South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1881-05-27
Principal md Intere.t
BY WILLIAM H. BUSHNELL.

pose the good old domino would
say l was very wicked, but dom,
see anything to be very happy or
thankful about growled John Arm.
strong, as he piled more wood on the
lire, shivered as he listened to the
wind bowling up tho chimney, and
drew nearer to the flame.
| He sat in the great kitchen of the
great farmhouse alone. For five
years he had been childless widower.
All the help had departed the pre-
vious evening to join in q distant we'd
ding frolic, and left him to take care
OF himself after the best fashion he
could, and that without any special
provision for his creature comforts.
He had arisen late, was very hun.
CRY, and in anything but a pleasant
frame of mind. Everything went
wrong. No hot breakfast awaited his
coming when his chores were finish.
cd, and he knew rs much about cook
ing as he did of Hebrew. The wealth.
er was bitter cold. Somehow his
stock required more attention and
were more unruly than usual. The
lire smoked, and would mt burn as it
ought. lie could Mt find food for
breakfast for a long time, and when
he did the sausages burst wide open,
and burned to crisp, while he was
trying to get the buckwheat batter to
the right consistency for baking, and
then he found he had used salt i'm place
OF soda, so Gus to render them uneat.
able. The coffee boiled over, and the
Kettle boiled dry. The dog stole and
detoured the hard cheese he had cut
in place or the ruined sausage. The
cat and kittens stuck their noses into
the pan of milk he intended to use.
lilo blistered his fingers, upset the mo-
lasses, had most unsatisfactory time
generally, and remained half starved.
The old Nick take the luck he
growlcd audibly. I've half mind
to-
He did mt say what, for Just ut the
instant, and as he was getting up, one
OF the buttons Of his coat caught in
the table-cloth, and he dragged it off,
scattering the dishes over the floor,
and reducing them to fragments.
That was poor beginning for the
day, and set him to thinking. If he
had made such an utter failure of
breakfast, how would it be about din
ncr? lie kicked the dog out of doors.
gathered up the offending cat and
kittens into ball, and threw them
after him, cndeavored to fill and light
his pipe, let it fall upon the stone
hearth, ruined it beyond redemption,
and came more near to swearing than
ever before in his forty years of nun.
dane existence. Then he sat down
so heavily as to crush the chair under
him, rolled to the floor with his nose
ploughing the hot ashes. arose sput-
terlng, & went out, slamming the door
after him.
The cool, clear mir somewhat re.
stored him to his senses. lie looked
over his broad, well-tilled acres with
glow of satisfaction, felt he was
well to do and ought to be taking
comfort. Then came rccollections of
former days, of the beautifully loaded
table, the pleasant companionship of
wife, the thousand comforts contribu.
ted by her hands; and in contrast
with these sternly arose the now, with
his desolate home, no fire, no dinner,
no welcoming smile, the cold, lonely
nights, and something of kindness to
all earthly things crept back to his
heart, and he called the dog and the
cat and kittens back to him, petted
them, took them within doors, gave
the one every particle OF cooked meat
he could lay his hands on, and the
others an entire pan of milk, whistling
merrily rs nc thought what a row his
house keeper would kick up when she
came back, and found the Harder emp
ty, ard the Immaculate floor of her
kitchen looking very like q democrat.
lied slaughter house.
I'll do it, he repeated more posi-
lively.
The resolve appeared to have refer
ence to shaving, and dressing in his
best suit, and he was not long in ac-
complaining it. Then he harnessed
up his team, threw into the sleigh buff
falo robes and blankets, and drove to
the church where some sort of quar-
terly meeting was being held.
The long services over land the nv
erage country minister gives lis
hearers in quantity what he lacks
in quality, he fingered at the door,
and, as young and comely woman
came out, said,-
Very cold today, Martha
yes, very, Mr.. Armstrong;
And you have quite long way to
walk. I'm alone, and can take You
and your little boy into my sleigh just
ne we'll as not. Jump in
Martha Edmunds thanked him. nc.
cepted the offer, and, rs they had been
friends from childhood, they chartered
aopialIv