The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1880-11-18

went hastily to the head of the table,
; saying: ''rhis is my place, I believe"
William gravely motioned his moth
to seat among the strangers! His
wife bore herself as though she had
been mistress for years, and found fault
freely when the humor seized her.
The bread was dry as chaff, the butter
was bitter with salt, she said.
"That's your idea of cooking, moth
er fancy, Ell? III give you a hint Or
two tomorrow We young people
have progressed, you know"
mot that mean to take the work
oft their hands, "..she said.to her sister
aside. mo, No! If we feed 'em, they
got to earn their bread.'
Lefty overheard the whisper, and her
scared face grew shade paler.
Every nice old silver, William" said
the bride, directly, weighing the spoons
on her finger, and then reading the
mark.
"Cleveland, Ell? You must have that
; altered, please, to our initials. I can't
use spoons with strange names on
en-"
William glanced uneasily at his
mother. But the latter did not speak.
every we'll, my dear, it shall be as you
please" he said.
AS the days heightened into weeks,
the bride found her sway becoming
more absolute. It occurred to William,
sometimes, that she might share in
the work. But like most farmers of
his class, he used to see his mother
drudge, from morning until night, and
vaguely supposed it was her natural
condition of life. Sophy carried the
keys, and dealt out the provisions. Her
ruddy, animal beauty pleased him:
it was pity, he thought, to mar it with
hard work.
Meanwhile, Mr.. Burke had taken
lodlngs with neighboring farmer. He
kept close scrutiny on Lefty, solely
for her mothers sake, he told himself.
She met the ''beery fellow" twice, and
took long walks with him; she received
letters from him by mail. The geolog-
ist found this matter interested him
more than his fossils, even.
One morning, Lefty came into the
room, William stood Joking with his
wife, before going to the field. They
looked at her with astonishment, for
the girl was always silent and shy.
brother, want to speak to you,'
she said catching her breath.
"Well, go on" said Sophy impatient
ly. "What are you afraid of"
Lefty spoke directly to William, ig-
noring her: ''rhe potatoes and apples
must be picked over, and the cellars
are damp. Could one of the hands do
| it,"
"Good gracious! Do you want har-
vesting to stop?' cried Sophy. "You
and mother fancy can do it at your
leisure. Do you suppose your brother
pays men such rllinous wages to wait
on a lot of women?'
"You have always done it," said Will
liam.
| Mother is not well, William"
"Well, manage it as you like.
can't be bothered with the kitchen
work" he burst out.
! Lefty left the room hastily.
''That's right, William. The truth is,
you're too open-handed. You can't af-
ford to keep a parcel Of able-bodied
women in idleness, if you ever mean to
| buy the meadow lots"
''That's fact" The mention of the
lots keyed his courage.
! When he came back that afternoon
he found Sophy resplendent in pink
Powered muslin, entertaining half a
dozen girls in the parlor. He stopped
to joke and romp with them. The
next moment the door opened, and
Lefty stood like ghost on the thresh-
old.
Come to mother!" she said.
"What is the matter?'
"You have killed her, I Think qui-
city.
| The poor old woman had sunk down
on the floor of the cellar, and lay as if
dead.
William trembled as he lifted her.
| The doctor of the village happened to
! pass at the moment.
mo, she is not dead" he said, after
examining her. "Great exhaustion. It
will be long illness. She must have
rest and careful nursing"
Lefty stepped forward. "She will
have both. Mr. Burke, will you carry
her to Mrs. Wright's, across the road?
She has promised to give me a
room."
! The crowd about her were so stunn.
ed at the child's action that they did
nothing to oppose it.
Mr.. Burke promptly lifted the thin
figure in his arms, and had laid her in
the bed in Mrs. Wright's shaded spare
room before William had recovered his
senses.
,"Don't you see how disgraceful this
looks?" Sophy cried, shaking him.
"Your mother turned out. What will
folks say?'
He hurried after Lefty, scolding and
ordorinu them hack But nftr did