Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1883-08-13
A Bitter Cup.

1t had been very hot all day, the
farm-hands had Jagged at their work
Oh the lowland meadow, and all the
worlds wheels seemed to revolve as
if they were weighted. Mr.. Martin
was very tired, and, withal, a little
cross.
Perhaps Mrs. Martin was tired,
too. She, poor soul, had been up
since four o'clock in the morning.
She had washed, taken care of four
cows milk, prepared three meals for
the hungry farm hands, been up IN
the quarry woods to search for a
family of adventurous young turkey
chicks, soothed the sorrows of q
teething baby, and mended up the
suit of clothes which Betsey Blim,
the tailoress, had declared ''not
worth a needleful O. threadl' be
cause Thomas, her husband, had
said that 'swillful waste was woful
want" and that there was a deal of
wear in the suit yet, if only there
was stitch taken here and there.
But her cheek was pink and her
eyes sparkling when Thomas came
in, for all the heaviness in her heart
and the dull pain in her back, for
little Esther had come home from
boarding-school
Esther, the youngest sister of all,
the darling of the family circle from
which Mrs. Martin came-the pet
for whom they all had scraped and
pinched so that she, at least, might
have ''Boston education"
And Esther sat in the window
seat, grown into blooming young
woman, with bronze-brown hair lying
in fluffy masses over her fair fore
head, porcelain blue eyes, and a
dress all trimmed with ribbon bows.
'sLook, Thomas - cried Mrs.
Martin, excitedly; sits Essie! Es-
sic come home two days before we
expected her !'
eyes, l see," said Mr.. Martin, in
+bo aolJ ,,,o,c,,oI +o,oc 1rb;oh ol
ways dampened his wife's enthusiasm
like so many drops of freezing wa
ter. ''How do you do, Esther?
Ruth, what are you putting cold
chicken on the table for? Corned-
beef is plenty, | am sure. You had
better save the chicken for the men s
breakfast. Working folks have
hearty appetites.
sEsther is fond of cold chicken, :"
whispered Mrs. Martin. "And-"
mo one need want anything bet
ter than corned-beef," judiciously
pronounced Mr.. Martin. s'Put the
chicken back into the pantry and the
apple jelly with it. Good stewed
gooseberries are relish enough for
anybody. We must economize in
little things as we'll as large ones, if
we don't want to end our days in the
poorhouse.
Mrs. Martin sorrowfully obeyed,
| while Esther watched her brother-in-
law with large, grave eyes, betoken-
ing inward surprise.
At the end of week, Mr.. Martin
addressed his sister-in-law with seri-
GUS purpose.
''Well, Esther" said he, "you've
been here week now.''
eyes," said Essie, give been here
a week"
ga week is good long VISIT" re-
marked Mr.. Martin.
HIt's long enough for some things, .
said Essie.
'sMrs. Martin thinks she would
like to have you stay went on Mr..
Martin, after puzzled glance at the
blue, shining eyes. "And although
of course, every one adds to the ex.
pense in a family like this, I've nc
objections to giving you home
provided you are willing to earn it by
hard work. And
| "Stop!' cried Essie, jumping up
II haven't asked you for q home
yet. And / don't mean to. Yol
are only making me the offer because
Doctor Dorian says that Ruth viii
break down unless she has strons
maid-servant to help her do th'
housework. But there is no none,
that would hire me to make mysel
such a drudge as poor Ruth is
"Hoity-toity!" said Mr.. Martin
Young woman, you don't conslde
who you are talking to-
"Yes, / do" said Essie, with EN-
phasis. "To a Bluebeard, to
stock, stone, a man who is grindin,
his wife's life out on the pitiless whee
of money-making. No, l wouldn'
live as Ruth does, not if you woul
| put me in a palace!' !''
: Mr.. Martin grew green and saffro
by turns.
"Humph !" said he. ''Fine idea
). you have got at this fashionabl
: boarding-school of yours. Well,
: you don't like my offer, you're NJ
obliged to accept it. Be fine lad,
u if you please, and see where it wi
k land YOU
By way of answer, Essie marcne
out of the room with all the dignit
of royal princess. She only sto]
ped in the kitchen long enough
4 kiss Ruth, who was in the midst of