The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1869-07-09

Tdid not often think of it, but she re
membered that day, with the faintes
little stir of regret, that she might hsv
been far differently situsted and a
she looked up to the pretty French cot
tage on the hill, embowered III a per
feet forrest of blossoming vines, anc
caught the cool CLEAN of the urn auc
fountain, something like sigh trem
bled on her lips. Squire Buruham'
wife didn't have to beg for a paItry fou
dollars that she might be able to set
table decently, she thought bitterly.
And then, as one does when the,
feel aggreived, she remembered a scor
of other things. equally needful an,
equally within their means-fOr Rober
Thompson was not poor man by an
means-which had been as ehurlishl,
refused. There was, the parlor carpet
lit was half cotton, and faded anC
threadbsre, at that, and the paper hac
been on ever since she was child, auC
was stained where it had leaked dow
last winter, and yet Robert said it wa
good enough for what little they useC
| it, and absolutely refused to get either
And so of a score of other things
which she remembered that morning
as she toiled through all the long, sui
try forenoon with an aching head anG
discouraged heart.
Why did it matter to her if the
grass was heavy, and butter up to forty
cents pound! It only brought hel
more and harder work, and no recon-
pense save her bare board and cloth.
ing. She could earn more than that
in any other mans house.
''Well, l had no business to marry
Robert Thompson she said to herself
moodily, her slender wrists aching from
beating over the butter for Hubbard
everybody always said he was close
and shrewd, and prophesied he would
be rich some day-what did she care
for riches if they didn't do her any
good, didn't make her life any fairer OF
softer. She was not fitted to be a far
mer's wife-and yet she had loved
Robert Tbompsonr She said this hall
savagely, as if she was disguised and
angry at herself for it.
And yet Robert Thompson was moi
an uukiud man, only thoughtless. He
was type of very large class of men,
more especially farmers, who do moi
feel in themselves the needs which IA
woman's more austetic nature demands.
Absorbed in his stock, his crops and
his politics he did not realize that his
wife needed, and had right to few
of the things that, with her peculiar
organism, were as much a need to her
being as the food she ate.
And so the years ran on; they grew
further and further apart. he getting
more and more absorbed in grain, and
growing more careless of looks and cul-
ture, and more thoughtless and less
tender in regard to his wife's tastes, ol
tolls, while she grew bitter, despondent
and irritable. ~
Robert Thompson was, beside, lit.
tie inclined to fault-fnding, and moi
being at all of a sensitive temperament
himself he did not realize how keenly
he wounded his wife; and when, some
times, sbe gave back bitter retort, he
wondered what it was had soured her
disposition so, for he remembered she
used to be called unusually sweet tenn
.pered.
All through the long forenoon Mrs
Thompson had nursed her wrath
Robert was selfish and unreasonable
and she did not care who knew it. She
would not have the circle meet there,
and set the table with that old fashion,
ed china, and that stained and cracked
mulberry-no, not for twenty Robert
Thompsons The, rooms were shabby,
and out Of date enough, mercy knew +
and her though reverted to the pretty
tasteful homes of her friends, where
she had met on circle day
Fifteen minutes before noon, and full
that time before dinner would be ready
for they were usually a little behind,
and Mr.. Thompson always wanted his
dinner boiling hot--Mrs. Thompson
saw four tired, heated, huugry-looking
menscomiBg up through the orchard.
The table was not set, and she hurried
quickly about it. Just then Frank and
Charlie, her two boys, came rushing in
from school, each shouting, Mother ,
Mother and each wanted something
right off, She felt tired, and hurried,
and out of temper, which was not
helped by her husbands impatient
"Why isn't dinner readyG 1 told you
we were in a hurry to-day, If hadn't
anything to do all the forenoon but get
dinner, I'd try and do it before night
A bitter retort sprang to her lips,
but Just then Charlie cried out,
'Oh, mother, mother, just look at
my new copy. l amt going to write
a, b, abs, any more; Pm going to
write sentences just like Frank. Just
you read it, mother. The teacher said
l must get it by heart, aud always re-
member it, ia
Mrs. Thompson glanced UP, laying
the plates as she read "A soft answer
turnath away wrath, but grsyious
words stir up anger ItWas not that
it was new-she had read it scores of
times-but something 10 its appropri-
ateness, that fell like cool hand upon
her heated pulses. 5 oaa
q will have it ready in a momens
Robert she said quietly, r
He looked up evidently he had not
expected just that reply, for if the
truth must be told, he had thought
more than once that forenoon of his
wife's request; not that he thought Of
it, but that he expected that
she would, as he termed it. 'sulk over
it. Il say, boys he said, as they went
into the cool north room to their din.
ner, it don't feel much here as it did
down in the meadow. A woman has
an easy time of it; they don't know
what hot weather is
Mrs Thompson, waiting on the table,
with a scarlet face, did not reply; but
Hubbard gave Jones queer look OUT
Of the corner of his eye, as he half
glanced at her.
why hadn't you set the butter in
he stOvel you might as well. l don't
believe there is any need in having the
butter like this if the weather is warm
took it out of the cellar since you
anna in hut will 90 ln,un md net