The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1886-01-28
ESSIE.
If l only had = piano!''

o@---
ESsIE.
IF l only had piano!''
Even as the wish rose almost uncon
sciously to her lips, Essie Trowbridg,
blushed q deep crimson tint, and sh,
eyes looked out half frightened from
under the long lashes.
"A piano!'
The depth of sarcasm in John Trow
BRIDGES voice justified the shrinking o.
his little daughter-in-law.
IA piano! Wouldn't you like a dia
.moud necklace or carriage with fou,
horses? This is one of the results of 8
plain farmer marrying fine lady''
II was not fine lady when Henri,
married me, only Woodworking
district school teacher" said Essie,
land he was kind and good, ant
never sneered at me because l lovee
music and pictures, and-and--all tn,
other pleasures had before my father
died!'
swell, there, there-don't cry
said the old man hastily. II did no
mean to hurt your feelings. Harr,
was"
But there the father choked, too
for was not Harry his only child, thu
very idol of his Old heart, lying in The
churchyard, and the six months
widow sobbing beside him'
She rose softly from her seat, anl
crossing to where her father-in-law sat
said gently:
Il will not try you again by ex
travagant desires. know how gooc
you are to me, and I will try to Learn
to be better farmers girl!'
You are a very good girl, a very
good GIRL was the reply, land it i:
only natural you should banker TO,
what you've been brought up to hav.
ing. But pianos cost hundreds OF
dollars, and 1 have none to spare
Essie. l can't get round the farm AZ
Harry did, and I have had him to lean
upon so long that things 60 crooked
enough without him!''
Essie sighed, caessing the snowy
hair, her shy brown eyes full of trouble.
She knew that the farm was suffering
for the master hand and eye, lying fold.
ed forever, and she 1onged to be OF
some use to the father she had prom.
ised Harry to love and comfort.
But she was only twenty, city bred,
reared in luxury. Just one year she
taught district school after her father
died bankrupt. Than 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 heart g
affection.
Only few months after the wedding
when Essie was conquering one by one
the difficulties of farm housekeeping,
Harry fell from q hay-wagon and was
fatally injured.
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 a 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.
II will never leave him while my
love is any comfort" she answered.
And in the first days of mourning
these two were an unutterable COM
fort 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 pro-
found contempt for all womankind
who could not FIJI his own rough ideal.
A woman who could churn, milk, cook,
care for poultry, keep house shining,
wash and iron, and keep in perfect,
robust health withal was = woman
after his own heart. A starving mind,
a hungry soul, were problems he had
never realized as existing.
It fretted him when Essie, bravely
striving to do the work so new in her
would faint at her post. It
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 superstition that she was use
less burden where she so earnestly de-
sired to be comfort and blessing.
She stif]ed 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 in
terest in chickens, pigs and COWS.
1t added to her perplexities to know
that the farm had not paid it's expenses
in the last year. Spring was still some
weeks away, and provisions were grow
ing scarce. while ready money was
down to a pile alarmingly
small. She felt like thief When 4
baking proved uneatable. or dinner
was spoiled, and yet such disakt tiers &C.
Cured in spite of her conscientious
efforts to avert them.
1t had been q dreary day when her
unfortunate wish broke from her lips,
and q sudden craving for the music
that had been her LIES delight took
possession of her. Her penitence for
the words was very humble. and she
put away the desire with many another
longing.
But John Trowbridge, though he
was narrow-minded, and often rough,
had q kind heart under tho hard crust