Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-06-01
Wife or Slave.

and famed his flushed face with his straw
nat. "a quarter of an hour wasted very
likely, waiting here. Right in the midst OF
as fine hay-day as a man would wish to
see. Now, my mother used to have her
lunch ready to the minute whenever we
came for it, and don't see why"
His ieremiad was checked by the appear
ance Of his wife, who came out Of the pan
try tugging along the great lunch basket
almost too heavy for her strength.
Farmer Brewster was a young man, in
spite of his grumbling. Only twenty-three,
tall, straight healthy, with blue eyes, rosy
cheeks, fair curly hair--and handsome face
when it was not darkened, as now, by a
scowl of discomfort.
An only son, he had inherited large and
handsome farm, clear of mortgage and debt,
which supplied all the wants of his house
hold most literally and gave him nice lit
tie sum OF money to deposit in the bank
each year.
There was no reason why he should be
mean, and yet mserly habits were gradually
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 daughter who
knew well how to work, and who had taken
delight in setting her home in faultless or
der when first she came as a bride to the
pleasant Brewster place.
The same order reigned still, from garret
to cellar of the square old house; but Mrs.
Brewster went through her tasks mechanic
ally now, or with nervous haste and hurry
that made them almost uncomfortable some
times.
The constant drop of water will wear
away stone and the constant fault-finding
in which her husband saw fit 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 a thread, which frayed more and
more, hour by hour, under the pain OF un-
meritsd 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 ten," said Mrs. Brewster, set
ting the basket down with some emphasis at
his feet. al was delayed that much with
the butter. 1t had to be seen to before the
sun got too high"
any mother always churned before break
fast" observed George, rising slowly to hi:
feet.
His wife said nothing, but the color rose
hotly in her cheeks till the lost bloom OF hel
girlhood seemed to have come back again
and she raised her eyes to his with look
that startled him.
Very handsome eyes they were-dark, soft
and velvety, with world of love aud ten
nerness in their depth.
Yet now they met his own coldly and
sternly, with such an expression that he ex.
claimed:
"Good gracious Lefty. You look as il
you hated me !"
"I'm afraid l do," was the astounding
reply.
And with swift glance at the clock
Lefty hurried down into the cellar with g
knife and pan to make her preparations
for dinner for six hungry haymakers.
"Afraid she hates mel My wife She
that was Lefty Glover" muttered he tc
himself in his bewilderment. "Why, what
on earth She must be going crazy OIL
something or other"
Lettyl' he called at the cellar door.
at is ten minutes past ten," she answered
from the depths of the cellar. "If l don
see about the dinner now it won't be on tht
table at twelve to the minut,, as your mothe
used to have it. can't come"
"Well, if this don't beat all - said he t,
the maltese and white cat who ascende,
from the cellar and rubbed herself agains
his legs.
A shout from the hay field reused him t.
the recollection OF the days business
He went out and dispensed the treasures
of his basket among the hungry men, wht
praised Letty's excellent cooking with ever.
mouthful they swallowed
at is enough to make an old bachelo
| like me sit down aud cry to eat such rasI
berry shortcakes as that" said Solomon
Wyse. wiping the crumbs of the feast frou
his lips before he drank hard cider from tn
| Jug. "Tell YOU what it is, George, yo
drew a prize when You went courting."
$50 he did. Aud here's her good health,
chimed in another mower, as he took up til
Jug.
George assent,d vaguely.
They were talking Of his wife-his wife
who was afraid she hated him.
Never had the two hours between luncl
and dinner dragged so slowly.
AS he rode round and round the feld
with the sharp rattle of the mowing-machin
he guided in his care his mind was continu
ally busy with Letty's looks, and her word:
and his eyes turned often toward the cream
colored farm house, behind whose spruc
green blinds his wife was busy preparing
dinner.
:" used to think how happy should b
if ever persuaded her to come here" h
thought. at is two years-why, | declar
it is two years this very day that we wer
married wonder if she remembers it
But it isn't very likely, when she says sh
is afraid she hates me-"
Did she remember Ah, in that remem
brance Law the sting
All that morning, while she got break fas
at five o'clock, and washed the dishes, swep
the rooms, made beds, churned butter an
prepared hearty lunch for six men, he
heart turned back to that other morning
twenty-four months ago, when the bright
eyed country maiden rose at four O'Clock +
complete her preparations for her weddin
day.
How good, how kind, how handsome he
George was then. How his ewes followe
her; how his love blessed her
Was it all her fault that the bloom an
beauty of life had depart ID in those tw
short years
Looking back she could see no day i
which she had not at least tried to do he
duty.
Aud looking in her glass she saw how tn
light and glow of youth had passed fror
her face while accomplishing the task Ut