Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1881-10-27
WIFE OR DRUDGE,
i}yRoS.


he Crew himself into the rocking chair
in the kitchen and famed his flushed
face with his straw hat. "A quarter OF
an hour wasted, very likely, waiting
here. Right in the midst of as fine a
hay-day a. any one would wish to see.
Now. nv mother used to have her
lunch ready to the minute whenever
we come for it, and don't see why"
His jeremiade was checked by the
appearance of his wife, who came out
of the pantry tugging along the great
lunch basket, almost too heavy for her
strength.
Farmer Brewster was young man
in spite of his grumbling. Only TWEEN
ty-three, tall, straight, healthy, with
blue eyes, rosy cheeks, fair, curly mar
and handsome face when 1t was not
darkened, as now, by a scowl OF dis.
content.
An only son, he had inherited large
and handsome farm clear of mortgage
and debt, which supplied all the wants
of his household most literally and
gave him nice little sum ofmoney to
deposit in the bank each year.
There was no reason why he should
be mean, and yet misery habits were
gradually growing upon him faster than
he knew.
Nor was there need Of grumbllng
over the household arrangements,
since the wife of his choice was far
mer's daughter who knew well how to
work, and who had taken delight IN
setting her home in faultless order
when first she came as bride to the
pleasant Brewster place.
The same order reigned still, from
garrett to cellar of the old square house;
but Mrs. Brewster went through her
tasks mechanically now, or with a
nervous haste and hurry that made
them almost uncomfortable sometimes.
The constant drop of water Will wear
away a stone; and the constant fault
finding in which her husband saw tit to
indulge had nearly worn the patience,
the hope and the endurance out OF the
young wife's heart.
The comfort and happiness of that
home hung upon thread, when
fraved more and more, hour by hour,
under the pain of unmerited blame.
Yet George Brewster saw nothing of
this until the morning Of which ! write.
"There is the lunch and it is exactly
five minutes past 10" said Mrs. Brews-
ter, setting the basket down with some
emphasis Mt his feet. 81 was delayed
that much with the butter. 1t had to
be seen to before the sun got too high
"My mother always chumed before
breakfast" observed George, rising
slowly to his feet.
His wife said nothing, but the color
rose hotly in her cheeks, till the lost
bloom of her girlhood seemed to have
come back again, and she raised her
ewes to his with a look that startled
him.
Very handsome eyes they we're
soft, dark and velvety, with world of
love and tenderness in their depths.
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 "
"I'm afraid do was the astouMd-
ing reply.
And, with swift glance at the clock,
Lefty hurried down into the cellar with
n kuite and pan, to make her prepa-
rations for dinner for six hungry hay
makers.
afraid she hates me! My wife,
She that was Lefty Froye" muttered
he. to himself, in his bewilderment.
''Why. what on earth, She must
be going crazy, OF something or other.
Lefty he called at the cellar door.
at i5 10 minutes past TO-" she an
swerel from the depths of the cellar.
''If / don't see about the dinner now,
it won't be on the table at II to the
minute, Ms 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 as
cended from the cellar and rubbed
against his legs.
A shout from the bayfield, reused
him to the recollectiau 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 swal-
lowed.
at is enough to make an old bache-
lor like me sit down and cry to eat
such raspberry shortcakes as that"
said Solomon Wise, 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 a
prize when you went coutting.'
$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 hal the two hours between
lunch and dinner dragged so slowly.
As he rode round and round the tiele
with the sharp rattle of the mowin.
machine he guided in his care, his mino
vas continually busy with Letty's looks