The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1885-09-25
ESSIE'S PIANO.

Even as the wish rose, almost uncon-
sciously, to her lips, Esse Trowbridge
blushed deep crimson tint, and her shy
eyes looked out half frightened from
under her long ashes.
GA pianoW
The death of sarcasm in John Trow-
bridges voice justified the shrinking OF
his little daughter law.
"A piano! Wouldn't you like dia-
mond necklace or carriage with four
horses? A piano. This is one of the
results of plain farmer marrying a fine
ladyr
II was not fine lady when Harry
married me, only a hard working district
school teacher" said Essie, land he was
kind and good, and never sneered at me
because loved music and pictures, and
-and-all the other pleasures l had be-
fore my father died! !"
"Wcll, there thcre-don't cry" said
the ola man, hastily. 81 did not mean to
hurt your feelings. Harry was"
"But there the father choled too for
was not Harry his only child, the very
idol of his old heart, lying in the church
yard, and the six months widow sob
bling beside him?
She rose softly from her scat, and cross
ing to where her fathe in law sat, said,
gently:
81 will not try you again by extrava-
giant desires. know how good you are
to me, and will try to learn to be
better farmers girl"
you arc very good girl, very good
girl, was the reply, land it is only nat
ural you should banker for what you've
been brought up to having. But pianos
cost hundreds of dollars, and | have
none to spare Essie l can't get round
the farm as Harry did, and | have had
him to lean upon so long that things 90
crooked enough without him."
Essie sighed, caressing the snowy hair,
her shy, brown eyes full of trouble. She
knew that the farm was suffering for the
master hand and eyes, lying folded for
ever, and she longed to be of some use
to the father she had promised 10 love
and comfort
But she was only twenty, city bred
and reared in luxury. Just one year she
taught district school after her father
died q bankrupt. Then Harry Trow
bridge, the handsome, tender farmer,
who met her in the country houses where
she ''boarded-round, told her his love
and won the sweet, pure hearts aliec-
ton.
Only few months after the wedding
when Essie was conquering one by one
the difficulties of farm housekeeping,
Harry fell from a hay-wagon and was
fatally injured.
In the few hours of life granted him,
h 8 one desire was to keep his father and
his young wife together, to love and
comfort each other
"You will give Essic home when ]
am gone he begged, when his father
bent over him.
"While l have roof to cover me, {"
was the answer
"You will not leave my father utterly
childless:" he whispered, when Essie
put her cheek to his to hide the tears
that would fall.
81 will never leave him while my love
is any comfort" she answered.
And in the first days Of mourning these
two were an unutterable comfort to each
other. But as time wore on they found
many rough places in this life contract,
each felt so solemnly binding John
Trowbridge had a profound contempt
for all womankind who could not fill his
own rough ideal. A woman who could
churn, milk, cook, care for poultry, keep
house shining, wash and iron, and keen
in perfect, robust health withal, was a
woman after his own heart. 4 starving
mind, a hungry soul, were problems he
had never realized as existing.
1t frettcd him when Essie, bravelv
striving to do the work so new in her
experience, would faint at her post 1t
reused his rough sarcasms when the day
closed upon duties unperformed, when
bread was heavy and cooking imperfect.
And Essie, hoping against hope to
grow stronger made herself miserable in
the supposiiion that she was Il useless
burden where she so earnestly desired to
be comfort and blessing. She stifcd
her own craving for the books and re
fnements that had been second nature
and yet she could not fill the place they
had occupied by interest in chickens
pigs and COWS.
1t added to her perpleXities to know
that the farm had not paid its expenses
IN the last year. Spring was still somt
weeks away, and provisions were grow
ing scarce, while ready money wa
dwindling down 10 a pile alarmingly
Small Hne lell IKE Ihlel When baking
proved UNBEATABLE, or dinner was
spoiled and yet such disasters occurred
in spite of her conscientious efforts tt
avert them.
1t had been a dreary day when her un
fortunate wish broke from her lips, ant
a sudden craving for the music that haC
been her life's delight took possession o
her. Her penitence for the words wa
very humble, and she put away the dc
sire with many another longing.
But John Trowbridge had kin,
heart under the hard crust gathere
over it in years of toll, poorly paid. TIL
longing of the shy brown eyes haunte
him.
81 s'pose it is like telling the birds nc
to sing to shut her up here" he thought