The Grange advance. [volume] (Red Wing, Minn.) 1873-1877, 1875-11-03

year. It's So dry and the nhas: com:
mcnced to burn already in the high places. !
mine stands it we'll yet. S'posin' mother,
one month; and then I'll let him of il if
: s.lf,you like James; but dislike, ev en-
for a month, to take into our home with
our boys. man with S: many intemper.
ate habits as Seth is known to have. Hc
drinks, he swears, he chews tobacco and
smokes; still, James, l only said If you
could do better, or could get any body
that would answer, even if not better, or
quite as good hand to work, wished
you would
"Well, I've TO time to spend running
round after hand; and Seth is over at
Jobs now: l shall try him for month
any way"
"Mrs. Ellison sighed, she could not
help it; her hand had gone away from
her husbands face and lips; did not even
rest upon her knee, it had met her other
one in strong clasp upon her ow:: lap
and she only said:
"lf Seth only did not swear, or drink,
or slnoke!'
''Swear he must not on my farm, in the
hearing of my family, nor touch one drop
of liquor while in nay employ: I told Job
Downs would hire him on no other con-
ditions, and he said, Only make that in
the bargain and Seth will live right
square up to it, I don't think it such
sin for a man to smoke, MARTHA
"Not, sinful, perhaps, but bad habit
and a dangerous one, especially so, when
INDUCED in immoderately, and upon
f,rm.'
"Sh.h-h!' contemporary, from James,
but no more words; and Martha had no
heart to say more. She wished so much
that some one else could be hired in the
place Of Seth Sitter, but there was not
at least he was there to dinner on the
morrow, with his mouth full Of tobacco
and his lips all stained with the juice
thereof: He was a jolly fellow, always
ready with his jokes and fun, and made
the children laugh continually with his
funny stories and sayings. He was a
''staver'' to work and did his best for Mr..
ellison, having an eye to the hard times
which threatened the country, and to a
winters job in such good, easy place as
the Ellison's. Weeks flew. swiftly. The
wheat was cut, bound, stacked in the
field, and thrashed: such harvest as
never had come to Mr.. Ellison in his life,
and he smiled compacently as he helped
Seth to stow away the last bushel in the
bin Of his new granary; one thousand seven
hundred bushels Of white, winter wheat.
"Ieil you what Seth, drought nor
grasshoppers can't starvc US out this
year can they? "Twill seem pity to
feed the cattle this wheat; but if the hop
progresses should come they would finish
up all the corn the drought has left us,
will have to do it. Hitch on to the hay
rack, and you and Norman haul in that
prairie hay moved yesterday. I'll 80
and rake it into windows, and We will
stuff the barn full, and make sure of so
much before tho sun scorchcs it all up
"All right sir and if you don't mind, I
and the boys would like to 60 up On the
creek to night fjshing.'
| Now James Ellison had been careful
ever since Seth had been there, and had
never allowed even Norman togo any.
where Of an evening with him; but to-day
his head was full Of his well stored grain,
and his project of getting his hay all in
before any Of his ncighbors and he did
not wait to give it a second thought, but
gave promise instead
The boys were delighted. Norman,
William, Joseph, and even Paul, the
seven year old boy, were all going. Mrs.
Ellison was worried, but Seth had hecn so
steady, and the boys were all so much alb.
sorbed with the idea Of going fishing
that she had not the heart to say even
word against it. 10 be sure she caution.
ed Norman about looking carefully after
the rest, and having received his promise,
saw them drive away without any for
bodings that she could describe. Way
down in her heart Of hearts was tritle of
unrest that made her wakeful until way
into the night; but thinking over all her
husband had said of his prospects and
bright anticipations, she had forgot.it all
iii deep sleep, from which she was
aroused by her husband whont she
found sitting up in bed. =: :: .:
martha, for Gods sake what was
tina: O.
81 heard nothing.'
''Listen then some one screamed, |
am sure; are the boys home?'' y,
By this time the wife had been con.
scious that it was light enough to dis
tinctly see every object in the room.
Was it morning? It was in the dark Of
the moon; it must BE-. morning. just
then Mr.. Ellison's olfactories took in
some odor that smelled like smoke. 49,
n" Heavens and earth! = Martha the
houseis on fire--wake the children" =,
Up stairs flew the feet Of *A1artha,"
borne on the aeetness of a mothers love
but glance from the window at the
head of the stairs showed her it was the
barn, instead Of the house.
Shouting to the girls that the ''barn