Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1874-06-19
NO. 147.
ISAAC EOUGHTON AND HIS WIFE.
A Story of New England Domestic LAC.
BY LAWRENCE wISsELL.

lCoNTINUED FROM YESTERDAY.
Now Susan would have been better
| think I'd better start for Boston, tomorrow
morning?" But that wasn't his way. He
didn't want to be always asking Susan's
| advice. What did she know about Boston
horses.
In this case, however, Susan's opinion
coincided with that of her husband, for
she knew it would bring him in more
money than he could get in any other
way, and she never allowed dollar un-
advisedly to slip through her palm. ~
The next morning, she was up early,
preparing specially nourishing breakfast,
and getting everything ready, nice and
warm, for Isaac's departure.
| "Samll come up, night and morning, to
turn out and feed the cattle, but you had
better go out to the barn once or twice
through the day to see that everything's
| right there" said Isaac. Susan didn't
need this injunction. for she kept an eye
on the barn as closely as the pope on st.
Peters, whenever Isaac was away.
| 1t never took Isaac long to start, and
before the sun was up he was out Of sight.
Susan turned away from the window where
she had watched him, and went about her
| morning work with feeling of loneliness
| and thinking what she should do II he
should take that long journey from which
| there is no return.
Three whole days would she be alone in
| the house, for this was before network
| Of rail roads was spread over the soil of
Massachusetts. At length the third night
came, and, just after sunset, the feebly
tinkling bells around the neck of old Bill
| announced the approach of Isaac. That
night, there was much to tell and be told,
Isaac soon grew drowsy, and was glad to
get into his own comfortable bed, and
when. little later, Susan came with hot
sage tea and warm blanket to spread over
him least he should feel chill after days
exposure, Isaac, in his heart, felt that,
Whose findeth wife, findeth good
thing" although outwardly he demurred
at being made such baby Of.
The pendulum in the old clock swung
not more regularly than did Isaac perform
his daily round of feeding. watering, cur
rying and combing the Boston horses
On pleasant days they were allowed to
prance about the yard in their gay hous-
ings, and Isaac, who excelled in the dis
cipline of domestic animals, would march
them up to the door for Susan to look at
with much pride as Gen. Scott led his
army into the Aztec capital.
In February, there was New England
| snow storm, and
ERE the early bedtime came
The white drift piled the window pane.
| "when the second morning shone,
| They looked upon world unknown"
Suddenly the wind had changed to the
northwest, the mercury was II degrees be-
low zero. When Isaac entered the kitch-
en- that morning. his usual brown cheeks
were purpled with the cold, and his beard
covered with white frost.
1.-The watering trough is frozen up
solid," said he, ''and l shall have to pump
water and carry 10 the horses and cattle
twill be pretty hard job, tor they drink a
lot of it through the day, and we shan't
have any more water at the barn till the
ground thaws out in the spring."
"Well, / wouldn't mind" said Susan.
consolingly, "you can't do much but take
care of your barn, such weather as this
and it won't be great while, for winters
most gone"
Yes; it's got to be the 18th of Februa-
ry, but March is generally about as tough
a month as we have"
| Susan persuaded Isaac to eat his break.
fast before pumping water for the horses,
although this arrangement evidently dis
concerted him considerably. and long be.
fore his wife had drank her second cup of
Java, the old pump handle was moving up
and down, as regularly and slowly as
tired horse on woodsawing machine.
| Susan would never allow the pump
handle to be jerked, and the consequence
was, that, while Dea. Holt's pump. which
the children were permitted to rattle and
yank at all times, needed repairing every
six months, there. had been nothing done
to Isaac's for years.
Them horses must have their water
fore breakfast" said Isaac to himself, the
following morning. and, that he might
have plenty Of time, he was up half an
hour earlier than usual, and, for the first
time in many years, left the tea-kettle un.
filled, and took the water directly to the
barn-not purposely, but in his haste to
water the horses. He put down the first
two pals and fastened back for more,
then hurried in to fill the tea-kettle saying
to himself, ''Susan'll never know but that
l filled it first" and he rather chuckled
over the good Joke he should get on her,
should she pour out the water put in after
four pailsful had been pumped.
Susan always pumped out Just five pals
full before putting any in the teakettle.
From careful measurement and tasting,
she had decided that then it was perfectly
safe TO use the water
"Well, old fellow What's the matter
now," said Isaac, as the first BOstonians
put his nose in the water and threw up
his head like southern alligator. Buce-
phalus-so named, because Alexander, -
Esq. Hills youngest son. could ride him
when he threw everybody else--merelv
touched the surface of the water and
started back disdainfully with sharp
whinny. Not one of the horses would
drink the water. Little Kate swallowed
some of the last pailful and then looked
sorrowfully up to her keeper. like disap.
pointed child who finds her gingerbread
sour.
Isaac stood wondering at this une xpec
ted freak, when the voice Of Susan rang
through the clear. frosty air: Isaac
Isaac, breakfast is readyf p s.Well. we'll. >