Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1889-04-25

49, "spite" in the way she
- ! tossed the potatoes in
the pan of cool spring
water, waiting there to receive them.
1t was sultry weather, and through the
| open window mesthe'sound of mowers
whetting their sythes, blended with the
call of the Robin and the faint notes of
the cuckoo in the shaded wood. But it
only irritated Mrs. Thompson; indeed,
everything irritated her that day.
To begin at the beginning, Jane Law
renee had been an unusually romantic
girl, and had gone for two years to a
boarding school. She had always fan
cied she would marry some famous
artist or scholar, who would take her to
Rome and Venice, where she might live
in perpetual dream of beauty. She so
loved beautiful things! But, contrary
to all her preconceved notions, she
married Robert Thompson, a plain,
practical farmer, and instead of touring
it in Italy, she went to live at the old
homestead, which had been the abode
of the Thompson's for generations.
Robert Thompson was working faIm-
er as well as practical man, and all
his people worked. His mother had
worked in her day, his sisters had work
ed, he expected his wife to work She
took to it gleefully; she had not been
brought up with high notions by any
means; and at first the work did not
seem so much. But every experienced
lady knows how the work seems to accu-
mulate in plain farmers household as
years after marriage go on. There were
plenty of men and boys about, but only
one woman servant was kept; and Mrs
Robert Thompson grew to find that she
helped at nearly everything, save per-
haps the toughest of the labor. In place
of lounging in elegant foreign studios,
or gliding down famed canals and
streams in picturesque gondolas, she
had butter and cheese to make, and poul-
try to rear, and dinners to cook in the
long, low-ceiled kitchen, and the thou
sand and one cares upon her shoulders
that make up busy household.
The matter to-day, which had put her so
very much out was this: A sewing club
had recently been established in the
neighborhood. There was much distress
among the poor laborers' wives and fam
lies, and some ladies with time on their
hands set up a sewing club, to make p
few clothes for the nearly naked children.
The farmers wives had joined it-Mrs.
Thompson among others. They met at
stated intervals, taking the different
houses in rotation; dining at home at II,
assembling at / o'clock, and working
steadily for several hours.
1t was surprising how much work got
done; how many little petticoats and
frocl1s were made in the long afternoon.
In less than a month it would be Mrs.
Thompson s turn to receive the company
for the first time-and she naturally
began to consider ways and means. For
they met for an entertainment as well as
for sewing-tea in the afternoon, grand
meal later, when the stitching was over
What was Mrs Thompson to do? Their
stock of plates and dishes consisted of
few odds and ends of cracked deli that
had once been a kind of mulberry color. |
She had long wanted some new white |
ware; she wanted it more than ever now.
Grover, the keeper of the village crock |
cry shop, had a lovely set for sale
white, with delicate sprig of convol- |
vuli and fuchsias, looking every bit as
good as real china. Mrs. Thompson ,
had set her heart on tho set, and that
had preached the subject to
her husband.
whats the matter with the old
oness" he asked.
'Look OF them, she answered. ''They
Ire frightfully old and shabby"
81 dare say the food will taste as well
'ff them as off Growers set of white
ware
''But there's not half enough. We
have as good as none left.
You'd not have thought of this but
or the sewing circle having to come
here. IF they can't come and eat from
iuch dishes as we've got, they are well
,ome to stay away"
There were tears in Mrs. Thompson's
yes, but she crowded them bravely
back. He took his hat to go out to his
moving.
eve really want the things, Robert.
Those at Growers store are very cheap.
can get all l want for a mere trife.
Do give me the money"
"Grovcr'l have to keep 'em for US;
we got no money to waste on fine
hina," returned the farmer. 'sBy the
vay," looking back from the door,
Jones and Lee are coming to give me
helping hand. ] want to get the :
outh meadow down to-day if l can; it's
famous crop; so 1 shall bring them in
o dinner. Oh, and the Hubbards want ,
tx pounds of butter tonight; don't for
.et to have it ready" |
With these words Mr.. Robert Thomp- {
on had marched of, leaving his wife to ,
er long weary days work, darkened |
nd made distasteful by her disappoint- 1
1ent. She was both gTieved and angry.
{ was a little thing, perhaps, but it is '
be little things of life that delight OF 5
nnoy. q
Existence seemed very bare and home /
: to Jane Thompson that summer day.
Il L