The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1884-12-20

in woman.
After this campaign, Jane" | said,
gravely, you must certainly leave all
these matters to me-"
80, John" she said, with a humility
that was very soothing to my dignity,
please, picaSe forgive me for ANYTHING
that | have done in the heat of the
canvass"
patted her glowing cheek; it seemed
so foolishly odd to listen to the little
woman's political jargon.
Tell me, john" she said. earnestly
do you think he will win?''
Il hope not" l replied, laughingly,
but beginning to be provoked againthat
her whole heart seemed set upon the
issue of the election.
John, John" she said, ''you don t
know how much there is at stake.n
remained silent, but thought to my
self. Neither do you, my dear"
So the days went on. The harvest
moon hung red above the turning flelds;
the beat of the fail gave promise o the
garnered grain; through the flaming
leaves Of the naples and beech the rob
inc fitted and sang; the potatoeswere
! gathered, the corn was cut and stacked
and election day was close at land
The very night before | had noticed at
the supper table that Jane was lab)ring
| uuder suppressed excitement. Her
I cheeks riyaled the bit of saliva shs had
! put IN her hair; two or three tines |
saw her brown eyes filed with ears
She wore red merino gown with some
eaft lar- -i---7t..i.oea -1e>sl..,ar' Z.
since her girlhood had she I-.ssA .4y1ga.
sweet and fair. After supper | went oWt
TO see after the stock, and looking If )m
the stable door | saw what seemed to
me the ilutter of a red gown i'll the
dusky cleaning. down unter theI big
chestnut trees, and peering hroug1 the
darkness | saw my wife stmding d here
talking earnestly with Dix Knoi lies.
He was in his shirt sleeves, and lei ned
idly upon rake, with which hel had
probably been gathering the ud der
brush that numbered the boundaries OF
the farms. Jane had likely gone to look
after her young TURKEYS and | had
stopped thought, to haze a chat with
Dick. Time was when h, would lhave
come up to the house AMI talked with
me, but remembered sadly that There
was no pleasure in that any more. Nor
did my wife mention that she had Seen
him. She knew that Dick and | Were
not what we had been to esch otherI
That night my foolish wife lay Wide
awake for hours. Every time | TURNED
my weary eyes to hers | found them
opened wide. She lay quite still lHer
face was white, save for a feverish Ipot
that burned on either cheek. Oncel She
put her hot little hand on mine bdlt |
turned away in grim impotence, beEgin-
ming to believe we were both beWitcHled.
For, now that matters had been seq Fled
one way or the other for the natidn,
began to think OF my farm. 1t had al
ways been pleasant TO me to reIileGIffil. ~
that | owned those broad acres. and to
part with them for mere mattel+ of
opinion would certainly be "a grievOus
wrench to me. But al that was 3 ast
praying for now. Dickand had b. cen
hot-headed fools, but wemust abide 1.-THE
consequences. Out our way a mans
word was as good as hisbond, andb in
this case it was a double ovenant &be-
tween us. Besides, the gulf lad widerEled
between Dick and me since hin storlmv
campaign; hot words had passd be
| tween us. knew he would rathepn@lAc
himself than take back his farm II his
candidate was defeated, and no power
on earth could induce me to accept of
mine under like mischance. The deeds
were there, the property must change
hands. Yet how could Dick or | rob
each other in this miserable wayp But
could | ever enjoy the possession of my
land again if l owed it to the leniencJ j
Dick Knowles? Or would he take, hif
back from me under the sting of az
obligation? 1t was wretched mug n
either way, and, worn out with contend
ing emotions, toward morning fellinto
a heavy slumber.
When | awoke it was broad day. and
| was not surprised that Jane was up
and dressed and already downstairs
She was thrifty housewife, and arose
with the lark. hurried on my clothes,
beginning to realize what an important
day it was to me, to Dick Knowles, to
thousands of miserable wights who had
foolishly placed themselves in like
predicament. As | threw up the window
the morning air poured in, pungent as
wine; a soft bright haze blurred all the
sweet landscape that lay before me-
The farm was James, to be sure, and
perhaps at that moment had not a rood
of earth that | could comfortably call
my own; but as long as | owned Jane
her farm was in a certain sense mine,
and as | went down the stairs and into
the dining-roOm, from thence to the
kitchen and cellar, and out into the
garden and out-houses, | began to Won
der where this most precious of all my
earthly treasures could be. Out in the
barn-yard | saw my black boy Sam with
a load of wood he had brought from the
cedar swamp. | thought Jane must be
hunting for eggs in the barn.
Have you seen my wife, SamP" |
called.
Yes, sah," he said. opening his
mouth from ear to ear; Il see her Ss5s-c1'
n hour ago ridin' with Mr.. Knowles
down to Blankton. He was drivin' like
all possessed: them ere bays O. his
was all in a lather."
stood looking at Sam Il moment.
almost as open-mouthed as he; then [
laughed 'Ha! ha!' laughed Gone
riding, eh?'
IT. wasn't npppSsarv that San, obo,,lI