The Shasta courier., 1870-04-16

sprig of convolvuli and fuchsias; looking
every bit as good as real china. Mrs. Thomp
son had set her heart on the set, and that
morning had broached the subject to her
husband.
asked he.
"Look at them," she answered. "They
are frightfuly old and shabby.
II daresay the food will taste as well off
them as off Growers set of white ware"
"But there's not half enough. We have
as good as none left"
''Mother had some best china Where is
it?"
That's nearly all gone We couldn't put
the two on the table together"
I WHY not ?n
I ''Oh Robert Look at this. It's the shah
biest old lot ever SEEN"
"'Twas good enough for mother"
Mrs. Robert Thompson disdained COM
ment
You'd not have thought of this but for
the sewing circle having to come here If
they can't come and eat from such dishes as
we've got, they are welcome to stay away"
There were tears in Mrs. Thompsons eyes,
But she crowded them bravely back. He
eOph MS udl W ~ Out u HIS moving.
1--WE really want the things Robert Those
at Growers are very cheap. can get all
want for mere trife do give me the money
"Grover III have to keep em for us I've
got no money to waste on fine chlna," re
turned the farmer. by the way''-looking
back from the door-"Jones and Lee are
coming to give me helping hand | want
to get the south meadow down to-day if
can. it's famous heavy crop; SO shall
bring them in to dinner. Oh, and the Hub
bards want six pounds of butter tonight;
don't forget to have it ready"
With these worsd Mr.. Robert Thompson
had marched off, leaving his wife to her long,
weary days work, darkened and made dis.
tasteful by her disappointment. She was
both grieved and angry. 1t was little thing,
perhaps, but it is the little things of life
that delight or annoy.
Existence seemed very hard and homely
to Jane Thompson that summer day. With
her love of ease, and beauty, and symmetry.
how rude and coarse, and hard looked all
her surroundings. 1t was only one long,
monotonous round of homely toll, unreleved
by any Of the little sweetnesses and graces
that might make even toll pleasant. She
did not often think of it but she remem
UcIou Nltu Tue ldluIeSl little air OIL
regret, that she might have been far differ
eHtly situated; and as she looked up to the
pretty French cottage on the hill, embow-
cred in perfect forest of blossoming vines,
and caught the cool CLEAN of urn and
on her lips. esquire Burnham's wife does
not have to beg for paltry bit of money to
set her table decently," she thought rebel
liously.
And then, in her spirit of aggrievment,
she mentally went over the other things she
needed, and that Robert knew were needed
Why was life to be all toll and bare ugliness?
There was no reason he had plenty of
money. A new carpet for the best parlor !;
paper for the walls, so stained with time
whitewash paint; some fresh chintz; she
remembered it all, as she toled through the
long sultry forenoon with an aching head
and discouraged heart. 1t happened to be
washing day and on those days she took
all the work, that Molly might not be dis
turbed in her help at the tubs.
What business had she to marry Robert
Thompson she asked herself, her slender
wrists beating away at the butter for the
IIu5bards. For in the green and gloomy
light that Mrs Robert Thompson looked at
things to-day, she quite forgot the fact that
she had fallen in love with the honest, steady.
and good looking young farmer, choosing
him in preference to Joe Burnham, whom
she might have had Joe had q patrimony
of his own two hundred a year at least, and
a good bit of land. which he rented, and was
called esquire" as his father had been
before him. He wanted to marry Jane Law
renee, and she would not likes and dislikes
ha ooptrnllaA 1obo r.
Robert Thompson's little finger than for the
whole of poor understood Joe. Squire Burn
ham found another wife; and Mrs. Thomp
son, this weary day, was furiously envying
her. Mrs. Burnham would come amidst the
rest of the sewing club too. and see the
shabbiness of the ulberry ware
and the home generally. The butter got
beaten savagely at the thought.
Robert Thompson was not an unkind man;
only thoughtess. He was a type of very
large class, more especially farmers, who do
not feel the need of life's rugged pathway
being softened with flowers. Absorbed in
his stock, his crops his money getting, he
did not realize how mnnotnnouS was his wife's
life at home. He had his rrcreations the
weekly market gossip with his brother
farmers politics; she had nothing but work
anu care. ne ulu HOI TehIlZe the truth that
the worn. shabby home tuld UPON her that
she needed some Frightening To come to it as
a yearning want of life. And 81, as the
years had gone on, she grew dissatisfied at
heart, barely understanding wha, She wished
for or what she did not wish the intensely
unlovely, prosy. dull life somewhat souring
her spirits. Now and again. when she gave
back short or bitter retort, Robert wondered:
she who used to be so sweei-tempered.
All through the long forenoon Mrs Thomp-
son nursed her wrath Robert was selfish
and unreasonable, and she did not care who
knew it. She would not have the sewing
club at the farm, come what might. The
potatoes got boiled; the big piece of beef
was simmering on the fire. Before twelve
O'Clock had well struck, she saw her husband
and his two friends coming through the
orchard. with red and hungry faces. Mr.
Thompson always wanted his dinner boiling
hot: and she FASTENED to lay the cloth IN the
cool room off the kitchen. Frank and
Charley. her two boys, came rushing IN from
school. each striving to claim her attention.
She felt tired, heated, and very cross.
..Why. isn't dinner ready ~ demanded
Mr. Thompson, not seeing it actually on the
table when he entered. Il told you we had
no time to waste to day." he added angrily
in his hurry and hunger. ''If hadn't
ANYTHING to do all the forenoon but get
dinner, 70 have it ready to time, know"
A bitter retort was springing to her lips
hut ore II could he snoken Charlav eIarno,