The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1888-02-03

likei out laIeiy she just keeps out OF
the way all she can. I verify b'lieye
she'd have gone to that Hallowe' en-
party at the Wylder's last fall, if some
of EN- hadn't made some silly speech
| about DIR. Worthly's being there, and
about the charms they'd try, and sot
/ her against it. | wanted to tell her
| she mustn't mind their senseless
speeches; that the doctor want to
blame for what a parcel of foolish girls
took into their heads to say, nor
| couldn't help it. mebbe,if they was all
after him. But land, the child
must find out some things for herself,
if she does suffer some between
whites.
| But Jack, returning from his milk
route with a pung full of empty cans,
throwing the reins to his father, and
coming in cold and hungry, drew his
mother attention for the time to his
own noisily-yoiced wants.
That evening, though the Goals
glowed softly in the sitting-room
CRATE, and the canary chirped wake
fully in his cage, as though longing for
company, though the shaded lamp filled
| the room, in its daintiest, contest order,
with restful light, the little mistress of
the house brought, after tea, her sew
| ing-chair and her basket of mending,
near where she had placed her hus-
bands straight backed rocker and his
| slippers, on the kitchen hearth-rug
His papers and his spectacles were
| there, too. A bubbling kettle, which
held part of the morrow's breakfast,
and demanded watching, was her os-
! tensible excuse. But she knew that
DR.. Worthy was coming in for book
Sue had; and eff her fathers in the
room, she will never open her lips"
she reasoned. And Mother Wyllie
had, moreover other plans of her own
to further, more disinterested and un-
selfish than any even that concerned
her children. She'went to the cellar
with Father Wyllie and held the light
while he filled the tin basin she held
with Nodheads and Astrakans and
Northern Spies. She peered with him
into the vegetable bins, noting how
well the potatoes were holding out,
and the beets and turnips were spend
ing. She agreed with him that next
month they must sort over and take a
load or two to town. They peeped at
the barrels of russets and baldwins, and
the box of late winter pears, and looked
anXiously and approvingly into the
beef and pork barrels and at the row
of hams hanging over them.
A cellar is not usually place to de-
tain one by its inyitingness. Yet a
New England cellar, after haryes ting,
if it belong to thrifty New England
farmer, will bear close inspection and
give some substantial and reasonable
| assurance of future creature comforts,
! in days when the mercury is in the
zeroes, and the fertile fields are FROST
| bound. 1t and it's contents lie at the
foundations both of good housekeeping
and good cheer. And the wife on their
return settled herself very quietly with
her darning, while farmer Wylie stirred
the fire, took off his boots and put on
his slippers. She listened and approved
as he told of Give tons and half of
hay, sold out of his big barn." the
money for which should go into the
bank tomorrow, and of the brindle
COW he had been keeping for beef,
which Judkins would pay him so good
q price for, he thought he should sell
her. And she brought the almanac for
him to verify his dates as he recorded
sundry transactions. And her oppor-
tunity came.
"Second of February" murmured
the farmer. "Candiemas day, l de-
clare!'
"Wen," said his wife, with little
laugh, you certainly can't complain
that any more than half your meat
and half your hay is gone"
there's been year things have held
out so well. And every thing brings
a good price in the market, too. Yes,
Candlemas day, the second of Febru-
airy, and next Tuesday week will be
the fourteenth, Valentines Day! Did
you know it, little womanP"
Now Valentines Day held more ten
der and romantic associations for the
farmer and his wife than their chill
dren know. 1t had seen their wooing
prosper, as well as shone on their we'd
ding. Sue knew only that it was their
marriage anniversary. Sometime her
mother would tell her, and she would
be ready to treasure all these old mem
cries.
What shall I buy you, dear, for a
valentine?n asked the husband of
many years, Il know you don't feel
like any wedding and perhaps we
shouldn't want it anyway. But I've
had my valentine a good many years,
and I'd like to get her something more
than common this year. Or could
give you the money"
Now was Mrs. Wyllie's time, and
very eloquently, yet briefly, she told of
the child of their old friend, with her
children, in need, and widowed. Sand
if we could give her something, John,
something she needs, for valentine,
and give it so she'd never know, of
course, 'twould be all I'd want I'm
sure"
But Mr. Wyllie need ed little urging.
| And like many other men, once inter
ested, ne took hold of the project with
a heartiness that included and outran
the original intent. Though none of
her husbands amplifcatons of her
plans could so beyond Mrs. Wyllie' S
generous feeling. She listened, de-
lighted, and when by and by. they
unfolded their purposes to DR.. Worthy
in the other room, and heard his out
spoken commentator, sympathy and
promised cooperation, she was more
than content.