Wilmington daily commercial., 1876-05-13
a GOOD Story
cALEB'S JEALOUSY.


ling and beating time with his boots while
he waited for some one to come out.
"Going to have company, Jennie ?"
Jennie Hutter shook her head.
NO." said she ''papa has taken it into
his head to have city boarders, that's all.
Some old gentleman who is going to write
book and wants quiet, 1 believe. What
bother r'
Caleb laughed.
He'll not bother you much, plaything,
he said. I" You are not interested in the
crockery, nor do you sweep or make the
beds. The rose ON the branch to the window
will be troubled as much by his coming as
you.
Jennie pouted.
How idle you fancy me, she said. 81
sew perpetually, and l made a custard yes
terday. Ma won't lei me do housework, and
old Nancy always says GO away and don't
bother me child when try to help"
There, plaything," said Caleb don't
make excusee" I'd as soon expect hum
mirg-bird to turn kitchen drudge as you
[ shall lay you up in cotton as you lay your
pins and earnings, and like to see your lit
lie hands snow-white as they are now, if
you are farmers wife"
Jennie looked down and blushed. She
had been betrothed to Caleb for two years,
bnt she had not quite grown used to talking
of it,"
"Every one tries to spoil me-" she said.
"You will work, Caleb; why not l 2"
Caleb lifted her upon his knee as though
she had been g child.
Jennie" he said, i" this is why, " and
he put her little hand upon his great brown
palm. Sea the difference between us.
was made to work. A great, broad
shouldered six. .footer, with the sinews of a
giant and the constitution of a horse, and
you look az if breath would kill you-a
fairy, Just little taller than those we used
to read of in the giltcovered plcture-books
years ago.
When first grew up and took notice
of farmers wives, 1 made one observation.
As general thing they worked harder than
the men. I've seen fellows with acres upon
acres, and fortune put away in the bank,
whose wives did all the cooking and wash
ing and ironing for dozen hands besides
their own children, women with babies cry
ing after them and keeping them up all
night, and maybe slip of a raw girl half
the time to help.
"Ive seen these women break down be-
fore they were thirty into sallow, gray
haired you'd almost call old, and I've seen
them buried, and heard the clergyman call
these deaths 'dspensations of Providence,
whsn an honest jury ought to have been
called on TO give the verdict worked to
death"
Yes, my dear, and if in all these lives
thing was done wrong or forgotten those
anen would talk Of idleness, and scold and
growl and worry as if they had servants in.
stead of only the delicate mothers Of theil
little children to do their bidding, and ther
I've said this, jennie:
When I'm married I'll have helpmatt
and friend, a thing to love and cherish
not slave. And I'll show folks that
farmer can treat his wife as well as king
and have as fresh and blooming one.
g And that's my plan, Jennie, and wa
when chose you. know you are willin
to help me, and you shall in fifty ways, bu
man, as q drudge, darling"
Jennie nestled her head upon his should
er and said nothing, though she thought
-' How good and tender he is, and how hap
py am"
And what more Caleb intended to say NJ
one will ever know.fO just at that momen
voice close to their ears said
q Is this Mr.. Hutter's y
And Jennie few from Caleb Moor's kne
and began to crochet violently, her cheek
as red as the Berlin wool she was. knitting
while Caleb seized upon a volume of poei
ry which adorned the table, and began t
regard it intently, utterly ignorant of th
fact that he was holding it upside down.
" Is this Mr.. Hutter's? asked the voiq
again, and Jennie becoming aware that
was her duty to speak, replied
I" Yes, sir walk in and I'll call pa"
Thereupon the gentleman entered.
"Don't disturb your father if he is busy
he SAID. My name is Jordan-I beliey
my trunk arrived an hour ago."
Jennie said
" les, sir"
And Caleb lifted his eyes to zee the " o.
gentleman who " wanted quiet, and We
going to write book"
He saw man of forty, very bald, bt
by no means elderly or plain-looking
very handsome man in fact, with an " al
distingue," which Caleb, plain and home
as ne was, understood at glance, and ey
brown, ong-lashed, and bright, which fc
lowed Jennie's rotreating figure admiringl
q suppose he wants a beauty for Il
book" thought Caleb. Well, he's We
come, and if he'll put her in as good al
handsome as she is I'll buy two copies
Then Caleb looked at his big silver watc
see about the two calves which were to
sold would be waiting, and walked hom
ward. And why, thinking it over, he shou
be sorry that the new boarder was han
some, middle age man instead of the O
book-worm he had expected, Caleb cou
not tell.
"What is the man to me?' he said agai
D." I'm an idiot, and I'd trust Jennie with t
handsomest young fellow under the sun, l
certain"
Sunday vas Calebs visiting night.
The evening when, after the old-fas
ioned country custom, the family absent
themselves from the parlor and left t
courting couple solus.
On other days Caleb might drop in,
he was not expected or prepared for.
On Sunday, therefore, Caleb went oV
to Che Huttel's.
Tea was over and Jennie was in t
parlor, 30 were the "old folks" 30 v
MIR. Jordan.
Mr.. Jordan was very sociable, and talk
d good deal.
Eight o'clock came. and he did not g
home, still he sat and talked
The folks looked at each other.
g I'm afesred we're keepin' MIR. Jord
up, pa" said the old lady.
Don't stand on ceremony, Mr.. Jorda