Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1889-02-22
JUDGING TOO HASTILY.

IClC hiA DAh rONa''
Martha" said Mrs. Popham. Il al
ways knowed it would come to that at
last"
Martha Popham was vigorously
stitching away at her sewing machine
by the window Of the little sitting
room where the green and gold lights
sifted through the leaves OF the scar
let runner beans that were trained
there on strings, when the door open
ed, and something fell with dull,
heavy sound on the floor-something
that Mrs. Popham, who always did
things by jerks, had flung in.
1t was a bundle of irridescent blue
and green and gold feathers-a lifeless
peacock.
Its JUAN cried Martha. Its my
poor peacock"
well, l guess you're about right
there" said Mrs. Popham. with his
neck wrung, found him a-layin' in
the beet-bed, close to Harry Perry's
fence. always told ye he eat up the
corn and cracked feed away from Mrs.
Perry's hens, and scratched up her
flower seeds like all possessed. dun
no how on earth the Perry's have
stood it as long as they have. / don't
feel to blame Harry much, arter all.
Folks has feelin's."
Mother, has Harry Perry done this
cruel thing?'
IF he amt, l don't know who has,
said Mrs. Popham, indifferently.
But, gracious me, child, don't take
on so about it, A peacock amt a hu-
man creetur, no matter how you can
fix it,
Martha had left her machine and
was kneeling on the floor beside the
confused heap of irridescent feathers,
holding in her hand the poor, crested
head that hung down SO heavy. The
tears were dropping on the sheeny
neck; her lower lip was quivering.
He was my petr' she sobbed. II
brought him up from little chick! i
loved him | will never forgive Har-
ry Perry for this so long as live"
And when it was growing dusk she
took the little garden spade and dug
q grave for her favorite among the
phloxes and tall tiger lilies by the
garden path, and buried him tender
ly with roots of trailing myrtle above
the mound.
Harry Perry came in that same
evening as she sat mending her moth
er's best lace collar by the lamplight.
Martha" said he, here's the second
volume of 'Middlemarch. Mollie is
through with it now, and she thought
you would like to see it,"
II don't care for it," said Martha,
turning her face resolutely away. Il
don't get much time for reading these
days"
Harry stood minute by the door,
Dut Nudi Illd hCllhCl oROh
nor asked him to sit down.
Well" said he, tentatively, Il must
be going"
Martha made no response, and he
went.
But he was not thus easily discour-
aged. The next day he again put in
an appearance.
MY cousins from New York are
coming up to spend the day, Martha"
said he. "Will you come over and go
with us on a days excursion to Spi-
derived Falls? I'll ask the minister,
and Mrs. Volbeck and"
Il would rather not CO." said Mar
tha, without lifting her eyes from the
crowd of late chickens she was feed
ing with scalded meal.
Not go, But why notf''
Martha put down the bowl of meal
with some emphasis.
Il do not know" said she, that /
am bound to render an account OF
my feelings to anybody"
IF the day is inconvenient." said
the perplexed Harry, Il could change
it,
You need not change it for me. 1
should not 60, anyhow"
Harry looked at her in amazement.
Martha" said he, what have /
done to vex your
And, by way of reply to this, she
got up and went into the house, leav-