Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1885-11-04
ESSIE'S PLANO.
eff I only had a piano 7"

sciously, to her lips, Essie Trowbridge
blushed deep crimson tint, and her shy
eyes looked out half frightened from under
her long lashes.
ga piano''
| The death of sarcasm in John Trow
BRIDGES voice justified the shrinking of his
| little daughter in-law.
ga piano! Wouldn't you like diamond
necklace or carriage with four horses A
piano This is one of the results of a
plain farmer marrying fine lady J"
~ was not fine lady when Harry mar
ried me, only hard working district
school teacher" said Essie, ''and he was
kind and good, and never sneered at me be-
cause 1 loved music and pictures. and-and
all the other pleasures l had before my
father diedp'
"Well, there, there-don't cry" said the
old man, hastily. '1 did not mean to hurt
your feelings. Harry was-'
sBut there the father choked, too; fol
was not Harry his only child, the very lido
of his old heart, lying in the churchyard'
and the six months widow sobbing beside
him?
! She rose softly from her seat, and, cross
ing to where her father-in law sat, said,
gently:
81 will not try you again by extravagant
desires. know how good you are to me,
and will try to learn to be better farm
er's grip
"You are very good girl, very good
GIRL" was the reply, ''and it's only natural
you should banker for what you've been
brought up to having. But pianos cost
hundreds of dollars, and / have none to
spare. Essie. can't get around the farm
as Harry did, and have had him to lean
upon so long that things 60 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
masters hand and eyes, lying folded forever.
and she longed to be of some service to the
father she had promised to love and COM
fort
But she was only twenty, city bred and
reared in luxury, just one year she taught
a district school after her father died a
bankrupt. Then Harry Trowbridge, 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 affection.
Only few months after the wedding
when Essie was conquering one by one the
difficulties of farm housekeeping, Harry
fell from hay-wagon and was fatally in
jured.
In the few hours of life granted him, his
one desire was to keep his father and his
young wife together, to love and comfort
each other.
"You will give Essie home when I am
gone," he begged, when his father bent
over him.
! While 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 Trow-
bridge had 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 shin
ing, wash and iron, and keep in perfect,
robust health withal, was woman after
his own heart. A starving mind, hungry
soul, were problems he had never realized
as existing.
1t fretted him when Essie, bravely sriv-
ing to do the work, SO new in her expe-
rience, 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
supposition that she was a useless burden
where she so earnestly desired to be acom-
fort and blessing. She stifled her own craving
for the books and refinements 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 perplexiti to know that
the farm had not paid its expenses in the
last year. Spring was still some weeks
away, and provisions were growing scarce,
while ready money was dwindling down to
a pile alarmingly small. She felt like a
thief when baking proved nneatable, or a
dinner was spoiled, and yet such disasters
occurred in spite of her conscientious eff
forts to avert them.
1t had been dreary day when her un-
fortunate wish broke from her lips, and a
sudden craving for the music that had been
her life's delight took possession of her
Her penitence for the words was very hum
BILE, and she put away the desire with
many another longing.
But John Trowbridge had kind heart
under the hard crust gathered over it in
years of toll, poorly paid. The longing of
the shy brown eyes haunted him.
81 s'pose it is like telling the birds not to
sing to shut her up here" he thought
But to give her a piano. How in the
world"
Then sudden thought almost took away
his breath. He got up from his chair. and,
kissing Essie, went to the door to think it
over. The young widow, warned that it
was nearly tea-time by the clock, sped to
the kitchen, and did not know when her
father-in-law put on his overcoat and went
down to the village.
He came back with some great project in
every line of bis rugged, sunbrowned face.
Tea was success. The toast was deli
catsly Drowned, and the ham done to a
turn. When the meal was over the old
man said
"Essie, do you remember the cross you
told me your father gave you for a birthday
gift9
'sMy diamond cross p
'You would not like to part with it :?
Perhaps it is your only reminder of your
father ?"
81 have many other gifts. Nothing SO
valuable as Jhat. Inc gentleman who took
charge of my fathers affairs told me 1
could keep all his gifts to me.''
"You-you-would not like to give me
the cross to sell, Essie? Our money is get
ting very Short
A kiss, tender and quick, stopped the
words that came so hesitatignly.
"You are gladly welcome to it, father I
wonder did not think of it before''
So the dainty bauble lay in the farmers
horny palm, and while Essie cleared the
tea table John Trowbridge went once more
to the village.
| DR.. Reynolds, the only physician there,
I Harrys friend for years, was in his office
when the farmer entered.
''There it is, said the visitor, triumph
antly. "You are sure it. is worth the
money!" -
"Perfectly sure. And Mrs. Trowbridge
wishes me to invest the sum l obtained in
piano"
"Bless you, no that's my part of 1t, you
see, the poor little soul tries to do her best
but she amt fit f II her hard life If there
was any other home for her I'd send hel
| auoy thouUh ri rather u,iSs tho suplirr,