Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1870-04-08

sewing club at the farm, como what might
The potatoes got boiled; the big piece o
beef was simmering on the fire. Befor,
twelve O'Clock bad well struck, she saw hel
husband and his two friends coming through
the orchard, with red and hungry faces
Mr. Thompson always wanted his dinnel
boiling bot, and she hastened to lay th,
cloth in the cool room Of the kitchen. Franz
and charley, her two boys, came running il
from school, each striving to claim her at
tention. She felt tired, heated, and cross
"Wha isn't dinner ready2" demanded
Mr. Thompson, not seeing it actually OF
the table when he entered. II told YOU
we had no time to waste to day. be added
angIily, in his hurry and hunger Ii ]
hadn't anything to do all the forenoon but
TO get dinner, I'd have it ready to time, ]
know"
A bitter retort was sPriuging to her lips,
but ere it could be spoken, Charley clamor-
ously interposed pushing his new copybook
before her eyes.
Look, mother am going into sentences
now like Frank It's my first copy. The
master wrote it, and be said l was to get i,
by heart, too, aud always remember it. Do
read it, mother.
Mrs. Thomson, her arms full of the
cracked old mulberry plates. paused mo
ment to let her eyes fall on the new copy.
"a soft answer turneth away wrath, 50 was
what she read. It was not that the proverb
was neW-she had read it scores of times
but there was something in It's appropriate
ness TO the present moment, that fell like a
cool sweet wind on her heated pulses.
/ will have it ready 10 a moment, Rob
ert, she said, quietly.
Mr. Robert Thompson looked up. Eyi-
dently be had lot expected so pleasant re.
ply. If the truth must be told, he bad
thought a good bit that morning of his
wife's request about the white ware Not
IN the way Of granting it. but that she would
probably be sulky over it when they got in
to dinner
1t doesn't feel here as it does it that
blazing meadow" be remarked to his
friends, as they went into the cool north
room to dinner. Folks that can keep in-
doors this weather have an easy time of it
They don't know what heat is
Mrs. Thompson wondered wheather this
was slap at her. Her face looked scarlet
enough for any amount Of heat. As to sit
ting down with them, she had enough to DO
to wait on the party. 1t was washing day,
and Molly must not be called.
This butter must have been kept In the
kitchen. It's ike oil, said Mr.. Thomr
SOD.
Il took it out Of the cellar since you came
in; l viii go down and get some more if yo1
think had better" was the reply, given
pleasantly.
Never mind. Well declare do you
call this meat doue?" went on Mr.. Thomp
son as be began to carve. Its harder than
a rock. IF meat has to be cooked pretty
fresh this weather, it needn't be ike this. -
tried to have it nice, Robert. she said.
striving to choke down a rising sob-as vel
as an angry word.
Mr. Thompson, aroused BY culver il
the tone, looked at bis wife. His friend,
glanced at one another She sat down a
leagth, but could not eat Mr. Thompson
finished his dinner in silence.
lie was watching his wife's face. There
was something in it be did not understand
"a kind of patient, hopeless look, as if she
no longer cared to struggle onward The
old mulberry ware did look diugy on the
snowy white tdble-clotb; almost too bad fol
these chums of his to sit down to. He won
dered he had never thought 50 before
Robert Thompson grew thoughtful.
He passed into the kitchen when they
we're going out again-how hot and stiairs
it felt with that big fre--as bad as the soutl
meadow His wife bad been in it cooking
that must lave made her face scarlet. In
doors was not so comfortable place, aftel
al, if you had hot work to do, was the ide;
that fitted through his mind. Aud-per
haps the work was over-much for his wife
who at bczt was but delicate woman.
4 fresh, cool breeze bad sprung up.from
the south, ss be went out, walking slowly
but the sun was burning bot still Rober
Thompson waited to wipe his brows; aud il
that moment the voices Of his comrade.
came towards him from the other side Of th,
hedge, where they stood in the little shad
it cast
4 never pitied woman so much in M
life, quoth one of them. She works likr
a slave and does not get even thank ye fo
it from Thompson. He's a good fellow. bu
uncommon down upon the work Strong
as horse himself, he thinks, suppose
women must be the same.
'Yes, Bob's a sterling good fellow, bu
Jane Lawrence made a mistake when sh
said Yes to his asking, cried the other
Jones she wasn't cut out for farmer
wife-especially one who keeps his folks Il
it ike Thompson does. She's over sensi
tiye--dellcatei any lady but her Weuid have
turned long ago and bid him give her prop
er help. He won't make his money out o
her many years if be don't take better car
Of her. She'll run down fast. Awful.
changed, she is. She looks as faded as tn
old house rooms-and they haven't seen
coat o paint since grandfather Thompson
day
"Ah. she d better have took Joe Burn
ham. The Lawrencas used to have thing
nice in their home, and she'd have got eu
50 stiI, If she d married Joe. His wife
just gone cut in her pony-ehay. | say
Jones, l wonder whether Thompson 5 wife
ever sorry
Was she? The unconscious comments Q
these, his warm friends, came crushing dow
on Robert ThompsOn's heart aud brain hk
4 bolt of FIRE. That she rejected Burnham 70
bin. he knew, when she came home to tn
old Homestead, and took care of his invali