The Penn's Grove record., 1884-03-29
A

u lovely SptlllS udg' AHC az WV
and wooing, and it lifted the yellow
curls that clustered around her white
brow caressingly. The songs Of birds
could be heard in the fields that
stretched far away clothed in their
new dress of emerald, starred thickly
here and there with the ~golden-eyed
daisies and b%uttercups. But Phyllis
Trevor never needed these beautiesthat
surrounded her. Her head was dropped
low over the potatoes she was pairing,
and from time to time the golden heaq
was lifted, when one could sec that her
mountaineering brown eyes were
swimming in tears. Then she woul1
raise her hand quickly to brush them
away, with a suppressed sigh glancnE
into the kitchen, where a tall, hard
featured woman was going to and ho
between the wash-tHb and the boiler On
the stove.
As Mrs. Trevor went backward aid
forward she cast dark glances at tie
figure sitting, clad in IN old print dress,
so silent and yet so busily working 1t
the potatoes. 1t was evident that the
mother was III a spiteful humor aid
wanted some one to vent it upon; scat
last she stopped in her progress acrtss
to the stove, and placing her ANS
''akimbo," she delivered the following
in a complaining, high-strung voice:
"PhyllIs TrevOrl | would be asian
ed, if l were you, to sit there like he
lazy hulk you are growing to be, md
me a-washing here like a TrojaI l
never have to sit down when | eel
potatoes; l have never time; but pa,
forsoothl You are too much a lad Of
leisure to go about your work as 9ul
mother has to. You must take careT
your own ease! And there, Phylu
Trevor, you've spilled that dirty waite
all over you! l would be ashamed to 3
such a baby as you show yousel
when a body happens to speak a crooked
work to you-crying-a great baby liz
you, IS years oldl' :
All the morning since she had lsen
at 3 O'Clock with a violent headach, IN
order to milk the cows, she had herd
nothing but a running stream of cfm-
plants and upbraiding. Phyllis E.l
the eldest of a family of eighteBiIEI
and all of them, except herself, bbyi
1t seemed as if Mrs. Trevor never cdul
get over the disappointment she felt a
her eldest child's advent into the wbrl
because she was not a boy. "QirI
isn't worth their keep" she complaue
to the neighbors, when they admire
the delicate, white bit of humanity tina
lay, almost neglected. all day long in th
rocker beside the kitchen window, lleye
crying nor making the usual "coo-coo'
of babies in general, but lying quiet
gazing at the objects around it, AM
pulling at the bottle of milk winch Ia
beside it. 1t seemed as if the chill
knew it was not wanted by its mother
for it never stretched out It's pau.
arms to her to be taken, but Eoal'
smile and jump whenever is GsGie
came near, for the patient, g~oea-aaYl
ed farmer loved the child mofG thsu 4
the boys in the world put toaetne
But he could not shield her he
mothers fault-tinding during tna
for then he was absent in the fields a
she grew up in her delicate Eeautv AZ,
other babies came, she was matte av0
to their every whim, and made 10 calgl
them about in her thin arIas aaJ1 bel
oack ached painfully, and her sDe
heart ached.
Phyllis arose, nov stilltFems
yoUsly under the u~ndeserve1 rel
and, without returning w0r0
tinued peeling the potatoes 3 al
ing position; her silence only maarEe
her mothers wrath.
you think to aggravate me BY yen
fine lady airs, do you? Inl teach goa
answer me when l speak to youF 1.os
shall not stir one step to the Sunday
school picnic tomorrow; but you 10
stay to home and keep house while yori
brothers and l go, you hatefuls st ~
thingl' Now, this picnic was a as
ure upon which the girl had nei
heart. She had few pleasures
young life, and her father had
her a new dress and promised 1e
she would have one pleasant as n
least. And now it was all $40
She shed some tears silently, aQl tt
not answer. Phyllis never Thn {
openly; hers was one of thosa
sensitive natures which are eas3g D
but never complain. While her alat
angry voice was still raised l5gH.
doorway was suddenly shadowcsh.
the women looked up; it 'wss
Trevor, who had returned ren
fields, and he stood there gag
the dark face of his scold ia
There was an expression about e
eyes and his usually kindl
which was new to them; "a
determined look. He had beek
to hear her declaration Phvl sA 4
not go to the picnic, and the q
%reproaches, He renamed ST at III
moment; at last he exclaimed
What Seeding Phyllis ae az IS
never give that girl a pleas Eau
motherI She works hard for astY i5te
pleasuring she gets, and you sge 4
her any credit for 1t. l say she sfal
to the picnic to-morrowI' 3Ha
more determined look wreS .i Il
around his lips, giving to b please
features a harsh expression. lsibht
his wife's word had been law in
house; never had he, wea nan :
he was, dared to interfere with bel
decisions, and now she was takeI .
surprise, She stared, open-moutlf
at the impudence of her spouse; it oos
ay her breath for a minute. a