The Delaware ledger. (Newark, Del.) 1879-19??, 1884-01-05
SLAVE OR WIFE.

not ready to take to the field--as
usuallh grunted farmer Brewster, as
he threw himself into a rocking chair
in the kitchen and famed his flushed
face with his straw hat. "A quarter
Of an hour wasted very likely, waiting
here. Right in the midst of as fine a
hay day as any man would wish to
see Now, my mother used to have
her lunch ready to the minute when
ever we came for 1t, and I don't see
why"
His Jeremiad was checked by the
appearance of his wife, who came out
of the pantry, Juggling along the great
lunch basket, almost too heavy for her
strength.
Farmer Brewster was young man
in spite of his grumbling. Only twen-
ty three. tall. straight, healthy, with
blue eyes, rosy cheeks. fair curly hair
and handsome face when it was not
darkened, as now, by a scowl of dis
content.
An only son, he had inherited a
large and handsome farm, clear of
mortgage and debt, which supplied all
the wants OF his household most lib
orally and gave him nice little sum
Of money to deposit in the bank each
year.
There was no reason why he should
be mean, and yet mserly habits were
gradually growing upon him far faster
than he knew.
Nor was there need of grumbling
over the household arrangements, since
the wife Of his choice was farmers
daughter, who knew well how to work,
and who had taken delight in setting
her home in faultless order when first
she came as a bride to the pleasant
Brewster place.
The same order reigned still, from
garret to cellar of the old square house,
but Mrs. Brewster went through her
tasks mechanically now, or with ner-
vous haste and hurry that made them
almost uncomfortable sometimes.
The constant drop of water will wear
away stone; and the constant fault
finding in which her husband saw fit
to indulge had nearly worn the patience,
the hope and the endurance out of the
young wife's heart.
The comfort and happiness of that
home hung upon thread, which fray
ed more and more, hour by hour, un-
der the pain Of unmerited blame.
Yet George brewster saw nothing of
this until the morning of which
write.
''There is the lunch, and 1t is exactly
five minutes past ten, :" said Mrs. Brews-
ter, setting the basket down with some
emphasis at his feet. 81 was delayed
that much with the butter. It had to
be seen to before the sun got too high" :"
"My mother always churned before
breakfast" observed George, rising
slowly to his feet.
His wife said nothing, but the color
rose hotly in her cheeks till the lost
bloom Of her girlhood seemed to have
come back again, and she raised her
eyes to his with a look that startled
him.
Very handsome eyes they were
dark, soft and velvety, with world of
love and tenderness in their depth.
Yet now they met his own coldly
and sternly, with such an expression
that he exclaimed:
Good gracious, Lettyl You look as
If you hated me.
81 am afraid do" was the astound.
ing reply.
And with swift glance at the clock
Lefty hurried down into the cellar with
a knife and pan to make her prepara-
tions for dinner for six hungry hay.
makers.
"Afraid she hates mel My wifel
She that was Lefty Gloverl' muttered
he to himself In his bewilderment.
"Why what on earth-l She must be
going crazy or something or other"
"Lettyl" he called at the cellar door.
SIT is ten minutes past ten," she an
swered from the depth of her cellar.
''If / don't see about the dinner II
won't be on the table at twelve to the
minute, as your mother used to have
it. can't come"
swell, if this don't beat all, /" said he
to the Maltese and white cat, who as.
cended from the cellar and rubbed
herself against his legs.
A shout from the hay field reused
HIM to the recollection of the days bus.
mss.
He went out and dispensed the treas.
ures Of his basket among the hungry
men, who praised Letty's cooking with
every mouthful they swallowed.
'It's enough to make an old bach,
elor like me sit down and cry to eat
such raspberry shortcakes as that
said Solomon Wyse, wiping the crumbs
of the feast from his lips before he
drank hard cider from the jug. "Tell
you what it is, George, you drew a
prize when you went courting."
$50 he did. And here's her good
health" chimed in another mower, as
be took up the jug.
George assented vaguely. ..