Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1878-12-12
up poor David Devine, and agreed to
marry that grim and greedy Matlev.

Accumulation to me, and I forced prom,
Use from Hulda that she wouldn't marry
for couple of years, during which time
hoped for heaven knows what that was
strange or remarkable. / had small
doubt but that poor David was food fol
the fishes or the cannihals, for I had
heard no word from him; but / kept on
prsyingand hoping for hurricane that
mig hit sweep every Marley OFT the face
of the earth. Whenever Marley took
Hulda out he brought a carriage, and
AS it wasn't Bob's way to waste any lux
ury he used very often to occupy the
spare seattle and sister of Marley's, a
hlgh-nosed, high-colored, big-toothed
young woman called Judith. l saw what
was coming, and told Bob he'd regret
1t to his dying day, but he married Ju-
dlth Marley within that year. She dis
liked the trouble Of housekeeping, so he
brought her to board with INC. They
took suite of rooms on the second floor,
and before she had been to the house a
month she began to raise Cain, as | knew
she would. OF which I was very glad.
| should have been sorely disappointed
If she had forced me to love her, AZ did
the fond, Eighty first wife of Bob; for
TO hate the Marley's had become nv sole
strength and tonic during days OF end
less labor and WEAKNESS of body and
soul. The spite l had against the whole
Marley race, that had spoiled my Bob
Tor me-, and wheedled my sister into 4
peridy that broke the manly heart of
David Devine-the spite held for them,
one and all, kept life in me when
{ AL Co., ~
way. Bob saw that we couldn't live to-
gethtr, and took & furnished house down
the street, for Bob was big man INV,
and one OF the partners of Marley and
Brothers; but before Judith went away
she gave me what she called piece of
her mind.
| had Hulda to myself now, and will
confess that left no stone unturned to
accomplish my purpose. Ispared neither
her sultor's age nor his intirmities, and
repeated, with many a sly exaggeration,
the taunt of Judith. So all poor Mar.
iey's entreaties, and the threats and
wrath Of Bob, were unable to mend the
mischief Of one woman's tongue. Hulda
gave up Marley, and settled down with
me to Old maiuenhood and the dreary
msnotony Of keeping boarders. Even
hulda was past middle age when she
came down to ME that morning on the
kitchen floor. As | said, there was no
necessity for Hulia's remaining among
the rust and roacnes, the CHATTER of the
dishes, and the hustle of the black serv-
. ng-maids. l had kept Hulda the lady
manager of the house. Her laces were
real, while mine were any .two-penny
cheatery that came to hand; she rustled
in her silks, while [ got about in a ging-
ham gown; but we worked together,
HuldA and |, and the time had come
! now when we could shake the dust and
ashes of this drudgery from cur feet.
1t was growing hot for that early season
of the year. l had been thinking all
the morning of the budding larches out
on the old homestead, and the tender
green of the willow slips down by the
meadow. 1t seemed to me 1 could hear
the young lambs bleat, and catch the
milky breath OF the cows as they chewed
their early cud. It might have been the
steam Of the boarding-house breakfast
that dlmmed my eyes as whispered to
Hulda:
"1t's all settled. The boarders must
be told to-day. We're rid Of all this
, din and drudgery, I've paid the last
cent on tie homestead, and it's ours,
dearie, to have and to hold forever"
And shall we live there all alone,
Magada?" she said" you and T."
~ shall take Chloe to help about the
houses, Il said; but as to living alone.
That what we'd been working and pray
; ing for. You certainly don't want to
take any of the boa1ders along? Mrs.
Post wants to bring her sick baby out
tor the summer, and that young student
on the second floor back is Fostering me
to spend his vacation with us; but surely.
| Hulda, you would not begin your new
life with boarders?"
"No, Magada, no." she said, with that
little melancholy, deprecatory, exasper-
ating smile of hers; and as she went
away she left the germ after her of
rather bitter misgiving, which ripened
into full maturity when we got settled
in the old homestead, with all our house
hold gods about US. These deities wore
ruetul and rusty air. There was some
| thing out Of joiDg. It was Time himself,
no doubt. l began to get the ricketts,
f., myself; and though I wouldn't have
, owned 1t to the world, I was sorry I
hadn't brought out with me Mrs. Post
and her baby, and the young student on
the second floor back. For one thing, I
hadn't enough to do. Chloe did all the
kitchen-work, Hulda attended TO the
bedrooms, and the cooking that was
lett to me wasn't worth mentioning. 1t
was enough to break ones heart to see
the dishes come ard 20 untouched and
untasted. I would almost have been
glad to see that greedy Marley come in
for one hearty meal. There was nobody
to brew or bake for; nobody to mend or
make for; and, ah me! what bitter
cry | had one day when stupidity STUN
bled into Bob's snuggery up under the
caves OF the garrett, and saw there the
broken fishing rods, the old rabbit
hutches, the bird traps, kites, marbles,
and heaven knows what all! I couldn't
get the boy out of my mind, and began,
now that | had plenty of time, to think
thatl might have been little hard nv.
self, and grew to wondering about the
children of Bob's first wife that I'd Civ.
en- over to the clut ch of Judith Marley
without one effort to cheer or comfort.
It was the third day before Christmas
when storm set in OF hail and snow and
sleet, so that it was all we could do to get
the dumb creatures about the place
housed and fed. When all was done, I
set the logs to blazing upon the hearth,
and happily kept a warm drink in the
ashes for Chloe, who was still fussing
about the kitchen. The wind roared
around the house, swinging the branches
of the trees against the weather-board-
ing; and said I, "Hulda, God save any
poor creatures at the mercy of this storm
tonight"
"Amen!" said Hulda.
At that moment we both heard some
thing like human voice starined to the
utmost, and Hulda started to her feet.
BE quiet, Hulda," said, myself far
from easy, it's only the shrieking of the
wind"