Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1890-12-19

A minute afterward, he could hear the
quick strokes OF the hatchet, and he be-
himself that, in the hurry Incl
dent to haying-time, the pile of kin
dlings had been allowed to get low.
at does seem" he said, ,petulantly, "as
if everything hindered mans dinner"
Then, father" said Kitty, glancing
over the top of the tin potato
pan, why don't you go out and split the
kindlings, and let mother tend to the
things indoors'"
"Hush, Kitty, said Mrs. Sadley, quick
lv. as she touched a match to the mass
of crumpled papers under the CRATE.
"Where's the last paperl" snarled the
Squire, ignoring Kitty's query.
"Oh, Titus" cried his wife, GIVE
Just set fire 20 it! l supposed, Of
course, you'd read tits week old to-
day, you know"
"Of course" said Squire Sadley, II
might have known without askingl It's
waste and fling away and burn up in this
house. There amt nothing safe where
an extravagant woman's concerned"
.sNotber amt extravaganza" said
Kitty.
"Where's them peas 1 brought in
this morningG" sharply demanded the
Squire, looking around him with Argus
eyes.
0There isn't time to shell them now,
said Mrs. Sadley, timidly.
"Tine-timel" repeated her husband
"Of course there amt time, if you sleep
away your life on that there sofy.
mean to have it taken away tomorrow.
It's deal too handy. What's the use O
nv plantin' the earliest peas in the mar
bet. and hoein' and brukhin' 'em, and
then goin out afore sun-up to pick 'em,
II nv folks hain't life enough to cook
'em9"
"Tll have 'em for supper" said Mrs.
Sadley, with little tremolO in her voice.
"No you won't, neither" said the
Squire. "Tll send 'em over to Neighbor
Barton's. His wife's got some snap in
herl Ideclare, it's clear discouragin fol
a man to be dragged back all the time
by shiftless wifel"
A big round drop splsshed down into
the frying-pan which Mrs. sadley was
Just preparing to receive sundry slices of
well cured ham which she had been cut
ting; she made no verbal reply, how
ever.
..Eh 2" said the Squire, "why don't
you say something Sulking s'Dose, as
usual 2"
At this, poor Mrs. sadley burst into
tears.
"No, Titus" said she, 81 amt sulk-
ing. But feel awful bad to-day, and it
don't take much to upset me. It's all
true what you say. lam POOR, worn
out. feeble creature, and don't blame
YOU for gettin' out of patience. But if
hadn't worked so hard all these years
-
sob, yes, there's always some excuse.
growled the Squire; and taking a stray
"sample number" of fashion paper, he
went out to sit in the honeysuckle shade.
81 can't stand that roasting fire, said
he.
'sTheu," said Kitty, the enfant ter
rible, chow do you suppose mother likes
III"
In an instant, however, her tickle,
childish attention was diverted.
''Seel" she cried. "There comes cousin
Mary and Mr.. Dallas over the hill Oh,
father they're engaged. Did you kno"
itlr
eyes" absently answered the Squire,
intent on his paper.
al was in the parlor tina. night; it
thundered and rained 50 hard, said
Kitty, with twinkling eye, "and they
didn't know it. And heard them talk
ing to each other And he called he
his darling love-"
"Humphl" grunted the Squire. "A
regular case Of spooning."
"And she said he was her dearest
dearest one" added Kitty the circum
stantial.
"Young foOlsl" snapped Squire Sad
ley.
''Father, "'said Kitty, leaning on hi
shoulder-she was the only one in thu
house who was not afraid of the ster
despot-''don't all lovers talk sol'
They're fools for their paine, if the!
do"
''Didn't you love mother when she wa
girl like Cousin Mary Didn't you sa
just such things to herl"
The Squire moved uneasily in his chai
under the calm, searching light of Kitty
eyes.
81 might ha' dOne,' he owned at last
'T s'pose l was just as great an idiot a
other folks be"
81 don't see why people ever lc"vc
off," said Kitty, abstractedly. Wa
mother pretty girll"
Don't talk nonsense" " said the Sq' r.
almost angrily; and he got up and Wake