Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-06-01
VOL. 76.-3S94. NO. 81.

Vne BlorleS Oh tne costume. But why dld
she put it on2 Sure she could not think of
" going visiting" that afternoon, with six
haymakers TO get tea for and the milk of
eight cows TO attend TO afterward.
The question burned upon his tongue as
he fingered moment behind the other men.
But he finally went out without asking
it. The wife who was afraid she hated
him seemed almost like stranger, although
she looked so much on this occasion like the
girl he had married Just two years ago.
As George neared the door of the wood
shed where the men were lounging away the
rest Of their incoming, he heard his own
name uttered by Solomon Wyse, in tones of
anger.
Involuntarily he stayed his steps.
"Yes, knew George from a baby up,
and | always said he'd make a likely man.
But | vow II is shame to see how he treats
that pretty little creature Such lunch
this morning and such a dinner this noon,
in such nice cool room, with the red roses
and all the rest Of it 4; and she Just as pretty
as picture, with her red cheeks and bright
eyes and her wavy hair, and dressed as neat
as a pink, too. And he sitting there as
glum as cross old man of ninety. | was
ashamed of him."
"Pve heard he does nothing but find
fault with her all day long," said second
voice. "My wife says if threw my mother
into her teeth, as George does his in Letty's,
she run away from me before she was day
older"
"And serve you right" chimes in a third.
" III tell you what my wife says. She says
it is confounded mean and small of George
not to keep woman here to help his wife.
Aud when saw the dinner to-day the pretty
little thing had got for us, all alone, thought
II aInft all ;pl o.,
| stop here this afternoon and help her wash
up that great pile of dishes, and let the hay
| ing go to thunder It's enough to kill the
woman to have all that work to do. And
| George is rich. What on earth is he think
| ing about But he'll be sorry for this in a
year or two hence, when we have to come
here on a different errand."
| "To carry her out in coffin" said Solo
mon Wyse. "Yes, | suppose it will come to
that if some of us don't talk seriously to
George. She don't look at all strong now,
and her hand trembled when she changed my
plate. It's a burning shame-and if none of
you will talk to George about it, will"
They moved off to the bayfield,, talking as
| they went.
But when George Brewster Joined them
Solomon Wyse deemed it prudent to defer
the proposed "talking to-" for his brow was
|
his neighbors now than TO his wife at the
dinner table.
This, then, was the way in which they
spoke about him behind his back these
men who labored beside him. aud took their
wages from his hand and pretended to be
his friends.
Aud his wife was afraid she hated him.
To whom could he turn for comfort-from
whom could he expect true friendship, if
she who should have been dearest and near
est was an enemy in disguise? Lost in a
moody reverie, he paid little attention to his
work.
!, And at last, at three o'clock in the after
noon, there was sudden uproar in the hay
, field-a tramping of hoofs, a rush OF terri
fed men, confusion of voices, and among
them all George Brewster lying on the
ground beneath the moving machine, his
right arm and right leg broken by the
, Wheels his head cut and bleeding with his
heavy fall.
Meanwhile Lefty, in the cream.colored
house, had not been idle.
Tying on great calico apron in place of
her white one she had quietly washed and
put away the dinner dishes and reduced the
dining.room to order.
Tea was easily arranged, since it was to
consist of cold dishes, with glasses OF milk
for the men.
( She threw clean table-coth over the
whole as soon as it was finished, and went
, up stairs into the spare chamber to pack
her trunk.
Yes Lefty has made up her mind at last.
. She was going away.
Life had degenerated into slavery un-
frightened, as she fancied, by a ray of love-
"And slavery will support one anywhere"
, | I attu mil lin bap 10 aha
! locked and strapped her trunk and fastened
her few lines to George upon the lid.
At the porch door she paused for one last
look around the house that might have been
so happy.
t She did not intend to glance toward the
, bayfield,.
r Yet in spit, of her resolution, her eyes
turned that way to single out the tall figure
0 that guided the rattling, clicking moving
/ machine
t al wonder if he will miss me ltte-just
at first ?" she mused. He can get d-
} vorce, l suppose, if desert him, and then
he will marry again. l hope he will be
) kinder to his next wife than he has been
} to me!
' With tears that rose al the thought of
her successor binding her eyes Lefty failed
r to see the figure that she sought.
= al am foolish to look at him again.
n have never been more than housekeeper
a to him from the first" she thought, STUN
Q bling blindly on toward the gate and open
IL ing it, to find herself in the center of an ex-
cited group.
" "There, don't ye take on like that ?" said
9 Solomon Wyse, who came first and saw the
tears upon her cheeks before she could wipe
them away.
}, "Were you coming out to meet us ? We
were in hopes you didn't see anything Of it.
b It's bad accident, but George is 50 strong
and hearty that he will be up and around
|, again almost before you know 1t. We've
e sent b ,n Hill off on one of the colts for the
/ doctor, and if you will only tell us where to
J, carry him"
i "Carry him?" repeated Lefty.
9 Solomon stepped aside She saw behind
2 him litter roughly made of hayrakes aud
covered over with coats, and on that litter
9 George was lying, pale aud bleeding with
Q his eyes closed.
g "0h, Mr.. Wyse is he dead?" she asked,
9 turning even paler than George.
| "Not bit of it Worth twelve dozen
e dead men yet Only bit of a break in one
arm and one leg, aud little knock on the
l. head when he fell. The horse didn't kick,
and he'll be all right as soon as the doctor
It sees him. Shall we take him up stairs, or
L wherep"
d "Bring him in here" said Lefty, recover
II ing herself
g She led the way into the bedroom on ths
: ground floor, and helped to shift the manned
o figure from the litter to the bed.
g Her soul was dying within her for fear,
yet not a word passed her lips.
II When the doctor came he found a capa-
BILE nurse, dressed in dark print, who lis
tened intelligently to his directions and
d promised to carry them out fully.
o And so it happened that as George Brews
ter returned to life the first words that fell
a upon his ear were uttered by the doctor
r outside the window, as he mounted his gig
"Yes, he will do, Mr.. Wyse; he will pull
Q through nice if his wife nurses him. Aud
n she can do so nicely if some of you will send
l. some one to take charge of the house. She
is a woman in thousand. | hope he knows
d how to value her."
Q The doctor drove away
d Lefty, bending over the bed absorbed in
5 the invalid, had not heard him.
a But she plainly heard the faint voice of
$ George calling her by name.
t "What is it, dear ?"
"The doctor is right. You are woman
e in thousand always knew it, Lefty, if |
n never said it. So tell you of it now, be-