The Portland daily press., 1883-12-25
In a Sore Strait.

eve must have a lemon or two, Sam" she
says: and SO, though I'd just set down to my
pipe and drop of beer, Il got up again, and
says, 'Now, tell you what it is, lass, it's just
two miles TO the town, and 1T SHOWS like fury,
SO if you can think of anything else you want,
just say So and I'll get it same time"
80, tits MT worth while to go if it SHOWS
she says: "never mind, and L ii make shift
without. But or she cried all at once, 'fa-
theirs coming tomorrow, and you We no to-
bacco."
Well, I'd never thought about that. for
when I'd had my fingers in the little jar there
seemed enough for me, even il next day was
Christmas day; but with COMPATIBILITY. there
would not be half enough. So that settled it,,
and got my stick and hat; when Polly de-
clared 1 could MT go out night like that with.
ont something round my neck, SO she tied a
comforter round twice, close up to my nose
and ears.
''Now. don't be silly, SAM she says.
'tWhy, wot's silly" / says.
"Why, your being such an old goose, and
making 50 much fuss after being married all
these months. Now, let go, do,'' she SAYS.
But didn't of course, but held her for just o
few moments while / looked down in her
laughing eyes that seemed to have grown
brighter siuce we'd married. and then
smoothed, no, didn't, for no hair could have
been smoother,-I passed my rough chopped
about old hand down the bright shiny hair that
felt so proud of, and then kissed both her
pink cheeks, and felt somehow half glad. half
sorrowful, for it seemed to me that was too
happy for it to last.
"There, now" she says, at last, "make haste
there's dear, good boy! and get back per-
haps / shall be done by that time, and then
we'll have snug bit of supper"
But / couldn't get away, somehow, but
watched her busy fingers getting ready the
things for the next days dinner chopping
suet, stoning plums, mincing peel,-and all in
such NICE neat, clean way, that it was quite
enjoyable.
'Now, do go, SAM she says, pretending to
pout. "for do want YOU back SO bad'
So [ made start of it,; unattached the door,
when the wind came roaring in, laden with
fakes Of snow; the sparks rushed up the CHM
ney, the candle flickered while Polly gave me
just one bright look and nod, and then shut
the door, But, there-I couldn't get away,
even then, but went and stood by the window
for minute, where the little branches of hol-
~ were stuck, glistening green, and with scar
let berries amongst the prickly leaves; and
there stood, looking in at the snug, bright,
warm kitchen, with Polly making it look ten
times more warm and bright. 1t wasn't that
it was handsome place, or well furnished
for those sort of things don't always make q
happy home,- but plain, humble, and poor as
it was, it seemed 80 me like palace; and af-
ter watching my lass for a few minutes as she
was buster than ever,-no frowning, now
making little face at her work. with a
UrlSub llkHO III Nor eye, aS something seemed
to please her.-I all at once thought to myself,
and, what's more, says to myself, ''Sam Oar
rell, / says, "why, what donkey you are,
not to get what you want, and make haste
backp' which, when you consider that it was
showing hard, blowing harder, and that where
/ stood the snow-drift was over my knees, while
inside there was everything a reasonable work
iDgman could wish for, you'll say was just
about the truth
SO gives myself a pull together, bitches M
my shoulders, sets my head down to face the
wind and the binding snow, aud then, with
my hands right at the bottom of my pockets,
off goes.
Now, we'd been together into the town that
night to bring home good basketful of Christ
mas cheer; for even if you do live in the black
amongst the coal-mines and fur
naces, and work as pit carpenter at making
brattices and the different wood work wanted. |
that's no reason why you shouldn't spend a
merry Christmas and happy one. But now
there was this tobacco and the lemons to get;
and from where we lived, right across the
heath to the town, being two miles, and me
being alone, | made up my mind to cut off
corner, 80 as to get back sooner. So L turned |
out of the road as soon as l was out of the col
liery village, makes sure of the town lights, |
and then, taking my stick under my arm, set
off at a trot to the left of the old pits,
The wind was behind me now, and, though
the snow made it hard work walking, wasn't |
long before | was trudging like a white statty
right through the Town street, then thronged
with people, when I goes into shop, and, af-
ter good deal of waiting, gets my lemons and |
pays for EN- and starts off home.
AS soon as was out of the town again, |
gets out of the road to take that short cut; and
now began to find out what sort of a night
it was; for the wind was right dead in my
teeth, while the way in which the snow cut
into your eyes was something terrible. But
fought my way on, setting up an opposition |
whistle to the wind, and thinking about the |
warm fireside at home, with the snug supper
table; and then thought what blessing it |
was in hard winter to live close to the pits |
mouth, and get plenty of coal for next to moth
ing. We could afford good fire there, such |