The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1883-06-14
SLAVE OR WIFE.

his straw hat. "A quarter Of an hour
wasted very likely, waiting here. Right
in the midst of as fine hay day as d
man would wish to see. Now, my moth
or used to have her lunch feaay to the
minute whenever we came for it; and I
don't see why"
His jeremiad was checked by the ap-
pearance of his wife; who came out Of
the pantry, Juggling along the great lunch
basket; almost too heavy for her strength.
Farmer Brewster was young man
in spite of his grumbling. Only g, tall;
straight, healthy, with blue eyes, rosy
cheeks, fair curly hair-and handsome
face when it was not darkened, as now,
by scowl of discomfort.
An only son, he had Inherited q 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 of money to depos-
it in the bank each year.
There was no reason why he should be
mean, and yet misery habits were grad
ually 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 a farmers daugh-
ter who knew we'll 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 gar.
ret to cellar of the square, old house
but Mrs. Brewster went through her
task mechanically now, or with ner-
vous haste and hurry that, made them
almost uncomfortable sometimes.
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,
tho hope and the endurance out Of the
young wi1e's heart. .
The comfort and happiness of that
home hung upon thread, which frayed
more and more, hour by hour, under
the print 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 ten," said Mrs. Brews-
ster, setting the basket down with some
emphasis at his feet. II was delayed
that uch with the butter. 1t had to be
seen to before the sun got too high"
breakfast" observed George. rising
slowly to his feet.
His wife said nothing, but the color
rose holly in her cheeks till the lost
bloom Of her girlhood seemed to have
come back again, and she raised her
eyes to his with look that startled him.
Very handsome eyes they We're dark,
soft and velvety, with q world of love
and tenderness in their depth.
Yet now. they met his own coldly and
sternly, with such an expression that
he exclaimed:
&c: Good l.s grsciou w Lefty. You look as
"I'm afraid d." was the astounding
reply.
And with a swift glance at the clock,
Lefty hurried down into the cellar with
o knife and pan to make her prepa-
tions for dinner for six hungry haymak-
ers.
"Afraid she hates mel My wifel She
that was Lefty Glover!" muttered he
to himself in his bewilderment. "Why;
what on earth! She must be going
crazy or something or other.".
"Letty" he called at the cellar
door.
ut is ten minutes past ten," she an
swered from the depths Of her cellar,
''If I don't see about the dinner now it
won't be on the table at IL to the minute;
as your mother used to have. can't
come"
"Well, if this don't beat all" said he
to the maltese and white cat who ascend:
ed from the cellar and rubbed herself
against his legs.
A shout from the hay field reused him
He went out and dispensed with the
treasures of his basket among the hun.
cry men. who praised Letty's excel
lent cooking with every mouthful they
swallowed.
ut is enough to make an old bachelor
like me sit down and cry to eat such
raspberry shortcake as that" said Solo.
mon Wyse, wiping the crumbs of the
feast from his lips before he drank hare
cider from the jug. Tell you what it is
George, you drew prize when you went
courting."
$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-hie
wife, who was afraid she hated
him.
Never had the two hours between
lunch and dinner dragged SO slow
ly.
As he rode round and round the field
with sharp rattle of the moving ma.
chine he guided in his care, his mind
was continually busy with Letty's looks,
and her words, and his eyes turned
often toward the cream colored farm
house, behind whose spruce green blinds
his wife was busy preparing dinner.
~ used to think how happy I should
be if persuaded her to come here" he
thought. 1T is two years-why,. l de-
clare it is two years this very day that
we were married! wonder If she re-
members it! But it isn't likely, when
she says she is afraid she hates
me-"
Did she remember? All, in that remem-
brance lay the sting!
All the morning, while she got break
fast at 5 o'clock and washed the dishes,
swept the rooms, made the beds, churn-
men, her heart turned back to that 9TH
er morning "a months ago, when the
bright-eyed country maiden rose ut
o'clock to complete her preparations for
her wedding day.
How good, how kind, how handsome
her George was then. How his eyes fol-
lowed her; how his love blessed her.
Was it all her fault that the bloom and
beauty OF life had departed in those two
short years?
Looking back she could see no day in
which she had not at least tried to do
her duty.
And looking in the glass she saw how
the light and glow of youth had passed
from her face, while accomplishing the
task uncheered by the approval of him
she loved.
George has kept his color and his
good looks because his work lies out of
DOORS" she mused, "but I have worked
in this old kitchen until I look old
enough to be his mother. His mother
she paused with q bitter laugh-'I al
most wish I was his mother, then he
would be suited with what did,"
Noon came. The twelve o'clock whis-
tie sounded sharp and clear from the
factory in the village q mile away; and
before the whistle ceased little figure
stepped out on the side porch of the
Brewster house and blew horn.
"There's woman for you" said Sol
ONION Wyse, admiringly. "Dinner to