Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1883-07-18

ONION WyEe, admiringly. "Dinner tt
the minute-and won't it be goo6
one"
The dinner was indeed o success
every dainty of the season and farm wal
there, skillfully cooked and neatly
served on a table in the cool dining
room-a table covered with snowy clotl
fresh from its fold, and glass and
china.
In the center of the table stood a
great china bowl full of red roses tha
perfumed the room. Her cheeks were
red, her eyes shone dark and bright, anC
her words and smiles were ready for every
one save George.
As she sat grave and silent at the foo
of the table, he looked at her wonder
ingly.
She wore dress ofsilver gray alapac.
that had been her travelling dress wher
they were married.
A large white apron, with bib
shielded the glories of the costume. Bu1
why did she put it on? Surely she
could not think of "going visiting, .
that afternoon, with six haymakers tc
get tea for, and the milk of eight COWS
to attend to afterward.
But he finally went out without ask.
ing it. The wife, who was afraid she
hated him, seemed almost like a strang'
er, although she looked so much on this
occasion like the girl he had married
just two years ago.
As George neared the door of the wood
shed, where the men were lounging away
the rest of their incoming, he heard his
own name, uttered by Solomon Wyse in
tones of anger.
eyes, knew George from baby up,
and always said he'd make a likely
man. But + vow it is shame to see
how he treats that pretty little crea-
ture! Such a lunch this morning, and
such dinner this noon, in such q nice,
cool room, with the red roses and all the
rest of it; and she just as pretty as a
picture, with her red cheeks, and bright
eyes, and her wavy hair, and dressed as
neat as pink, too. And he sitting
there as glum as CROSS old man of 80.
was ashamed of him.
"Ive heard he does nothing but find
fault with her all day long," said a Sec
ond voice. my wife says if threw my
mother into her teeth, as George does
his in Letty's, she'd run away from me
before she was day older"
"And serve you right" chimes in q
third. "I'll tell you what my wife says.
She says it is confounded mean and
small of George not to keep a woman
here to help his wife. And when saw
the dinner to-day, the retty little thing
had got for us all alone, [ thought so
too. Hang me, if I hadn't half mind
to stop here this afternoon and help her
wash up that great pile of dishes, and
let the haying go to thunder. It's
enough to kill the woman to have all
that work to do. And George is rich.
What Oh earth is he thinking about
But he'll be sorry for this in year or
two hence, when we have to come here
on different Grand"
"To carry her out in q cofiu," said
Solomon Wyse. eyes, suppose it will
come to that if some of US don't talk
seriously to George. She don't look at
all strong now, and her hand trembled
when she changed my plate. It's a
burning shame-and if none Of you will
talk to George about it, will"
But when George Brewster joined
them Solomon Wyse deemed it prudent
to defer the proposed talking to-" for
his brow was black as night, and he had
no more to say to his neighbors now
than to his wife at the dinner table.
This, then, was the way in which they
spoke of him behind his back, these
men who la ored beside hin. and took
their wages from I,;s hand, and pretended
to be his friends.
Aud his wife was afraid she hated
him.
TO whom could he turn for comfort
from whom could he expect true
friendship, if she who should lave been
dearest ard dearest was an enemy in
disguise? List IN moody reverie, he
paid little attention to his work.
And at last, at o'clock in the. after
noon, there was sudden uproar IN the
bay tiell--A iramping OF hoofs, a rush of
terrified men, II confusion Of voices, and
amous t',cm all George Brewster lying
on Tie ground beneath the moving ma
chine. Ills right arm and leg broken by
the wheels, his head cut aud bleeding
with Lis heavy fall.
Meanwhile Lefty, in the cream-colcred
house, had not been idle.
Tying on a great calico apron in place
of her white one, she had quietly washed
and put away the dinner dislts S, ard re-
duced the dining roo IN to order
Tea was easily arranged, since it was
to consist Of cold dishes, With glasses of
milk for the men.
She threw clean table cloth over the
whole as soon as it was finished, and
went upstairs into the spare chamber to
pack her trunk.
Yes. Lefty HAD made up her mind at
last. She was going away.
Life had degenerated into slavery. un-
frightened, as she fancied, by ray of
love.
"And slavery will support one any
where" thought Lefty, as with trem-
bling hands che locked and strapped her
trunk and fastened her few lines to
George upon the lid.
AT the porch door she paused for one
last look around the house that might
have been so happy.
She did not intend to glance coward
the hay field.
Yet in spite of her resolution her eyes
turned that way to single out tho tall
figure that guided the rafting, clinking
moving machine.
II wonder if be will miss me O little
just at first? ?" she unused. . he eau
get divorce, I suppose, if I desert him,
and then he will marry again. I hope
he will be kinder to his next wife than
he has been to me !"
With tears that rose at the thought of
her successor binding her Eyes, Lefty
failed to see the figure that she sought.
81 am foolish to look at him again. I
have never been more than house.
keeper to him from the frst," she
thought, stumbling blindly on toward
the gate and opening it, to find herself
in the center of an excited group.
=" There, don't you take on like that"
said Solomon Wyse, who came first and
saw the tears upon her cheeks before she
cOr116 wine them away