The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1889-11-15

She had readjusted
| her afternoon cap several times, as she would
| have done had she expected visitor; she had
| picked faded buds from some late roses, had
examined the base Of one of the piazza posts
| to be sure that the old wistaria vine was lot
| dragging 1t from its place, and had picked
some bits Of paper from the little grass plot
| in front of the house; but each time she went
| from one duty to another she shaded her eyes
| and looked down tho road over which her
| husband would return. She had eyes for
| everything outside the house-an Indication
| OF rot at an end of one of the window sills, q
daring cocoon between two Stats of a window
blind, missing screw Of the door knob-all
tribes that had been as they were for weeks,
but had failed to attract her attention until
expectation had sharpened her cyesight
AS time wore ON she went into the house
for her spectacles; generally she preferred to
have letters read to her by her husband, but
her absent sons writing she must sec with her
own eyes Then she polished the glasses again
and again, trying them each time by gazing
down the road for the bearer OF the expected
letter. Calmness, In its outward manifesta-
ton, was noticeable only after her hope had
again been deferred.
AS for the old man, who was quite as dis
appointed as his wife, he studied a partly
oosencd vest button as If it had been an OBJ
ject OF extreme value; then he sat down on
the steps of the veranda studied all visible
sections Of the sky for minute or two, and
finally ventured the opinion that a middling
lively shower might come due about midnight.
Then he told his wife of having met the min
lister, who had not said anything In particular,
and OF coming auction sale of which he had
heard, and how eggs for shipment to tie city
had ''looked up" three cents per dozen. Then
he sharpened his pocket knife on his boot leg,
handling it as delicately and trying its edge
as cautiously as IL 1t were an instrument Of
which great things were expected. Then
both joined in estimating the probable cost of
raising the youngest calf on the farm to its
full bovine estate.
Finally, both having thoroughly repressed
and denied and repulsed themselves, merely
because they had been taught in youth that
uncomfortable restraint was precious priv
ilege and sacred duty, Mrs. Hayn broke the
silence by exclaiming:
1T does beat ALL
"What doesr' asked her husband, as solicit
tously as II he had not the slightest idea Of
what was absorbing bis wife's thoughts.
"W'hy, that Phil don't write. Here's ev-
erybody in town tormentin' me to know when
he's comm back, an II he's got the things
they asked him to buy for EN-, an not q coli
tary word can l say; we don't even know
how to send letter to him to stir him up an
remind him that he's got parenta"
"Well. theirs sure to be letter somewheres
on the way, don't doubt, tellin' US all we
want to know" said the old man, going
through the motions Of budding an althea
bush, In the angle of the step, from scion
of Its own stock Watched pots never
bile,' you know, an faint often one gets q
letter till he stops lookin' for It,"
"But faint bit like PHIL" said the old
lady. "Why, he's been away morsn q week.
thought he'd at least let us know which Of
the big preachers he'd heerd on Sunday, an
what he thought Of EN- Hearin' them big
guns Of the pulpit was always one Of the
things he wanted to go TO tho city for. Then
there's the bread pan I've been wantin' for
ten years-ons that's got tin enough to 1t not
to rust through every time there comes 81
spell Of damp weather; he might at least rest
my mind for me by lettin' me know he'd
got IT,"
"All in good time, old lady; let's be PATIENT
an we'll hear all we're waitin' for Worrys
more wcaryin' than work. Rome WASN'T
built In a day, you know"
"For meroys sake, Reuben, what's Rome
got to do with our Phili l don't see thas''
Romes got anythn' to do with the case, on
less it's somethin' like New York. where our
boy Is"
"Well Rome was built an rebuilt good
many times, yor see, fore 1t got TO be all that
was expected Of It; an our Phil's goin
through the same operation, mebbe. A mans 4
got to be either a stupid savage or finished
Off saint to DO suddenly pitched from fields
and woods into a great big town withouo
bein' daxod. When / first went down to 4
York my eyes was kept 80 wide open that 4
couldn't Scarcely open my mouth for few
days, much less take my pen In hand, a. foll<9 (
say In lettera hardly kxowed which foot I
was standin' on, an sometimes felt as II the 4
ground was gone from under me- Yet New
York ground h harder than an onbclieverb
heart
Mra Hayn seemed to accept the simile OF
RomsS building az applied TO her son, Tor che
made ne further objection 10 h; she contin-
patton OF what she still longed 10 do With
them. Her husband continued to make TINY
Sits and cross cuts In the aitheas bark, and
TO insert buds carefully cut from the bougha.
Finally he remarked, as carelessly as If tall
ing about the weather,
"Soi Mantrings sloop's got backi"
"GraciousI" exclaimed Mrs. Hayn; why
aint you told me NO beforei Sol's seen Phil.
amt hef What does he sayi OF course you
didn't come home without sesin' himr
"Of course I didn't Yes, Sof's seen PHI
seen him the day before he caught the tide
an camc out An Sol says he's a stunner.
too-don't look no more like his old self than
II he'd been born an raised In York tol
you, Lou Ann, u dont take that boy much
time to catch on to whatever's got 60 10 H. 4
Why, Sol says he's got store clothes on, from
head to foot That amt all, either; hen--- n
Hero tho old man burst into laughter, which
he had great difficulty IN supprexing; afta
long effort, however. he continueds sGol
says Ire carries q canc-a cane not much E
thicker than a ramrod. Just imagine our
Phil swtngin' cane II you canI" And che
old man resumed his laughter. and gave 4
free COURSE
"Mercy sakesi" said the old lady, III hopo
he didn't take 10 b church with him An
horc he won't bring II back here Whak7l (
the other members of the Young Peoploh
Bible class say to see such COINS on By one
that's always been so properf"
"Why, let him bring It; what's cane co>
to do with Bible classesi don't doubt sornj/
Of tho postles carried canes; think I've sssd !