Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1868-01-17

ln6 COlu, anu tu6 pdlu III IL hhSOi
and all, it made me bit sick. At
any rate | threw open the window
and blew out the lights, as mad as a
hornet.
Nancy" said l, "this room would
strangle dog, and you might have
known it. if you'd had two eyes to
see what you were about. There, now
I've tipped the lamp over, and you
just get a cloth and wipe up the oil. y
"Dear me- r said she, lighting a
candle and she spoke up very soft
too. "Please, Aaron, don't let the
cold on baby. I'm sorry it was smok
ing, bat / never knew thing about
it; he's been fretting and taking on Sc
the last hour, l didn't notice any
way"
"That's just what you ought to have
done" says |, madder than ever
You know | hate the stuff and you
ought to have cared more about me
than to choke me up with it this way
the last night before going in"
Nancy was patient, gentle-spoker
sort of woman, and would bear gooC
deal from a fellow; but she used tc
fire sometimes, and that was more
than she could stand. "You don't
deserve to be cared about, for speak
ing like that p says she, with hel
cheeks as red as peat-coals.
That was right before the children
Mary AIMS eye were as big as sau
GERS, and little Nancy was crying al
the top of her lungs, with the baby
tuning in, so we knew it was time tC
stop. But stopping wasn't ending
and folks can look things that they
don't say.
We sat down to supper as glum a;
pump handles; there were some frit
ters-I never knew anybody to bea
your mother at Understanding ho
off the stove, and some maple molas
ses in one of the best china teacups
[ knew well enough it was just on pur
pose for my last night, but | never haC
a word to say, and Nancy crumbleC
up the children's bread with Jerk
Her cheeks didn't grow any whittier
it seemed as if they would blaze RICH
up,-I couldn't help looking at them
for all | pretended not to, for she
looked just like a pictur. Some wo
mel always are pretty when they &rc
put out, and then again, some amt
it appears to me there's a great diff
erence in women, very much as ther,
is in hens; now, there was your aun
Deborah,-b there; | won't get OIL
that track now, only so far as to sa,
that when she was hustered up sh,
used to 90 red all over, something lik,
a piny, which didn't seem to have JUS
the same effect.
That supper was very dreary sor
of supper, with the baby crying, ant
Nancy getting up between the mouth
fuls to walk up and down the room
with him; he was a heavy little chaI
for a ten-month old, and | think sh
must have been tuckered out with hin
all day. didn think about it then
a man doesn't notice such things whel
he's angry; it isn't in him. can
say but she would if I'd been in be
place. just eat up the fritterS ant
the maple nOlasses, s,-seems to me
told her she ought not to use the bes
chiny cup, but I'm not just sure,-an'
then | took my pipe and sat do#n il
the corner.
I watched her ptlkg the childrer
tobed; they made fer a great dea
of Bother, squirmngyf OF her lal
and/running round Prefoot. Some
times used to hold dlem and talk t
them AND help her bit. when l fel
good Eatured, but | just sat and smt
ked, any let them alone. | was al
worked Up about that lamp wick, an,
| Thought, you see, if she hadn't ha
any feelings for me there was no nee,
fmy havingany for her-if she ha
'cut the wick, rd| have taken the ba
bies; she hadn' t., cut the wick, and
wouldn't take the babies; she NIGH
see it if she wal tefto, and think wha
she pleased. ETad been badly trear
ID, 4d meant.S show it.
: It is strange, johnny, it really doe
seem to me very Strange, how easy
is in this world II be always &kin
care of our rightI I've thought
great deal about it since I've bee
growing old, and there seems to N
a good many things we'd better loo
after fust.
But you see | hadn't found that ou
in Al, and so | sat in the corner, an
felt very much abused. can't sa
but what Nancy had pretty much th
same idea; for when the young one
were all in bed at last, she took he
knitting and sat down the other sid
of the fire, sort of turning her hea
round and looking up at the ceilins
as she were trying her best to forget
was there. That was a way she ha
when | was courting, and we wer
along to huskiags together, with tn
moon shining round.
Well, | kept on smoking, and sh
kept on looking at the ceiling, and N,
body said "a word for while, till b
and by the fire burnt down, and sh
got up and put on fresh log.
You're dreadful wasteful with tn
wood, Nancy" says |, bound to sa
something cross, and that was all
could think of Ks.
"Take care of your own fire, then
Il