Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1884-10-17

III or look up 10 ner lOf IL. Dear Wndt y
reasonable, Susan, but if things goes be-
yond reason, why then look out for
yourself"
1t came about that when the next Oc-
tober term of the circuit court was in
session John was drawn on the jury,
and had to be away for two weeks.
"Why, what in the worlds this, Su-
SAM" he said, staring into the wood
shed when he got home the second Sat.
urday.
"That'S my winters supply of wood"
said Susan.
"And how in the dickens did it get
there-and in such good shape, tool"
He gazed at it in astonishment.
1t was in good shape. Row after row
of we'll seasoned, neatly sawed and split
wood piled to the rafters, with heap of
pine and hemlock in kindling lengths in
one corner.
II had it put there" said Susan,
quietly.
Some more questions he asked, but,
with little way she sometimes had of
asserting herself, she gave him to under
stand she had nothing more to tell, and
he was ashamed to ask any one else.
The winter brought its usual round of
simple gayeties in the country neighbor-
hood, in which John and his wife took
their full share.
"It seems to me, Susan" he said one
evening on their return from a church
sociable, "you don't fix up quite enough
when you go out"
"Don't | look nice?" ~
eyes, of course you do; but that's a
dress you had when we were married,
and that's nigh on two years ago. l
haven't seen anything of that silk gave
you last fall"
care you sure" she said, with a smile
which he could not understand.
eyes, am. 'Taint even made up yet,
is it?"
"Yes, it is. And you've seen it
worn"
John was puzzled and felt sure he had
not, but Susan would give him no fur
ther satisfaction on the subject of the
silk dress.
AS spring approached, she made few
suggestions as to the advisability of fire
wood being set to season il due time.
But John, prompt and diligent in prepa-
ration for seed time and harvest, full of
the best intentions regarding his wife's
comfort, still thought the wood was one
of the things which could be looked to
any time, and Susan soon gave over re.
minding him of it.
One day in September he came home
to dinner and found q cold lunch wait
ing him. The house was clean and
quiet and cheerless; no wife there,
but written line which ran
"DEAR JoHN:-I am going to spend the day
over at Mrs. Carter'S. VIII be home in time
to give you a late supper"
He was glad to have her go, for she
had had a busy summer and needed a
| little change. pr,t +ho~s udy oul
the next week and the next and the
next, until he began to wonder at Susan's
growing taste for gadding about. In
early October he came home to find his
woodward, which had still remained
empty, occupied. by half q dozen or SC
cords of first class wood, with Sol Car
ter and his two big boys busy at it, and
they worked until it was stored up as
before in the shed. And John felt cross,
but asked no questions.
"Wheres Mrs. Barker2" said a small
Carter boy TO John, as he put up his
bars one evening.
"She's over to neighbor Grants. Yor
| will find her there if you want her."
at amt no matter. You can tell he
here's the sewin' she's to do for mother
T., - if cha
come and wash to our house to- morrow.
| "The-od scratch she does2" ex
: claimed John, turning on the boy il
0 blank amazement, which rapidly grew
into anger. "Mrs. Barker hire out to d
7 washin' and sewin? What dye meal
l by comm to me with such message
-, you young rascal"
S The astonished youngster dropped hi
! sewing and applied his knuckles to hi
d eyes as John advanced toward him, the
e ran with all his might as the bundl
came whizzing after him. And Susan
k lord and master strobe in wrath dow
the road to meet her.
IS "Susan-I don't understand this
/ there's been a young chap talkin' abor
d sewin' and washin' for Mrs. Carte
What in all creation does 1t mean, L
o like to know"
le cit s all right, " said Susan, composed
d ly "What was the messageW
"You don't mean to say you sew an
is wash for other folks, do you2"
d eyes; | do"
g "And for what. Is there anythir
le you want, Susan, that l don't gi'
youi"
!, Eyes, John, there is. want WOO
~ ~ can't saw and chop, but can wash al
81 81 sew and do anything else a woman oug
~ to do, and there's no blame to me fc
III changing work l can do for work
81 can't. Pm never" Susan spoke We
r. firmly, but without grain of irrit
VI ton, "going to put up with poe
"a badly cut, green wood again as long
c | can turn my womans work into mar
eil work. I'd rather wash for somebo(
a' every week; it's half the comfort Of
:, woman's life. You've never had to W;
Wy for your dinner, with the wood sizzli
iie in the stove and the fire not burnin
81, gn since I've been providing the wood"
ne John was dumbfounded.
nc "And you've been working for S.
ea Carter's wife these two years!" he sal
l1S in intense disgust.
"a, "No; my silk dress paid for last yea
ne wood. / hated to let it go, John,
ol ca1se YOU gave it to me, but Tilda Car
~ ~ took fancy to it. 1t was she you 81
Ivy wearin g it," and Susan laughed at
grunt OF dissatisfaction with the VIII
ia 80" business.
100 100 "You to 90 letting me down this "
up before the Cartersw he growled. A
~ ~ if Mrs. Johns eyes flashed little "
m 'no can blame her, as she answered: