Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1885-10-24
ESSIE'S PIANO.
sIf ] only had a piano!n


consciously,to berlips, Essie Trow
bridge blushed a deep crimson tint
and her shy eyes looked out hal
frightened from under her LONG
lashes.
ga piano!"
The death of sarcasm in Johf
Trowbrldge's voice justified The
shrinking Of his little daughter-in
law.
ga piano! Wouldn't you likegs
diamond necklace or a carriage
with four horses7 A piano! This
is one of the results of plain far
mer mary ing a fine lady!p
81 was not a fine lady when HaT;
ry married me, only a hard work
ing district school teacher,n said
ESsie, sand be was kind and good
and never sneered at me becauseJ
loved music and pictures I had be
fore my father diedw IS;
"Well, there, tbere-don't crY,''
said the old man, hastily. ~ did
not mean to hurt your feelings
Harry was"
"But there the father choked
too; for was not Harry his onFs
child, the very idol Of his old heart
lying in the churchyard, and the
the SIX months widow sobbing %
side him? sss
She rose softly from her seat
and crossing to where her fatheE
in.law sat, said, gently:
~ will not try you again By eN
travagant desires. l knowhosfs;
good you are to me, and / wilEbtFfgg
to learn to be q better farmers
girl"
.You are very good girl, aye1s
good girl" was the reply, "anddtss
only natural you should hankegaE
what you've been broughtanpSs a,
having. But pianos cost huIdrtsi
of dollars; and ] have none tosspai L
Essie. l can't get round theIasEE1y
as Harry did, and l have hadl,S;s,, y 9
to lean upon so long that. thilIgsa|a
crooked enough without him Su
Essie sighed, caressing thesnoV q
hair, her shy, Brown eyes fglls El ::
trouble. Sire kncw that til I, rs 8
was suffering for the master hand
and eyes, lying folded forever, aud
she longed to be OF some use to the
father she had promised to love
and comfort.
But she was only twenty, city
bred and reared IN luxury. Just
one year she taught a district
school after her fatherdi a bank
rupt. Then HarryTrowbrldge, the
handsome, tender farmer, who met
her in the country houses where
she "boarded.rouDd," told her bis
love and won the sweet,pure hearts
affection.
Only a few months after the
wedding. when Essie was conquer
ing one by one the difficulties Of
farm housekeeping, Harry fellfron
a hay. wagon and was fatally III
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 a home
when am gone," he begged, wher
his father bent over him.
awhile / have a roof to cover
me,n was the answer.
"You will not leave my father ut
terly chidless2' he whispered
when ESsie put her cheek to his tc
hide the tears that would fall.
II will never leave him while my
love is any comfort" she answered
And in the first days of mourn
ing these two were All uDutterablt
comfort to each other. But as
time wore on they found man,
rough places in this life contract
each felt so solemnly binding
John Trowbridge had a profound
contempt for all womankind wht
could not I'll his own rough ideal
A woman who could churn, milk
cook, care for poultry, keep hous'
shining, wash aud iron, and keel
in perfect, robust health withal
was a woman after his own heart
A striving mind, hungry soul
were problems he had never real
lied as existing.
1t fretted him when Essie, brave
" striving to do the work so ney
in her experience, would faint a
her post. 1t reused his rough sar
casms when the day closed upol
duties unperformed, when bread wa
heavy and cooking Imperfect.
And Essie, hoping against hop
to grow stronger, made hersel
miserable in the superstition tina
she was a useless burden wher
she SO earnestly desired to be
comfort aud blessing. She stifie'
her own craving for the books ant
refincmentS that had been secon,
nature; and yet she could not fl
the place they had occupied by il
tereSt in chickens, pigs and COWS
1t added to her perplexlties t
know that the farm had not pal
IFS expenses in the last year.
Spring was still some weeks away
and provisions we're growing scare
while ready money was dwindlin
down to a pile alarmingly sn ALL
She fel. like a thief when bakln
proved UNBEATABLE, or a dinner wa
spoiled, and yet such disasters q
currnd in Snitp of her conscientious