Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1881-06-04
Principle and Interest.
BY WILLIAM H. BUSHNELL.

> KOGN tt'G E-0OSts 0ANe $4,000
would say was very wicked, but
l don't see anything to be very
happy or thank full about,n gro vi
ed John Armstrong. IS he piled
more wood on the fire, shivered
as he listened to the wind howling
up the chimney, and drew nearer
TO the flame.
He sat in the great kitchen of
the great farmhouse alone. For
five years he had been a childless
widower. All the help had de.
parted the previous evening to
join in a distant wedding frolic,
and left him to take care of him
self after the best fashion he could,
aud that without any special pro-
vision for his creature comforts.
He had arisen late, was very
hungry, aud in anything but a
pleasant frame of mInd. Every
thing went wrong. No hot break
fast awaited his coming
when his chores were finish
ed, and he knew as much g.
bout cooking as hedid of Hebrew.
The weather was bitter cold.
Somehow his stock required more
attention and were more unruly
than usual. The fire smoked and
wouldn't burn as it ought. He
couldn't find food for breakfast for
long time, and when he did the
sausages burst wide open, and
burned to crisp, while he was
trying to get the bnckwheaC bat
ter to the right consistency for
baking, and then he found he had
used salt for soda, so as to render
them UNBEATABLE. The coffee boil
ed over, and the kettle boiled dry.
The dor stole and devoured half
of the chaese he had cut in place
of the ruined sausage. The cat
and kittens stuck there noses into
the pan of milk he intended to
use. He blistered his fingers, up
set the molasses, had most I'M
satisfactory time generally, and
remained half starved.
"The old Nick take the luck !"
he growleG audioly. 1--WE halt a
mind to-
He didn't say what, for just at
the instant, and when he was get
ting up, one of the buttons Of mis-
coat caught in the table-cloth, and
he dragged it off, scattering the
dishes over the floor, and reduci ng
them to fragments.
That was a poor beginning for
the day, and set him to thinking
If he had made such an utter fail
ure of breakfast, how would it be
about dinner? He kicked the
dog out Of doors, gathered up the
offending cat and kittens into q
ball, and threw them after him,
endeavored to fill and light his
pipe. let it fall upon the stone
hearth, ruined it beyond redemp-
tion,a and came more near to swear
ing than eyer before in his forty
years of mundane existence.
Then ne sat down so heavily as to
crush the chair under him, rolled
to the floor with his nose plowing
the OF ashes, arose suffering,
and went out, mining the door
after him.
The cool, clear air somewhat re-
stored him to his senses. He
looked over his broad, we'll titled
acres with glow OF satisfaction,
felt he was well to do and ought
to be taking comfort. Then came
re collections of the bountifully
loaded table, the pleasant COM
partnership of wife, the thousand
comforts contributed by her hands
and in contrast with his desolate
home. arose his present condition,
no fire, no dinner, no welcoming
smile, the cold, lonely nights, and
sonnet thing ofkindness to AL earth
ly things crept back to his heart,
and he called the dog and the cat
and the kittens back to hun, pet
ted them, took them within doors,
gave the one every particle of
cooked meat he could lay his
handS on, and the Others an entire
pan Ut milk, whistling merrily as
he thought what row his house,
keeper would kick up when she
came back, ard found her larder
empty, and the immaculated floor
looking very like demoralized
slaughter house.
"I'll do t!'' he repeated more
positively.
The resolve appeared to have
reference to shaving, and dressing
in his best suit, and he was not
long in accomplishing it. Then
harnessed up his team, threw in
to his sleigh buffalo robes, and
drove to the church where some
sort of Q quarterly meeting was
being held.
The long services over land the
average country minister gives
his bearers in quantities what he
lacks-in quality, he fingered at
the door and as a V0unp and