The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1884-02-04
The Two Mrs. fuckers.
Written for the Connecticut Farmers Con
ventiOn at Waterbury
BY ROSE TERRY COOKE.

"You can make the fire while I put the
boss out" said Amasa Tucker, as he opened
the<baek door of gray house, set on top of
treeless hill, tracked here and there with
paths the geese had made in their daily
jour- eys to the pond below. and only ap-
preached at the back by lane to the great
barn, and rckety board gate set between
two posts of the rail fence.
This was Wealthy Ann fuckers home
coming; she had married Amasa that morn
ing a. her fathers house in Stanton, little
village twenty miles away from PeeCs Mills,
the town within whose wide limits Law the
Tucker farm, Ind had come home with him
this early spring afternoon in the old wagon
behind the bony horse that did duty for
Amasa's family carriage.
Mrs. Tucker was tall, thin young wo-
man, with sad, relicent face, very silent
and capable; these last traits had been her
chief recommendation to her husband
There was no sentiment about the matter;
old Mrs Tucker had died two weeks before
this marriage, but Amasa was "forehanded,"
and knowing his mother could not live long
nal improved his opportunities and been
'sparkin" Wealthy Ann Minor all winter in
judicious provision for the coming event Of
his solitude.
He had thought the thing all over and
concluded that wife was cheaper than
hired girl and more permanent; so when he
found this ert, firm jointed, handy girl liy-
ing at her unce's, who was a widower on a
great farm the other side of the village Am
asa made her acquaintance as soon as posi-
BILE, and proceeded to further intimacy.
Wealthy liked better to work for her uncle
than for a stepmother with six secondary
children. but she thought would be better
still to have house of her own. SO she
agreed to marry Amasa Tucker, and this
was her homecoming.
She opened the door into a dingy room
with an open fireplace at one end, window
Oh The north and one on the south side,
small-paned, with old, green and imperfect
glass, and letting in but just light enough to
work by. One corner to the north was par
ttioned off to make pantry, and door by
the fireplace led out into the woodshed. The
front of the house contained two rooms;
one opened into the kitchen and was bed
room, furnished sparsely enough; the other
was q parlor, with high-backed, rush-bot-
toned chairs against the WALL round table
in the middle, fireplace with brass and
irons and fire irons, family Bible on the
table, and mourning piece" painted in
ground hair on the mantel. Green paper
shades and white cotton curtains, rag car
pet fresh as when it came from the loom
if its dnginess could ever be called fresh
and straight backed sofa covered with
green and yellow glazed chintz, made as
dreary an apartment as could well be
imagined.
Wealthy shut the door behind her quickly
and went to the shed for material to make
her fire. 1t was almost shutdown and she
was hungry, but she found only the scanti-
est supply of wood and few dry chips for
kindlng; however, she did her best, aud
she had brought some provisions from
home, so that she managed to lay out de-
cent supper on the rickety table, by the
time Amasa came Stamping in from the
barn.
He looked disapprovingly at the pie, the
biscuit, the shaved beef, and the jelly set
before him.
81 hope ye amt waster, Wealthy" he
growled. "rhere's vittles enough fur a
township and there amt but two of u.s."
'Wel, our folks sent 'em over, and you
no need to eat 'em,' she answered cheerily.
I amt goin' to. Don't ye break into
that Jelly; set it by. Sometime or nuther
somebody may be comm here, and you'll
want it,"
Wealthy said no more: they made sup
ordered ''set by" She was used to econo-
my but not to stinginess, and she excused
this extra thrift in her husband more easily
for the reason that-she had been always poor
and she knew very well that he was not rich,
to say the least. But it was OILY the be
ginning.
Hard as Wealthy had worked at her I'M
cle's he she found harder burdens. She
used from an old fashioned well with heavy
sweep, picturesque to see, but wearisome to
use; wood was scarce, for though enough
grew on the hundred acres that Amasa
owned, be grudged its use.
Il shan't cut down no more than is really
neediul," ne SAD, when she urged him tc
felch her Ioad.
Woods alters growin' when We don't
cut it, aud maxim for lumber; and lum-
bel's better TO sell, sight, than cord wood
Ye must get along somehow with brush
mother used ter burn next to nothin'."
She did not remind him that his mother
was bent double with rheumatism, and dice
OF her NTH attack OF pneumonia. wealthy
never wasted words.
Then there were eight COWS to milk, the
milk 10 strain, set, mix, churn or make
cheese; and nothing but the simplest tools
to do IL with. cloth held over the edge O
the pail served tor srainers; he pairs them
selves were heavy wood; the pans old ant
some OF them ieaky, the holes stopped witt
bits OF rag often to be removed. The milk
room was in the shed, built against th'
chimney that it might not freeze there il
winter, and only aired by one small SLATED
window The churn was an old wooden
one with dasher, aud even the "spaddle'
with which she worked her butter was whit
tied ou Of maple knot by Amasa himself
and was heavy and rough.
AWsh 70 hSr OeionSeu Vne ieeulHs VI VI
ridgy backs, long legs and thin tanks; deep
set eyes that cleaned with intelligent ma
ice and neger-sated hunger Wealthy grew
almost AFRAID OF them wheh they ciathDeIe'
upon the rails Of tie pen III tneir fury 10
food, and Mapped their pointed ears at bel
sqnealing and fighting for the scant fare tina
she brought. For; Amasa underfed an
overworked everything that belonged
him.
Ihen mere we're mems TO LOOK after; IN
ola fashioned Oafh-doof .ereepers, Wh
wanted foon' 100 yet catered iof themseiVe
IN great measure ana lhaae lree WIN par
and woodshed Ior "alt Oh tuelr own qua
ters, and we're dec'naieu every season
hawks. Owls, sklnks' yeas -es ana loA .ss,; !
say uosbng OF the Attie chickeils' on " i,i
crows and cats worked thelr wiz II tne
dared to stray beyond the ruinous ola coop
contriyed for them by Amasa's inventiV