The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1883-08-29
INTERESTING SKETCH.
ALMOST A SEPARATION.


into consciousness, sang as If they would
sing their little hearts out The mowers
who slept in the barn-chamber were just
yawning into wakefulness. Farmer Eden
was up and on the way to the milking-yard
and his thrifty helpmate was already break
ing golden eggs into the breakfast frying
pan.
" 1t seems as if Rosa were later and later
syery morning." she thought
Ard hurrying to the foot of the stairs
where an odd, corkscrew-shaped little fight
Of wooden steps twisted itself up to the
second story, she called aloud, in no very
musical voice:
!" Rosa Rosa, saylm
| There was no answer
Mrs. Eden ran hastily up, and entered
the bedroom, where the eastern flush was
already irradiating the rough beams with
the softest pink light. To her amazement,
the bed was empty, a bunch of faded roses
lay on the pillow, and little cotton glove
caught in the wisteria-vine that trailed luxu.
rantly up to the second story, betrayed in
| what manner the bird had flown.
81 Now am astonished !" said Mrs Eden.
"The child has got out of the window again.
She is off for the county fair, where 1 ex-
pressy told her, last night, she was not to
go. It's the second time she has run away
within the month. Why, she couldn't be-
have worse if she was q gypsy, and don't
believe but what she is ! told Joshua that
no good would ever come of adopting
child cut of the Founding Institute. And I
won't stand it very long--not another day |"
MIR. Joshua Eden, coming in from the
barn-yard with two pals of foaming milk,
vas met by his wife, whose lips were COM
pressed, and whose brow had grown omi-
nously dark.
:" Rosa has gone again !" said she.
Gone" repeated Mr.. Eden, setting
down his pals and staring. "Gone
where ?"
" How am to know ?" said Mrs. Eden,
sharply. ITO the fair. | suppose There
never was such willful child I"
That wasn't right" said Mr.. Eden,
mildly. Rosa knows"
Rosa knows quite enough to outwit two
old fools like us" said Mrs. Eden. "We
were fools for taking her, Joshua, and we're
fools for keeping her. It's the last night
she shall sleep under this roof"
My DEAR" demonstrated the farmer,
"she's only girl of seventeen
I" She's old enough to know better,n said
Mrs. Eden, who had by this time placed
pan of frizzling bacon upon the fire. "Pve
put up with her freaks and folhes long
enough I've talked TO her and talked to
her, aud il does just about as much good as
the wind blowing over yonder field of timo-
thy-grass."
" But. Sarah,' said Mr.. Eden, "you
never would turn little Rosa out of doors ~
Yes. / would said Mrs. Ellen.
There She's tried me to death with her
wild ways; and shan't put up with them
no longer! Call the men in to breakfast.
Joshua; and I'm goin' to fit up her little
room, and let it to city boarders this sum,
mer."
'sLook here wife," said good Mr.. Eden
-" don't be too sharp with Rosa Remem-
Der she's young and p'raps there have
been times when we held the reins pretty
tight. I'd have taken her to this county
fair myself il you hadn't said No. SO posi-
lively"
" And spoiled her worse than ever" said
Mrs. Eden. "No, I'm done with her-out
she goes'
But, Sarah, think again !" urged Mr..
Eden. "What is to become of her? A
pretty young creetur' like that thrown adrift
upon the worldi" EEI
"She should have thought of that before
she defied me-" said Mrs. Eden.
~ won't have her treated SO roughly /"
said the farmer, little CURLY. "And all
for mere girlish freak You are my wife,
Sarah, and you must obey me in this mat
ter"
81 am your wife," said Mrs. Eden, set
ting down the bright-blue milk-pitcher with
such energy that it cracked from spout to
handles but there are some things in
which l will not obey any man / choose
that Rosa May shall go!"
'And choose that she shant |" said Mr..
Eden, reused into unwonted spirit.
"We've brought her up from a baby, and
she's just like my own child"
| lyon must choose between her and me-"
said Mrs. Eden, khe hard lines around her
mouth growing grimmer and more grim.
"Aunt Amanda wants me to come to the
Uphill Farm and take care Of her. amt
one to depend ON anybody for my daily
bread and she's go. money to leave"
The hired men, as they sat at the break.
fast-table, eating bacon and eggs, hot john.
ny-caks and cold-boiied beef, had vague
idea that something in the household ma.
ehinery was wrong.
Mr.. Eden waa unwontedly silent Mrs.
Elden's lips were screwed up, her cheeks
flushed
where's Iiosaf ?" Hugh Hardie asked,
staring around, as he bit into q huge slice of
bread and butter.
"we do not know" said Mrs. Eden,
primly.
eve calculate likely she's gone to the
county fair with Doctor Duganne's daugh-
ter" said Mr.. Eden. "Girls will be
girls. ~
And then ensued another silence, until
finally Hugh and Joseph numbered off to the
bayfield,, and the husband and wife were
left alone together onco again.
"Come, Sarah-come! We've been hus-
band and wife too long to quarrel now, :"
said Joshua Eden, kindly. az own little
Rosa is provoking piece; but she's our
Rosa, after all. Spose we harness up old
Gray and go after her? It's three years
now since you been to the county fair"
And It'll be three years more before I
60 again." said Mrs. Eden. "No, I shall
60 to Aunt Amanda's, and let you and Rosa
settle things to suit yourselves"
Mr.. Eden gnawed his lip Patient soul
though he was, his wife's obstinacy nettled
him.
''Of all tryin' creeturs," said he, az do
believe that a woman is the worst !"
cts all Rosa's fault, said Mrs. Eden.
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