Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1881-08-21
A WIFE OR DRUDGE.

| grunCeu 1arulcr DTtWSltI, DIS uC I'LL w
/ himself into the rocking-chair in the
kitchen and famed his flushed face with
his straw hat GA quarter of an houl
wasted very likely, waiting here. Right
IN the midst of as fine hay-day as any
one would wish to see. Now, my mother
used to have her lunch ready to the min
ute whenever we came for it, and don't
see why
His jeremiade was checked by the APP
pearance of his wife, who came out OF
the pantry, tugging along the great lunch
basket, which was almost too heavy for
her strength.
Farmer Brewster was young man in
spite of his grumbling. Only twenty
three, tall, straight, healthy, with blue
eyes, rosy cheeks, fair curly hair, ana a
handsome face when it was not darkened
as now, by scowl of discomfort.
An only son, he had inherited large
and handsome farm, clear of mortgage
debt, which supplied all the wants of the
household most literally, and gave him a
nice little sum of money to deposit in the
bank each year.
There was no reason why he should be
mean, and yet misery habits were gradu-
ally growing upon him far faster than he
knew
Nor was there need of grumbling over
the household arrangements, since the
wife of his choice was farmers daugh-
ter who knew well how to work, and who
had taken delight in setting her home in
| faultless order when first she came as a
bride to the pleasant Brewster place.
The same order reigned still, from gar
ret to cellar of the old square house; but
Mrs. Brewster went through her tasks
mechanically now, or with nervous haste
and hurry that made them almost unen-
durable sometimes.
The constant drop of water will wear
away stone; and the constant faultfind-
ing in which her husband saw fit to in
dulge had nearly worn away the patience,
the hope and endurance out of the young
wife'a heart.
The comfort and happiness Of that
home hung upon thread, which frayed
more and more, hour by hour, under the
pain of unmerlted blame.
Yet George Brewster saw nothing of
this until on the morning of which 1
write.
'.There is the lunch and it is exactly
five minutes past ten," said Mrs. Brews-
ter, setting the basket down with some
emphasis at hisfeet II was delayed that
much with the butter. 1t had to be seen
to before the sun got too high
my mother always churned before
breakfast, remarked George, rising slowly
to his feet.
His wife said nothing, but the color
rose holly to her cheeks, till the lost
bloom of her girlhood seemed to come
back sgain, and she raised her eyes to his
with look that startled him.
Beautiful eyes they were-soft, dark
and velvety, with world of love and
tenderness IN their depths.
Yet when they met his own coldly and
sternly, with such an expression that he
exclaimed:
'Good gracious, Lefty, you look as if
you hated mel"
"I'm afraid 1 do,'' was the astounding
reply.
And with swift glance at the clock,
Lefty hurried down into the cellar with
knife and pan to make her preparations
for the dinner for six hungry lawmakers.
"Afraid she hates me! My wife! She
that was Lefty Grover! Why, what on
earth! She must be gong crazy or some
thing or other" muttered he,' in his be-
wilderment.
"Letty!'' he called out at the cellar
door.
cit is ten minutes past ten," she an
swered from the depths of the cellar. elf
I don't see about tho dinner now, it won't
be on the table at twelve to the minute
as your mother used to have it. | can't
come"
"Well, if this don't beat all!' said he
to the maltese and-white cat who ascend
ed from the cellar and rubbed against his
legs.
A shout from the bayfield, aroused him
to the recollection of the business of the
day
He went out and dispensed the treas
ures of his basket among the hungry hay
makers, who praised Letty's excellent
cooking with every mouthful they swal-
lowed.
"It is enough to make an old bachelor
like me sit down and cry to eat such
raspberry shortcakes as that said Solo
mon Wyse, wiping the crumbs of the
feast from his lips before he drank sweet
cider from the jug. "Tell you what it is,
George, you drew prize when you went
IcOurtlRg.
$50 he did. And here's her good
health chimed in another mower, as he
took up the jug. f't
George assented vaguely. -
They were talking of his wife, who
was afraid she hated him!
Never had the two hours between lunch
and dinner dragged SO slowly.
7, AS he rode round and ronnd the field
with the sharp rattle of the moving
machine he guided in his care, his mind
was continually busy with Letty's looks,
and her words, and his eyes often turned
to the cream colored farmhouse behind
whose spruce green blinds his wife was
busy preparing dinner.
81 used to thiuk how happy Ishould be
if ever persuaded her to come here,'' he
thought. "It is two years--why, de-
clare, it is two years this very day that
we were married. wonder if she remem-
bers it! But it isn't very likely when she
says she hates me-"
Did she remember? All, in that very
remembrance lay the sting!
All that morning, while she got break
fast at five O'Clock, and washed dishes
swept rooms, made beds, churned butter
and prepared hearty lunch for six men,
her heart turned back to that other morn
ing, twentyfour months ago, when the