The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1876-12-15

u
the sun all the same, though hands grow
weary and still, and feet fall out by the way.
Caleb was not the man to sit down and idly
grieve, and especially let his crops spoil
The day after the funeral he was stirring
about as if to make up for lost time.
"You may be thankful you have got Phil
ena Wright to keep house for you" suggest
ed Phebe Stone as she finished putting away
Mrs Fletcher's things. "She is the only
help to be had for love or money in this town
and if you don't mind your P's and Q's you
won't have her long. Such capable person
you don't find every day, if she is little sot
in her way. Remember what / tell you,
Caleb, and don't go to picking no fuses with
Miss Philena."
Caleb had never had any experience with
hired help, but he knew very well what it
was to be master in his own house and he
inwardly smiled at Miss Phebe's well-mea Mt
caution. lie had no idea of abdicating in
favor of such a marvel of n woman as that
ancient maiden, Philena Wright, let her be
as capable as she would. He would like
to see the woman who was capable of man
aging him.
You'll never get on there, Phila," said a
friend, as Miss Wright tied on her sun.bon-
net preparatory to setting out, "Caeb is such
a difficult man. You wort stand it three
days"
81 am going to stay spell, any way"
said Philena, with curious twinkle in her
gray eye, as if she had her mind made up
on some project. "Id stay month out, if
only to teach Caleb Fletcher lesson. He's
needed it these dozen years.
There was decisio in the very tramp of
her small, calf skin shoee, and in the set of
her chin and mouth.
| She took hold Of the house. work with en-
ergy, and soon had things Squared away"
to her mind. The men came in to bounti-
tul, well-cooked dinner, and were in excel
lent spirits. A little too Doubtful, Caleb
| thought it ; and he threw out hint to that
effect.
when you have billed pork, Philena," he
said, ''you needn't cook no other meat for
dinner ; and too many kinds of garden sass
ain nealtny 10 Onct.
Just tend to your moving, Caleb Fletch-
err" said Philena, decidedly, "and I'll tend
to the house-work."
Caleb had no time to discuss matters but
he was trife "set back" by her "snappy
way" of speaking. "Just like all old maids
| suppose" he said to himself, as he went off
to his work.
"You will have to go or send to town to-
night, Mr.. Fletcher" said Phiena, after tea.
"We are out of sugar, coffee and -four. You
may bring home new broom, also. r.
have set them all down on this slip of paper
so you would be sure to remember"
Caleb looked almost astounded. Four
things wanted from the store at one time
What unheard.of extravaganza! Oh, what
strategy the poor departed wife had been
obliged to use, all her married days, to get
even the commonest supplies for household
use How meekly she had made known her
| wants
And she had always been prepared for
storm, when anything was wanted. She
looked for it naturally. Sabina became in
ured to it. Still it wasn't pleasant to hear
| for ever the same old din.
what! that sack of -four gone already? ?"
Caleb would exclaim. 'I should think YOU
must feed it to the hoTs, to use it I'D so fast
tell you what It's, Sabna, there is power
of victuals wasted in this house somehow.
l don't say how, mind you, but say it is
so, +" and he would bring his fist down on the
table in n way that would make things
ring.
He began the same tune with Philena,
about the sugar and coffee He had got so
in the way ofgrumbling at these wants per-
haps he did not know there was any other
way 10 do
Philena gave him one glance of withcring
scorn and then remarked dry!y. "That nom
sense is all done with. Either get the things |
or go without the food" and she whisked off |
into thc,milk-room and shut the door with |
energy.
"Old mans got his comc-up-ance," said |
one workman to another as they sat on the
steps Of the ba"l; stoop. Il, for one, am
glad Of It,"
As for Caleb he walled ont and harncssrd
up Old Gray in a very mcd;taiyo mood. No
wonder he sighed for the good old lays when
he could slam things around as ruah as he
liked, and grumble ard harrasS to his hearts |
content. There was no question but what
Caleb did miss his wife.
Th' experience Of the next two weeks
81 e
Fletcher. 1t might he hard, but it was sal.
utary "All the advantage any one can get |
of that man is 50 much gain to humanity" |
was the general sentiment Of the community. |
though this was not said, perhaps, in 50
many words. So he had little sympathy in
the snuhbing Miss Phiena felt called to adj. |
minister from time to time. She was not |
scolding woman. but she was lawfully set
in her way" She had crisp, decisive stylc
of stating things that "told !" and Caleb |
learned slowly that it was useless to say her
nay, He would gladly have turned her off;
but what could he do? Hired help was not
so plenty that he could afford to discharge
Philena.
So the days ground on slowly. Caleb in
wardly chafed aud fumed at the 'pretty pass
things had come to, when man could not
be master in his own house" But he was
forced to "keep a civil tongue in his head"
for even Philena had been on the point of
leaving several times, ard only prompt COM
ing down on his part had ayerted the catas-
trophe.
There was one way, however, in which he
could circumvent her, and he laughed in his
sleeve as he thought of it, Ifhe had another
wife, how triumphantly he could snap his
fingers at her, and shake off her iron rule
He cast his eyes about, but fruitlessly, for
several months He made himself the oan