Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1883-02-08

| iment. So on the following Sabbath
Jane again found her husband in wait
ing, and as she mounted the high buggy
ventured to utter half audible THANK
you," and to ask Samuel if be had been
waiting long. To which Mr.. Tucker re.
piled that he had just. reached the church
and didn't know but he might find she
had started on foot. This reply seemed
to Jane positive assurance that her
husband had really returned for the sole
purpose of taking her home; and her
chilled heart glOwed with a warmth un-
known for years. She lOnged to tell her
husband how much she appreciated his
trouble, but imagined it would sound "s0
foolish" that she kept her pleasure to
herself.
The third Sabbath was rainy, and as
she washed the breakfast dishes Mrs.
Tucker kept thinking, Il wonder if Sam
uel means to come for me this noon; il
would be such help in the rain; I'm
half mind to ask him." This resOlu-
tion was soon sti1ed, however, with the
reasoning which had silenced many sim
liar resolves in the past ten years. mo;
won't ask no favOrS; if he don't think
enough of me to come, why, he needn't"
Although proudly unwilling to seek any
attentions, Jane lOnged for some demon
stration of her husbands love and care.
She had walked home in the rain too
often greatly to dread such exposure. but
week before the wife had tasted the
joy of being considered. and longed for
some new and further proof of her COM
panion's affection.
Mrs. fuckers heart leaped for Joy,
when, at noon, she saw the old mares
head from the lecture room window. In
deed, her hungering heart suddenly be-
came quite unmanageable, and entering
the carriage door, melted Jane sobbed
out: "Pm sure it's very good of You.
samuel, to come back for me this rainy
day." and then the tears flowed so fast
that further words were impossible.
Completely taken by surprise, Mr.
Tucker exclaimed: IL declare! | hadn't
any idee you care so much about it."
Il wouldn't mind the walk" respond
ed the wife, "but Samuel, I'm so happy
to have yOu-care enough about me to
come"
The strong man was brushing away a
tear from his own cheek now; his ten
derer, better nature was mastering the
hard, selfish spirit which had long pos
sessed him, and, with some coughing and
choking. he said: "Jane, see I've made
an awful botch of our married life; if
you're mind to forgive me, I'll see if
can't treat you from to-day as a woman
ought to be treated"
This confession was too mucn for the
weeping wife, and she answered quickly
"Y Ou're not Il bit more to blame than
am; I've been proud and obstinate; but
tell you what it is, we'll begin all over
again"
The ice was now thoroughly broken,
and that afternoon Farmer Tucker and
his wife had long talk over the past
and the future. And in the evening,
when they were about to start for the
prayer meeting to be held in neighbor-
ing school house, the renewed husband
stopped and kissed his wife, saying
Jane, I've been a-thinking that married
life amt so very different from farming
or any other occupation. Now, | amt
such fool as to think field will keep a
yielding if | only enrich it once and plant
it once; have to go over the same round
every season; and here l supposed you
was always a-going to do as you did when
we were accounting, without my doing
my part at ALL
"If | hadn't changed any, maybe you
would always have been as tender as
you used to be-" pleaded the happy WIFE
Perhaps so, and perhaps not; but l
don't mean to leave you to try no such
plan. tell you what it is, Jane, | feel
as if we hadn't never been really mar
ried till to-day. 1t most seem lis if We
ought to take wedding tower"
'"Im afraid we'll have to wait till next
summer for that" was the smiling re-
spOnSe.
81 suppose we shall, but, we'll take it
then, certain; and I'll tell you where
we'll go, wife-that's to Chautauquaw