Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1885-04-09
FABLE THE THIRD.

THE VIPER AND THE CoUNTRYMAN.
Patience Blackthorn went halfway
to the village to meet her lover on hi
way back from Manchester, The wed
ding bells were already singing in hel
heart. No; whatever father and neigh
bors might say, she could not believe
that ne er-do-well Dick was really bad
when all the world was so good and Sc
gay. And how good above all thing:
and creatures was her own husband
that was to be! How true and thought
full and strong he was-what rock tc
lean upon and what an anchor to hole
by. What good wife she would be tc
him; if she did not love him so much
the burden of gratitude he had laid
upon her would be all too great to bear.
But Love knows nothing of debt; he
cannot be even grateful, he is so all in
| all when he is truly true.
What made him so latep Once she
thought she saw him in the distance,
| and took out her handkerchief to wave.
But, she was trifle short-sighted, and
| presently perceived that she had mis-
taken a hat and coat for the man: and
the wearer presently turned out of the
path towards Legs Croft by way of the
church, and struck off towards the
| crossroads by the Half Moon. I'm
| afraid he thinks me a little cold, "
| thought she. 'tBut never mind that
he shall not think so forever" But at
last she had gone so far that her eager
ness to meet him would seem little
too warm and eager, all at once So
she sat upon a stile and waited there,
thinking happily, while the rocks cawed
home, and listening to the sheep bell
tinkling far away. But still he did not
come. And at last she could only de-
eide that his buyings must have kept
him in Manchester, and that he was not
coming home at all before morning. 1t
was disappointment, for she had gone
forth so full of love and joy. But still,
men must be men, and have their work
that makes small women Jealous and
large women helpful and wise Pa
thence Blackthorn, though small, was
one of the large.
She fully expected, however, to see
him turn up for breakfast, and prepared
special provision for man hun CRY with
an up-and-down-hill walk from Hun
chester to Legs Croft. When she did
not come she looked for message pres
emily: and when that did come then for
a surprise and a startle. She would be
going about the place and would light
upon him hard at work, as if nothing
had happened; and then there might be
a sham falhng-out, for the sake of what
would follow. Then, when he did not
come to dinner, she began to fear that
he had sent message by some chance
idler, who had lost it by the way. For
she had head on her shoulders, and
never jumped to uncomfortable conclu-
sions unless compelled. Besides, Ste
phen was Stephen; there could be
nothing really wrong, or without good
cause. No doubt he had sent that
message, and no doubt would outstrip
his errand-boy.
Nevertheless, she would not 60 down
the road to meet him, just to-day. She
did not like to seem running after him;
and he must stand his trial for negli-
gence, even though he was acquitted
beforehand. And it was perfectly easy
to keep her resolution until the days
work was done and the first occasion
for breaking it had arrived. So. as
she would break it, she struck COM
promise. She would 60 along the path