The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1873-10-16
HOW /!

HOW!
Perhaps am little too hasty, o little
too ready to light up at a minutes notice
but there are some words that seem to me-
to carry an especial grain of gunpowdel
in them, and the above is one Of the sort
To have person, after you have beer
through long explanation, put his finger:
to his mental ears and query you thus, or
worse still, "Haow!" is too exasperatins
for human nature to bear. But that il
what John Stringer did to me, bending hi
head little nearer, and speaking in ar
absent, aggravating manner that tantalized
me beyond words.
You see, John Springer and l were en-.
gagged; we'd been engaged for a long
time, and perhaps had got to be little too
matter of course to each other.
We were sitting there over the fire, after
the old folks had gone to bed, and fell to
telling him about Sophie Mills wed.
ding-her white silk dress, her bride.
cake, and her bridesmaids frosted all over
to match it, and ended this way:
But i: don't make any difference, John,
to people that love each other; all that's
o no more account than last years snow.
drift. They could be married in calico
and homcspun, with their feet on o rag.
carpet like this, and love each other just
as well.'
"How:" said John, absently. He was
watching the Goals flicker up and die out
again. aud picking up stray chip now
and then to fling on the embers-a fashion
he had when he was thinking.
Now had had the headache all day,
and l guess | was rather more tindery
than usual, though didn't think so then
but when John bent his great broad shoul-
ders over, as if he hadn't heard word
said, and, in fact, had something better to
occupy his mind, just fired up, first, and
then the blaze died down into sulks, and
when we parted that night John and had
mad our first and last quarrel.
My heart did not misgive me that when
l saw Johns great tall figure going out
the door, it was the last time he'd lift the
latch for many year; but SO it was.
You see, held my head pretty high in
those days, and wouldn't show that was
bit cut up about it, so paired off with
Mrs. Plumbers Jesse, likely spruce
compared with John than a coekle-shell
is to brigant;ne.
Oh, we'll, mother sighed, and tried right
wasn't to be.
John was a powerful, muscular man,
and l used to see him go up the road
many time when l was out in the shed
milking, and, peeping out at him through
the chinks, l thought his broad shoulders
stopped more than ever, and his figure was
growing more stalky like. Such an swk-
ward fellow as John was! I came near
rushing out on him once, in my sun.bon.
net and with my sleeves rolled up, and
hinging my arms right round his neck
but John liked to see folks tidy, and /
never did it.
Jesse Plumber was the beau o. the vii
lage-dapper, neat, and dainty as you
please; and all the girls thought I had
come to my senses when l ousted 'em o.
jess. And by-and.by it was Jess that
came sparkling o. nights, and sat o. winter
evenings over the embers, and he was 80
soft-spoken and pleasant that even mother
forgot her vexatiOn. (She always set store
by John, mother did) Well, in the spring
we were married, Jess and me, and I had
a string o. pearls and a real silk bridal
dress, and felt kind o. lifted like when
the girls crowded round me and hoped
I'd be happy. hoped so, too;I wasn't
sure of it.
Remembering the days that came after,
l can't recall one hard word ever heard
from Jess. We weren't near enough to
each other to quarrel; We just laid apart
like two odd volumes; there wasn't any
fire 'twixt US, nor anything 'twixt us,
either love or laughing, whereas John and
l had always been bubbling over one way
and another. - o.
worked hard, for my silk dress and
necklace were all had for riches; and
cut up the gown one day to make cloak
for the baby. You see, I couldn't give up
my pride, and was just as high.spirited as
ever. But our farm didn't prosper, and
jess did't prosper; and Mrs. Plumber
came to live with us, to look after things,
she said; and she got to plying him every
now and then for marrying poor wife,
and-oh, well, what's the use o. talking
sometimes l couldn't help wishing John
Stringer's strong shoulders were ct the
wheel, when ] was working myself to
death morning and night for nothing.
Then when baby grew bigger took to
teaching an A B G class, as I used to be-
fore was married; hut what little knew
had run wild since then, and I couldn't
keep the boys straight somehow; and the
girls didn't care about samplers, for the
sewing machine had ridden right over
every thing. Then Jesse fell i'll o. the
fever, and with all the tuning and fretting
and nursing of his mother, and with ali
my watching, day and night, somehow he
slipped off between us. And found INV.
self a widow, with the ill.fared, wasted
farm on nay hands, and Mother Plumber
drizzling and Numbering after Jess in q
way to break my heart.
But l kept my spirit up yet, and I ad.
vertised half the place for sale at the
courthouse; for If could sell it we
should skin through somehow on an acre
or two, thought.
Well, who do you suppose came over
one sunny afternoon as was sanding In
the kitchen? Who, to be sure, but John
Stringer, large as life-a little gray, may.
hap, and little more angular, but keen
and strong as ever. He'd use for that
bit o. land, 1t seemed, and had had his
eye on it along back. always was want
ing what wasn't his" Mother Plumber
said. She owed him q grudge for being
more forehandcd than Jess.
1t took deal of looking after lawyer.
ing and surveying and the Lord knows
what to settle it; and l used to zee John
Stringer's STOPPING shoulders and broad
felt hat down just beyond the rise Of the
meadow time and again. But he scarce
ever came near the door till ona dav-1