The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1876-01-15

hands.
She will never toll as have done, but
oh, wanted her so much, the lonely mo-
ther sobbed forth.
Mr.. Streeter was now considered
wealthy farmer. His acres had broadened
and his stock increased. The little village,
mile away, had put on city airs, and the
steam horse respectfully waited at its de-
pot
Still the thrifty farmer confined himself
closely TO labor, hardly taking time for
needful rest. The love Of getting had in
creased with his gains and he was con-
stantly planning to add TO his already many
acres. Physically and mentally strong, be
grappled with toll and it hardly left a
mark on his splendid pbysiqde-bronzed a
little, and, with a gentle, loving wife ever
studying his tastes and wishes, why should
he wear ont fast,
But Of her Naturally frai, she had
been like a willow bending beneath bur
den voluntarily taken up. Excepting an
efficient girl for a few weeks, when little
Mary died, she had performed all the labor
required in the house since she became mis-
tress.
AS a girl, she WAS great reader, and
extravagantly fond OF music But there
was no room in the small dwelling for a
piano, and books only added to her labor
by accommodating dust-for where was the
time
| know this is a dreary picture fcr far
mers wife, but perhaps there is another
side.
Newton Streeter took the memorandum,
glanced hastily at the neatly written items,
and then SAID
" One thing more, Mary, and then I'm
off. Please to sew this button little
closer"
The loose button was confined to its
place, and then Mary Streeter watched her
husband as he stepped into the light buggy
and drove away.
But no longer might she linrer, for the
sponge was waiting in the kitchen to be
kneaded, and the baby's maps were like an
gels Wits. And before her task was well
over his buglo note sounded 10 arms, and
the fretful child was taken up and carcass
ed and sootLed toquielness. But he would
not go down again, and back and forth
from the hot kitchen she carried HIM, as
she watched the browning loaves in the
oven.
She was conscious Of q strange dizziness
when she arose from a STOPPING position
her head was aching miserably, and her
eyes seemed burning. What was coming
over her She must be i'll! Oh, no she
had no time for that And then thought
carried her away to the dear old home of
her childhood. And she asked herself, for
the first time, if she had done wisely in
leaving it tor this life Of toll and care.
1t was dangerous position for wife
and mother, and she clasped her child more
closely to suppress in her heart the disloysl
answer.
She heard James, the hired man, come in,
and rppQllpptiur tbn pccoro fpr hin,
arose, and that unac6ountable giddiness
seized her and she sank back utterly DOW.
eress.
When Mr.. Streeter returned, exultant
over the thousand dollars he had deposited
in the bank-and with which he hoped to
purchase another parcel of land-he found
no supper prepared, and his wife helpless
and the waling child distractlng herF WIN
demand for care.
A physician and nurse were soon sum-
moned from the city, and the weary wife
enjoyed the luxury of being i'll.
But convalescence soon followed, and be-
fore leaving his patient the old doctor,
close observer and deep thinker, took the
husband aside and asked:
" Do you know what brought the fever
on YOU wife, Mr.. Streeter =
" No - in surprised tone.
" Shall tell you p
" Certainly. | am anxious to know
" You have worked her nearly to
death"
"You are speaking of my wife, not of
my horse"
=" Granted; and I say again, you are
working her to death.
" Really, doctor, such language is IN
pardonable."
" And yet you will pardon it. And fur
thermore, by your great love for the self
sacrificing woman We have just left, | shall
perform an operation on your eyes that you
may see even as | see
And then, in his own peculiar, abrupt
manner, he placed the cold, hard facts be-
fore the husband, from the time she came,
a bride, beautiful and accomplished, to the
village, up to the date Of her present sick
ness, in which domestic cares only haunted
her feverish dreams.
In concluding, ne added " | truly be-
lieve if she takes up her old burden at once
that before year has passed the grave or
an insane asylum will receive her"
The strong man shuddered. ." AS heav-
en- is my witness, sir, have only permitted
and not exacted this sacrifice. She volun-
tarily took her place by my my side, and
has uncompaiuingly kept step with me
since"
. No, she has not kept step, to follow
your own figure. Unable to keep up with
your long. rapid strides, she has fallen FAINT
and footsore by the way. And now you
have but to 90 back and take her in your
strong arms and carry her awhile. tell
you she must have rest for both mind and
body, OF | will not answer fer the result.
And it would be better if found away from
here"
=" Yes, begin TO comprehend and it
can be found away. And Offering his
hand, g | will take care, doctor, that you
do not get a chance to administer another
such dose to me.
" Then see that you do not need it," said
he dryly, as he mounted his horse and rode
away
Mr.. Streeter went back to the room
where his wife was sitting, propped up in
pillows, and gush Of unutterable tender
ness swelled in his heart as he glanced at
her pale face and almost transparent hands.
He sat down beside her, and said softly
" You don't know how glad am that you
are better"
"Thank you. Yes. am almost well
now-shall soon be able to be in the kitch-
en-. | am sure | must be sadly needed by
this time there.
Ono, You are needed here. By the way,
would you ike to have me put the farm to
rent this summer, aud you take the hoy
and go back to the old granite hills r
ooh, could you May | goI' and the
voice qnivered with excitement. Then,
wistfullv, " But the expense, Newton. 1t
would put us back so much"
eyes, there it is the old doctor was
right" he thought. Then aloud "Do you
know what | went to the city for the day
you took i'll ?"
"To deposit some money for more
land, think you said, she replied wea-
rlly.
q Yes. do not need that land. have
far more than ] can cultivate now. And
you shall have that money or ut last all
you want OF it-and so home and stay this
summer and try and get some of your old
bloom back"