St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1881-06-17


dark, soft and velvety, with a world of
love and tenderness in their depth.
Yet now they met his own coldly
and sternly, with such an expression
that he exclaimed:
Good gracious Lefty. You look
as if you hated me y
'I'm afraid | do was the astOund
ing reply.
And with a swift glance at the clock,
Lefty hurried down into the cellar with
knife and a pan to make her prepa-
ratiOns for dinner for six hungry hay
makers.
|'Afraid she hates me My wife
She that was Lefty Glover - muttered
he to himself in his bewilderment.
"Why, what on earth! She must be
going crazy or something or other"
LEFTY ~ he called at the cellar door.
at is ten minutes past ten," she an
swered from the depths of the cellar.
"If don't see about the dinner now it
won't he 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
ascended from the cellar and rubbed
herself against his legs.
A shout from the hay field reused
him to the recollection of the days
business.
He went out and dispensed the treas
ures of his basket among the hungry
men, who praised Letty's excellent
cooking with every mouthful they
swallowed.
at is enough to make an old bachel-
or like me sit down and cry to eat such
raspberry shortcakes us that" said Sol
omon Wyse, wiping the crumbs of the
feast from his lips before he drank hard
cider from the jug. "Tell you what it
is, George, yOu drew prize when you
went courting."
$50 he did. And here's her good
health" chimed in another mower, as
he took up the jug.
George aSSented vaguely.
They were talking of his wife-his
wife, who was afraid she hated him.
Never had the two hours between
lunch and dinner dragged so slowly.
As he rode round and round the field,
with the sharp rattle of the moving
machine he guided i'll his care, his
mind was continually busy with Let
tvs looks, and her words, and his eyes
turned often toward the cream-colOred
farm house, behind whose spruce green
blinds his wife was busy preparing
dinner.
81 used to think how happy | should
be if | ever persuaded her to come
here" he thought. at is two years
why, | declare it is two years this very
day that we were married! | wonder
| if she remembers it But it isn't very
likely, when she says she is afraid she
hates me-"
Did she remember ? All, i'll that re-
membrance lay the sting
All that morning, while she got
breakfast at five o'clock, and washed
the dishes, swept the rooms, made
beds, churned butter and prepared Il
hearty lunch for six men, her heart
turned back to that other morning
twenty-four months ago, when the
bright-eyed country maiden rose at
four o'clock to complete her prepara-
tions for her wedding day.
How good, how kind, how handsome
her George was then. How his eyes
followed her; how his love blessed
her
Was it all her fault that the bloom
and beauty of life had departed in those
two short years
Looking back she could see no day
in which she had not at least tried to
do her duty.
And looking in her glass she saw
how the light and glow of youth had
passed from her face while accomplish
ing the task uncheered by the approval
of him she loved.
George has kept his color and his
good looks because his work lies out of
doors, she mused, "but | have worked
in this old kitchen until | look old
enough to be his mother. His mother"
she paused with bitter laugh-"l
almost wish | was his mother, then he
would be suited with what | did"
Noon came. The twelve o'clock
whistle sounded sharp and clear from
the factory in the village a mile away :;
and before the whistle ceased II little
figure stepped out on the sidc-porch of
the Brewster house and blew Il horn.
"There's Il woman for you," said
Solomon Wyse, admiringly. "Dinner
to the minute-and won't it be good
oner'
The dinner was indeed success,
every dainty of the season and the farm
was there, skillfully cooked, and neatly
served on table in the cool dining
roOm-a table covered with snowy
cloth fresh from its fold, and glass and
china.
In the center of the table stood Il
great china bowl full of red roses that
perfumed the room. Her cheeks were
red, her eyes shone dark and bright
and her words and smiles were ready
for every one save George.
As he sat, grave and silent at tn,
foot of the table, he looked at her won
} deringly.
She wore dress of silver gray al
paca that had been her travelling dres.
, when they were married.
r A large white apron with bill
shielded the glories of the costume
: But why did she put it on =? Sure sh,
? could not think of "gOing visiting
5 that afternoon, with six hay-makers t.
get tea for and the milk of eight cow
: to attend to afterward.
t The question burned upon hi
t tongue as he fingered IA moment be
hind the other men.
4 But he finally went out without ask
: ing it. The wife who was afraid sh,
+ hated him seemed almost like ;
a stranger, although she looked so mucl
E on this occasion like the girl he ha'
married just two years ago.
! AS George neared the door of til,
{ wood shed where the men were lOung
l ing away the rest of their incoming, h,
e heard his own name uttered by Solo
e mon Wyse, i'll tones of anger.
Involuntarily he stayed his steps.