Catoctin clarion., 1885-01-01

Twilight OF the November day wal
shutting in when John Barker, return
ing to his house, missed the accustom.
ed freglow in the windows.
whats up? No fre-no wife! Nc
wonder!" he calculated again, as he
went out and took . view of the wood
yard.
After fifteen minutes work with his
axe, he carried in an armful of wood
and kindling, and had bright fire
cracking and swapping in the stove by
the time his wife's cheery voice was
heard.
"Ive had a real frolic, John," she
said, tugging in basket, from which
she laid out several loaves of bread and
number of light, puffy biscuits. II
couldn't find any wood, SO Ijust hitch
ed up old Bill and went over to moth
er's to bake my bread"
There was not the slightest shade Of
reproach in her tones, but John felt a
tingle of modification at what had oc-
Cured, and resolved that it shonld not
happen again, and so he assured Susan,
with great fervor.
And the next day he went vigorous
ly to work to keep his word. Logs,
some freshly felled, Others which had
fallen through decay. were hauled from
the piece Of timber land belonging to
the farm, and for a week all hands
sawed and chopped with will. Then
the results were flung pell NELL into
the woodshed, and John, who had new
ed at home to look far enough ahead to
think of providing seasoned wood from
year to year, felt proud Of having done
his duty like man.
And Susan, as she worried through
that winter with wood green or decay
ed, too short or too long for the stove,
made up her mind (and she had good
deal OF Il mind of her own to make up)
that she would never worry through
such another, remembering some SEN
sible advice her sensible, energetic
mother had given her when she left
home.
"Bear things, Susan. There's lots
of things has to be borne in this world,
and them that learns to bear EN- best 8
the best of all. Men will be trying,
and if women can t be patient it's apt
to make trouble. But mind-when |
say bear, mean there's reason in all
things, and don't mean that yon
shonld bear things that's out OF all
reason. If woman'll let herself be
trod on, and she's sure to be trod on,
and them that does it'll never thank
her for it, or look MP to her for it.
Bear what S reasonable, Susan, but if
things go beyond reason, why then
look out for yourself ~
1t came about that when the next
Oc, ber 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-
san ?" he said, staring into the wood
shed, when he got home the second
Saturday.
"rnat s my winter supply of wood,
said Susan.
"And how did it get there-and In
such good shape, too ?"
lie gazAd at it in astonishment.
1t was in good shape. Row after row
well-seasoned, neatly saved and split
wood, piled to the rafters, with heap
of pine and h.mlock in kindling lengths
in enc corrsr.
81 had it put there said Susan
quietly.
Some more questions he asked, but
with a little wav she sometimes had of
asserting herself, she gave him to un'
derstsnd she had nothing more to tell,
and he was ashamed to ask any one
else.
The winter brought it's usual round
of simple gayeties, in the country neigh
borhood. in which John and his wife
took their full share.
ut seems to me, Susan he said one
evening OH their return from a church
sociable, "you don't FIX up quite enough
when you 90 out.
Don't look nicer
Eyes, of course, you do; but that's
dress you had when we were married,
and that's nigh on two years ago. l
haven't seen anything of that silk l
gave you last fall"
"Are Won sure?" she said with a