The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1870-08-05

ed deH that had once been kind OF
mulberry color. She had long want
/. cd some new white ware she wantec
Iit more than ever now. Grover, tho
keeper of the village crockery shop
had lovely spring Of convolvnli and
fuchsias, looking every bit as good a,
real China. Mrs. Thompson had sc,
her heart on the set, and that morn.
ing had broached the subject to he,
husband.
! " What is the matter with the old
ones Z" asked he. c
!" Look at them" she answered.
They are frightfully old and snab.
by" eaa
:" dare say tho food will taste as
we'll off them as off Growers set OF
white ware"
=" But there's not half enough. We
have as good rs none left.
Mother had some best china. -
1 Where is it."
" That's nearly all gone. We
couldn't pat tho two on the table to-
gether."
Why not ?"
oh, Robert! Look at this. tits
the shabbiest lot ever seen."
I" Twas good enough for mother. "
Mrs. Robert Thompson disdained
comment.
" You'd not thought OF this but for
the sewing circles having to come
here. II they cant come and eat from
such dishes US we've got they are wei
come TO stay away"
There We're tears in Mrs. Thomp-
sons eyes. but she crowded them
bravcly back. He took his hat to go
out to his moving.
We really want the things, Rob-
ert. Those ut Growers are very
cheap. / can get ali want for
mere trifie; do give me the money"
GroverH have to keep 'ein for us;
I've got no money to waste OH fine
China. returned the farmer" " By
the-by"-looking back from the door,
Jones and Leo are coming to give a
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
Hubbard's want six pounds Of butter
tonight; don't forget TO have it
ready"
With these words, Arr. Robert
Thompson had marched off, leaving
his wife to her long. weary days work
darkened and made distastcful by dis
appointment. She was both grieved
and angry. It vas little thing, per
haps, bat it IL the little things of this
life that delight or annoy
Existence seemed yer, bare md
homely to Jane Thompson that sum
mer day. With her love of case, and
beauty and. symmetry, how rude and
hard looked her surroundings. It
was only one long, monotonous round
OF homely toll, unrelived by any of the
little sweetnesses and graces that
make even toll pleasant. She did not
often think of it; but she rens m bered
that day with the faintest little air of
regret that she might have been far
differently situated; and as she looked
up to the pretty little cottage on the
hill cmbowered in perfect forest of
blooming vines, caught the cool CLEAN
of urn and fountain, something like i
sigh trembled on her lips. esquire
Burnham's q wife does not have to beg
for a paltry bit of money TO set her
table decently," she thought rebell-
iously.
What business had she to marry
Robert Thompson she asked herself,
her slender wrists beating away ut the
butter for the Hubbards. For in the
green and gloomy light that Mrs. Rob-
ert Thompson looked at things to-day,
she quite forgot 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 pat
rimony of his own--two hundred u
year--at least--and good bit of land !,
which he rented, and was called
." quire," us his father had been be-
fore him. He wanted to marry Jane
Lawrence, and she would not likes
and dislikes cannot be controlled, and
she cared more for Robert Thompson g
little finger than for the whole poor,
under-siz.d Joe. The Squire had
found another wife, and Mrs. Thomp-
son, this weary day, was furiously en-
Sylll2 ucI. MIS-. s DuFuudul WOulu
come amidst the rest of the sewing
club, too, and see the miserable shab-
biness of the mulberry ware, and the
home generally The butter got beat
en- savagely at the thought.
Robert Thompson was not an un-
kind man; only thoughtless. He was
a type of very large class, more es-
lpecially farmers, who did not feel the
need of life's rugged pathway being
Isoftened with flowers. Absorbed in
his stock, his crops and his money
/ getting, he did not realize how monot-
onous was his wife s life OF home. He
4 had his recreations-the weekly mark
ct, gossip with his brother farmers,
and politics /; she had nothing but
work and care. He did not realize
] the truth that the worn, shabby home
] told upon her; that she needed some
i ing to come to itas yearning want oi
/ life. And SO, as the years had gone
on, she grew dissatisfied at heart,
hardly understanding what she wished
i for or what she did not wish; the in,
] tensely unlovely. the prosy, dull life
| somewhat souring her spirits. Now
and again, when she gave back short
! or bitter retort, Robert wondered; she
used to be SO sweet tempered.
! All through the long forenoon Mrs
Thompson nursed her wrath. Rob
: ert was selfish and unreasonable, an.
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