The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1883-06-28


himself jnto The rocking chair In the kssch-
ca and tanned his flushed face With his
sirsw haL "A quarter Of An hour wasted
very likely waiting here. Right In the
midst Of ~ hns . hay day ~ any man
would wish to zee. Nov my mother used
10 have her lunch ready 70 tho minute
whenever we came for II. aud ! don't see
Why
His tissde wsa here checked by the ap'
pearance 81 his vile. who came out Of the
pantry. tugging along the great lunch
basket. almost too heavy for her strength
Farmer Brewster vas 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 IL was not darkened.
a. uow, by scowl Of discontsnt
Az an only son he had inherited large
aud hsndsoms farm. clear OF mortgage sns
ldebt. which supplied the wants Of his
household most literally and gave him .
nice little sum Of money TO deposit ia the
bank each year.
There Was no reason why he should be
mean. and yet misery habits were grsdu'
ally growing upon him far faster than he
knew.
Nor was there need OF grumbling over
the household arrangements. since tho
wife OF his choice was Q farmers daugter,
who knew we'll how to work. and had tax.
en- delight in setting her home 10 faultless
order when first she came a. bride TO the
pleasant Brewster place.
The same order reigned still. from gar.
ret 10 cellar OF the square old house, but
Mrs. Brewster wont through her task me-
chanically now, or with nervo us haste and
hurry that made the work almost unendur-
able sometimes
The constant dropping Of water viii
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 ont OF the young
wife's heart.
| The comfort and happiness OF that
home hung upon thread, which frsyed
more and more, hour by hour, under the
pain Of unmerited blame.
Yet George Brewster saw nothing OF this
until the morning OF which write.
There is the lunch, and it is exactly
ave minutes past ten, said Mrs. Brewster
setting the basket down with some empha.
els at bis feet / was delayed that much
with the butter. II had to be seen to be.
fore the sun got too high"
my mother always churned before
breakfast, observed George, rising slowly
to his feet.
His wife said nothing. but the color rose
in her. cheeks till the lost bloom OF her
girlhood seemed to have come back again,
aud she raised her eyes TO his xitha look
that startled him.
Very handsome eyes they were--dark,
soft and velvety with world Of love and
| tenderness 10 their depths.
Yet now they met his own coldly and
sternly with such On expression that be
exclaimed:
O"Good gracious, Lefty! You look as II
you hated me"
'I'm afraid doi' was the astonishing
reply.
And with swift glance at the clock
Lettie hurried down into the cellar with .
knife and pan 10 make preparations for
dinner for siI hungry haymakers.
Afraid she hates me! My wife! She
that was Lefty Gloverv muttered he to
himself in his bewilderment. why,
what on earth!--She must be going crazy.
or something or other"
Lefty, he called at the cellar door.
ats ten minutes past ton, she answered
from the depths OF the cellar. III l don't
see about the dinner now it won't be on
the table at twelve, as your mother used
to have II. Ican't come"
"Well, II this don't beat ALI" said be TO
the maltese and white cat, who ascended
from the cellar and rubbed herself against
his legs.
A shout from the hay field reused him
to q recollection OF the days business.
He went out and dispensed the treasures
Of his basket among the hungry men, who
praised Lettie's excellent cooking with ey-
cry mouthful they swallowed.
ats enough TO make an old bachelor
| like me sit down and cry TO eat such rasp-
berry shortcake as that" said Solomon
wyse, wiping the crumbs ofthe feast from
his lips before he drank hard cider from
the Jug. "Tell you what it is, George,
you drew . prize when you went court
ing"
80 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--his wife.
Who was afraid she hated him.
Never had the two hours between luuch
and dinner dragged 10 slowly.
Az he rode round and round the field
with the rattle Of the moving machine 10
his ears his mind was continually busy
With I.etty's looks and her words. and has
syss turned often toward the cream col,
cred farm house. behind whose spruce
greco blinds his wife was busy preparing
! dinner.
Il used TO think how happy should bo
lar ever persuaded her TO come here, be
then. Ut. "It's two ysars--why. ! declare
n. two years this vsry day that We we're
m.,,;ed l vosder II abe remembers IL
r., /, i.u't very likely. when she says she
i