, 1889-04-14


full left.
Just what to do with it did not seem
to come to him at once. So, mechani-
cally leaning his fork against the pile, he
sat down upon it. Yes, sat down to
think, and the way he did it, and that he
did 1t at all, showed he began thinking
before he sat down.
That Farmer John should stop work,
and above all in the middle of q bright
forenoon, was something quite out of his
usual way of proceeding. Farmer John
seldom did think much, and what think
ing he did was generally lone upon his
feet; but whether this particular morn
ing found him in n more troubled state
than common, or the great pile of soft
hay proved too much of n temptation for
his tired legs here we find him.
well, we'll" he exclaimed, as he re-
moved the worn straw hat and rested the
sunburned arms on his knees, there's
no use talkingl I've had bout all / can
stand of this. It's nigh onto thirty years
since we rolled up tho old log stable that
used to stand here, and, sakes alivel we
thought then l couldn't stand much
more"
Here he paused, and while the cool
breeze through the great door famed the
wrinkled face, his mind seemed away
blackjack 'rnigh onto thirty years"
Poor Maryr" and as no continued a
tender light came into the hard gray
eyes. 81 can sec her now as she stood
that night after they were all gone. How
good she wasl how hopefully she talkedl
You'll soon have the o on, john she
said, and then you a tax it easier.
Shan't we be glad when it's all over
WITH Yes, yes, we thought then that
sometime 'twould be all over with; but
that time seems never to come, never TO
comet"
The sunlight on the floor moved farther
along. Little Bright had lain down for
his midday nap, and still the gray head
was bowed, and no fresh water found its
way zach over the hill to the boys.
Thus an hour passed. Then old Kit,
who had stopped chewing, and with
drowsy eyes was living over colthood
days, was suddenly brought back to
the present by the old man hurriedly
getting to his feet.
Beats all beats all what I've been
thinking about all these yearsr' no burst
out. ''We've had enough an ter spare
for the last fifteen of en-, and here | am
working 'em all to death n myself, too
-for-well, for nobody knows what.
I'll stop 1t, yes, l declare l will Mnry's
too old TO work this way, an / oughter
seen it before. I'll turn over n new leaf,
SEQ T / don't-half n dozen of them.
Wilson can hnvo that forty Of he wants
it, an If | only dared to, I'd go clear
down ter Wilder Baldwin's and tell 'em
I'm ashamed of myself, blamed if ]
wouldn'tr
Hero he stopped a moment for
breath; then went on: "P'raps faint jist
tho thing ter go pokin' down there 'thout
bein' asked, after all's been said; but
then I'll go, yes, | will" They can't
more'n tell me TO leave"
Here the old man hurried out Of the
door, and casting n side glance at the
sun, at once set out for the kitchen door.
mo mistake" he repeated, as he
walked along. II was n little too lard
on the boy. VIII worked hard and was
good to me, always was. l took n poor
girl when l started, an I've never seen n
rich one I'd trade her for" and on he
went up the cool back steps into tho
kitchen.
"Maryr"
YES, joint" came from the cellar.
way. whence Mrs. Sanbourn was bring
ing n large pan of potatoes, n half dozen
turnips and n cabbage.
What did you want, JohnY" she asked,
placing the future dinner on tho table
and resting her hands on the sides of the
pan.
"Oh, nothin'. Only wanted 10 know
where ye was, kinder" and then, seeing
the worn look on tho once handsome
face, added:
"Ain't ye pretty tired, Mary2'
"Wcll, no, not more than usual, but
somehow, John, I'm always tired now-
adays."
"Well, Mary, yo look tired, that's sar-
tin; but p Here the old man found it
hard to proceed, for visions of tho Mary
In tho past and the Mary now, Of tho
little Will and tho Will OF today, came
too wildly before his troubled gaze.
Mrs. Sanbourn, noticing this, hastcned
to ask II anything was wrong.
"Oh, no, dono's there Is. Thought I'd
stop in an rest n bit. Somehow / don't
seem ter stand MS much this springs
common. But rs Is goin' ter say, I'm
I'm goin' ter turn over n new leaf, Mary,
an'-an' VIII, VIII didn't do so very bad,
after all. You know If
Hero the old man choked up again,
and seeing tho great tears starting to
Mary's faded eyes, caught up tho big dip
per, and saying something about u cool
drink at tho spring, hurried out. When
he got to the spring, he didn't drink at
all, but leaving the dipper on the stones,
- II -. -.