Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1882-09-26
Gales arln Skettbes.
WHERE slE WAS.
By ROSE TERRY COOKE.

-
ried, these TWO.
Pretty Sally Masters and VIII Gray were
poor people he was q farmer, and she
had worked in factory at Lynn.
It was like new life to her TO get out
into the sweet country, but she knew moth
ing at al about farm work and cared less !;
it was all new to her, and at first was very
hard.
Then she had q quick temper and a
quick tongue. and Will was the only son
Of q widow and had always had his own
way.
His mother was dead when he married
Sally, or he could not have brought wife
home to the lonely farm, for it would not
support three people as yet, though VIII
worked hard to make it pay, and the year
before he had received five hundred dol
lars from a railroad company for the right
to run their road straight through his
front yard.
This seemed fortune TO VIII, and he
thought very little OF the road being only
few rods from his door. in comparison
with the money which enabled him to buy
wood-lot bordering on his farm and a
piece of meadow on the other side.
But when Sally came there she COM
planned good deal of the noise the en-
gines made, and scolded to think the wag-
on never could come up TO the door; for
she was afraid to cross the track in il, and
the barn lay on the other side Of both road
and railway.
However, a thing that can't be cured
must be endured, so she set herself TO the
endurance.
But butter making and cooking were
worse troubles to her, and to-day Will had
grumbled at the specks in the butter, and
pushed his plate away at breakfast because
the buckwheat cakes were so sour. Sally
had been afraid they would freeze in the
pantry. and 80 she set them on the shelf
above the stove, and they were spoiled.
How she wished she had had home
and a mother to teach her home duties.
instead of being an orphan ever since she
could remember, and working so many
years in the factory.
But Will never thought of that he fan
cied woman knew homework il she did
not anything else, and he had to take a
long drive to-day and should miss the good
breakfast he really needed, and he felt
very cross.
He pushed his chair back and said
II cant eat those thingsr'
well, you no need top snapped Sally.
who was just ready to cry, but who would
not show it for the world.
II ought to have some breakfast to
go 80 miles on. and I'm goin' over to
Mystic to-day"
II hope'n trust you'll get somethin' you
can eat over there. / s'pose 'Phrony
knows how to make good things"
81 bet she does ~ said Will emphatical-
ly.
Now 'Phrony was pretty bright, capa-
BILE girl. Wills own cousin, and he never
had thought of marrying her. She wa,
just like his sister. Tor till very lately
Uncle Dan had lived on the next farm. and
the children had always played together.
But Sally had met Sophrona before and
after her own marriage, and in her foolish
heart had grown iealons of her beauty
and capacity to do all kinds of home
work.
This morning the mention of Mystic. the
village where Uncle Dan lived now, was
the drop too much.
Sally's face famed and her eyes grew
dark.
perhaps you'd better stay to Mystic
when you get there, SEEM things amt to
your lkin' here ~ she said with bitter
emphasis.
''Mabbe had. If You can't learn how
tocook vittles halfway decent" was Wills
spiteful response.
'Fm sure don't care ~ she answered
well. dono as do" he replied. and
walked across to the barn.
Sally was so angry that she flew round
the kitchen as il she stepped on air; she
was in one of those RACES that exalt the
body with the passion of the mind and
make any action easy while the inner tenn
pest lasts.
II seemed to her rs il she heard in her
own ears the boiling of her rage she GER
tainly did not hear outdoor sounds at all
It was accidental that in stepping past the
window. she saw viii drive off down the
hard road without so much as looking
back to his home. She had not heard the
sleighrbells at all.
If some one else had been there for her
to talk to, probably she would have cooled
down sooner; speech is a safety-valve
many times to an over-burdened heart
But she was all alone in the house, and
the nearest ncighbor lived round a hill
out of sight.
And as she flew round putting the dishes
away and setting back the table in that
bare silent room, its only outlook sheets
OF dazzling snow. gray woods with here
and there green cedar. or round fiat
cypress. on the barren hillside. and one
expanse Of stainless sunny blue above.
her thoughts ran riot.
She looked back to the time of her mar
riage. and scorned herself for having be-
lieved Will ever loved her just for
few hard words you ask. Yes only that.
Words break no bones," the proverb
says, but they break hearts. which is
worse. and words mean very much to
woman, though very little to man.
Will. by this time. was whistling along
in the old sleigh. not thinking at all of
his parting with Sally. but of the feed and
flour he must buy in Mystic. the prices of
cranberries and the probable weight of his
pig-it was so near killing time.
But poor Sally, pitiable as well as blam.
able. for to have n quick. high temper is
worse for its possessor than anybody else.
still brooded over her trouble.
She blamed Will for his hateful words.
excused herself and pitied herself for her
lonely. motherless life and inexperience
and planned great many things to say
and do that should show Will she would
not be trodden on and abused weekly and
meakly. She finished her active work.