dishes were on the table,
they could not eat The farmer resting
his elbows upon the board, with his face
between his hands, gazed wistfully at his
wife The dame, leaning back in her high
arm chair, regarded the yeoman quite as
:uefully. Their minds, traversing in the
same direction, and at an equal rate ar
rived together at the same reflection, but
I. the farmer was the first to give it utter
ance:
"Thee'd be missed, dame, if thee were to
die ~
The dame started Although she had
nothing but death at that moment before
her eyes, she was far from dreaming of her
own exit. Recovering, however, from the
shock, her thoughts flowed in their old
channel, and she reioined in the same spir-
it:
" | wish, master, thee may live as long
as "
The farmer, in his own mind, wished to
live rather longer, for, at the utmost, he
considered that his wifes bill of mortality
had but two months to run; the calculation
made him sOrrowful during the last few
months she had consulted his appetite, bent
to his humor, and conformed her own incli-
nations to his, in manner that could never
be supplied.
His wife, from being at first useful to
him, had become agreeable, and at last
dear, and as he contemplated her approach
ing fate, he could not help thinking audi
bly,, that he should be lonesome man
: when she was gone" The dame this time,
heard the survivorship foreboded without
, starting, but she marvelled much at what
she thought the infatuaticn of a doomed
man. SO perfect was her faith in the in
tallibility of St. Mark, that she had even
seen the symptoms Of moral disease, as
paipable as plague-spOts, on the devoted
woman. Giving his body up, therefore,
for lost, a strong sense of duty persuaded
: her that 1t was imperative on her, as a
t Christian, to warn the unsnspectng farmer
!. of his dissolution Accordingly, with a
: solemnity, adapted to the subject, a tender
ness of recent growth, and a n'emento norl
? face, she broached the matter in the follow.
ing question:
. Master how bee'st thee 2"
"As hearty as buck, dame, and | wish
| thee the like y
2 A dead silence ensued; the farmer was
e as unprepared as ever There is a great
t fancy for breaking the truth by dropping il
9 gently; an experiment that was never an
swered, any more than with iron-stone Chi
ma The dame felt this; and, thinking il
D better to throw the news at her husband
: at once, she told him, in as many words
l that he was a dead man
t 1t was now the yeoman's turn to be stag
: gered. BY parallel course of reasoning
he had just wrought himself up to a simi
a lar disclosure, and the danes death warrant
was just ready upon his tongue, when he
!; met his own despatch, signed, sealed and