The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1876-12-15
Miscellaneous.
THE TABLES TURNED
BY MRS. j. L. M'CoNAUGHY.

1t was just in the busiest season of the
year, the middle of the wheat harvest, when
Caleb Fletcher's wife gave out.
1t was very aggravating to her husband,
who was not used to such things, and who
expected his wife "to do her part" he said,
"as he did his"
"Her part meant the work of three able
bodied women ; and she at best but small,
meek, weakly woman, with no strength of
soul to assert right, or resist tyrannical
edict.
There she lay, with her toil-worn hands
lying idly on the blue coverlet, boy of ten,
who was grudgingly spared from the fields,
her only help or nurse. He was the last of
FIVE and because he had more of his fathers
grit and grain, had made sturdier fight for
life than the little girls, and had won the
day.
John knew nothing of sickness, and be-
cause his mother did not call him or ask for
anything, he concluded she did not wish for
anything. So he enjoyed rare holiday,
whiting away under a maple tree in the
dooryard, while the mother dozed away the
hours, starting now and then, and murmur-
ing few words in her delirium.
Before John had imagined it could be so
late, there was a shuffling of feet in the
back stoop, and Il was clear the folks had
come in for dinner
Tolah ctornJ ut tho fro1aeu onnEStoya nd
tramped in to see what it could mean. John,
half-scared, and knowing that in some way
he would be blamed, skunk away out by the
well.
"Isnt your mother about yet ?" asked
Fletcher Grossly. "Here are all these men
ready for their dinner l should like to
know what left you at home for if it WASH t
to help her get the dinner. Tell her we've
got to have something set on,right oft, too,"
and he went out in huff, to feed his
horses.
dead or alive" muttered one of the men
to another, "I'd rather be that mans horse
than his wife. He's savin' of his horse flesh
That costs money"
Caleb fingered at the barn longer than he
needed, nursing his ugl y temper,and expect
ing every minute summons to the house,
1t came at last, but not in the way he ex-
pected.
'Mother won't say nothing" said John,
with frightened look on bis face, walking
mp to the barn. Il shook her arm and told
bar 10. li,nar u, IL
at me, as if she didn't know what was say
ing,
Don't make goose Of yourself, John,
said the father, sharply. am explain mat
ters to her myself" he added, with grim
smile, as he passed into the house.
The angry words died on his lps, however,
when he caught sight of the flushed face,
with its disorlcrcd hair, on the white pillow
and met the CLEAN of the burning eye, which
rested iull upon him, as it dared not do for
years. 1t did not finch now at his gaze
The poor drudge was past being goadei on
by the sting ofsharp words. With utter in
difference he might come or go as he chose,
The well'kept home might fall into conrus-
ion from neglect; the flies might buzz in I'M
needed into the neat pantres and best rooms.
These things were nothing to her now,
"John, run for the DOCTOR" was Caleb's
first order. "William," said he to a nephew
at work for him, "You learned to cook
some in the army. Can't you scratch around
and hunt up something for the mems dinner?
Cut up ham and fry some eggs, any way /;
you will find the things somewhere. Your
aunt is took very bad and I am going for
Phebe Stone, If can get her well make
out. Cut the ham as savin' as you can,
Billy" he added in low tone. And then
he walked away at round pace.
"Glad to see the old man step off so lively"
said one of the men. 81 think better of
him than did,"
SITS inconyenient, losing wife in har-
vest time" suggested another.
Miss Phebe, a sallow, bony woman, who
looked much like bundle of dried herbs
and who was rs spicy as bunch of pepper
mint, came in with all haste-and none too
soon, she found. For in three days the
weary hands and tired feet had laid down
the burden of life forever.
"What wasted frame" said Phebe ten
derly, as she laid the cold hands together
when preparing the last rites fer the poor,
worn body.
"lf ever anybody comes back," said the
superstitious neighbor who was assisting her,
sit will be Mrs. Fletcher. should think
Caleb would be scared to stay in this house
after the way he's treated her these fifteen
years."