The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1869-05-14

d. and her thoughts reverted to Il
So pretty tasteful homes of her frie nd
be where she had met on "Circle day
cb Fifteen minutes before noon, al
full that time before dinner would
in ready-for they were usually lit
d, behind, and Mr.. Thompson alwal
ar wanted his dinner boiling hot, Mr.
Thompson saw four tired, heatet
A, hungry looking men coming u
d through the orchard. The table ws
not set, and she hurried quickl
e, about 1t. Just then Frank an
{ Charlie, her two boys, came rushin
IN from school, each shouting
IT SMother," "Mother,'' and each wanl
ed something "right off, She fel
!, tired, and hurried, and out of TEN
h per, which was not helped by he
e husbands impatient-"Why ism
dinner ready told you we wer
e in hurry to-day. If hadn't any
e thing to do all the forenoon but ge
T dinner, I'd try to do it before night.
I A bitter retort sprang to her lips
5 but just then Charlie cried out
y "Oh, mother, mother, just look al
t my new copy. / amt going to writ
a, b, abs, any more; Pm going t,
: write sentences just like Frank,
! Just you read it, mother. Tn,
D teacher said / must get it by heart
S and always remember it, .lirz
Mrs. Thompson glanced up, lay.
, ing the plates as she read, ga soft
t answer turneth away wrath, but
, grievous words STIR up anger'' 1t
r was not that it was new-she had
read it scores of times-but some
! thing in its appropriateness, that fell
J like cool hand upon her heated
pulses. 7-j Va rs.
81 will have it ready in moment,
/. Robert" she said quietly.
He looked up; evidently he had
not expected just that reply, for, il
the truth must be told, he had thO't
more than once that forenoon OF his
wife's request: not that he thought
OF granting it, but that he expected
4 that she would, as he termed it,
''sulk over ii" IL say, boys,'' he
said, as they went into the cool north
room to their dinner, sit don't feel
much here as it did down in the
meadow A woman has an easy
tine OF it, they don't know what
hot weather is.'' :lE -
J
| Mrs. Thompson, waiting on the
table, with scarlet face, did not re-
ply; bat Hubbard gave Jones
tqueer look out of the corner of his
eve. as he half glanced at her.
why hadn't yon set the butter in
tie stove? You might as well. /
don't believe there's any need OF
having the butter like this, if it is
warm weather." he growled.
81 took it out OF the cellar since
you ,anic III ; hut will go down ana
get some more, il you think | d
better" was the pleasant reply.
mo, never mind. Well, de-
clare why didn't you boil this
meat It's hard as a rock. Not
much like that 1 had at your house,
Hubbard Your wife knows how to |
coo. dinner that's fit for king
Il tried to have il nice, Robert,
Airs. Thompson SAID, struggling
hard to choke down rising sob, as
veil rs an angry word.
The men did not speak, and Mr..
Thompson tipisned his dinner with
a thoughtful face. By-ahd by he
grew to watching his wife's face
there was something in it he could
not understand. He looked down
at the mulberry and white-it did
look old and dingy beside the snowy
wondered he had
never noticed it before. He went
out into the kiteheD--how hot and
sitting 1t was! A vague idea that
it was not such comfortable place,
after all, fitted through his mind
He went out towards the barn, the
sun was hot, but there was fresh
breeze blowing from the south, and
the men were lounging in the shadow
of the barn.
81 never p;tied woman so in my
life,' Hubbard was saying; 'she
works like slave and don't evet get
thank ye' for it," ..
"She'd never ought TO married
Rob Thompson" replied Jones; "a
delicate, sensitive little thing like
her. However, he won't Eake mon
ey out OF her blood and bones many
years. / never saw a woman run
down so fast. She looks as faded as
the old house, that hasn't seen
drop of paint since Grandfather
Thompson had it fixed up for his
second wife,
Sand Jennie used to like things
nice, so we'll She'd better have
married Squire Burnham--I wonder
If she isn't ever sorry ?"
Was she? The thought came
crushing like bolt of fire through
the heart and brain of Robert Thomp-
son. She might have married Burn
ham he knew. And then he remem-
bered how proud he had been that
she turned from the wealthy young
squire to marry him and come to the
old homestead to take care of his
invalid mother. And how tenderly
she had done it, too! He could bear
it no longer. He stole noiselessly
away from the unconscious takers,
and started at quick pace down the
street.
Mrs. Thompson had washed and
put away the last dish, and with
weary step had taken down the
broom, when the sudden sound of
wheels coming into the yard sent her
to the door.
"I've brought down that ware,
Mrs. Thompson said the brisk voice
of Grover, springing to the ground,
and lifting large basket carefully
from the wagon.
"But 1 didn't order them, Mr..
Grover she gasped In frightened
voice. 81 only said perhaps, 10
80, it's all right. Mr.. Thompson
came up this noon and ordered them
l thought you didn't send him, for
he did not seem to know what he
wanted, only he gave me ten dollars,
and told me to bring what was nee
l have brought you tea
and dining set, including three dozen
plates. If there is anything you
don't like, I'll takeit sgain and make
it all right" II
s'Oh, / shall like them. / know,o