Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1890-09-23
TAKEN IN TINE

rsfn IN VIII n NJ VIZ NAs IVY " -
Il. shs turned D. hiin In Mill surri-e.
"why, wiih0ui cutting that doorf'
"well. I dii mean ~ much A. oouh
b. b. have that door cut. AMI ~ hole
bctwccn ,hs pantry AMI the kitchen b.
pu; The dishos ,hrUngh without waking
round. Dui you see the men have male
such goDi time that thought II would
b. h--st to lst 'cm 90. ~ IT. saturday
night. and not brcak into another week.
Eye. - cour-e.- aid Mrs. Ilill. with
tho rvaiy acquie-cence she always gave
to her husbands decisions
"Im going a. have " done. though.
went on Mr.. IIill with energy. 1--we
promised II long enough aud u ought 10
have been done long aso ,hall have
the men back here before long. for I've
about made mp my mind to have a wind
mill IT this fall. Folks say its grand
thing for saving work. The boys and
men are tired u pumping water for the
horses li's getting too late in the day
for such old fashioned methods. I BE-
licve In kcvp.ng mp with the times"
hut sho was ~ entirely Ia sympathy
with all hi- plans and arrangements that
no thought u complaint cr-s-d her
mird ~ she carricl load u milk pans
aruund 30 the spring house. A b.auii.
ful little riyulct which bubblei through
one corner ~ the hack yarl had ben
TUNED a. valuable uso f0r dairy pur.
po-"s But the singular ohtuscncs- to
all common sense cunyouienoa often
shown by old time country folk had lci
the builder q substantial farm hOuse
10 place tho kitchcn door on the other
side
"waii. | hadn't go, through yet
saii her husband. following her to the
spring houac my. you have got lot
ot nice looking butter there. NowOnder
your butter always brings the l-,st pric'-
anywhere ruund. but I'm going over to
tho funeral and guess you'd better 20
long"
"Oh. can't aid Mr.. IIill. shaking
her heal very derisiyely. I'D like 90
real well, but thcrr's ,oo much to do"
"Nonsen-, Call thosc hg girls %
your- AMI 1t them take hold a little
They do. They 10 All the sweeping.
but can't leave the dairy work 30 any.
one else Poor Sarah Duffy se-ms a.
though ought to W IA her funeral"
econ grt rrady. mother III call
Harriet
"Oh, never mind that. They like 81
have a little time for study AMI they
ought 10. can leave u for while"
"lIannAh. then"
"No. sho has enough o. do In tho
kitchen"
lie stool Anl watched her while shc
put the finishing tOuclss to the pats -
butter and then walked with her around
the hou-o. Her stop Jagged behind his
brsk onc.. and NJ she cachcl the hack
porch sho at wcarily down on tho lowest
step
Il don't know a. III ~. James
don't fccl quite up to H."
That's your mistake. mother. You
gvt yuurself drvsel And the ride'll 10
you no end o gOci."
Thus urgcl, Mr.. Iill. after fifteen
minu,c-. APPEARED AZ the door really 90
take her place In the smart buggy which
her husband drUye around. lie talked
away In grcat animation a. usual, bu'
b,.op long seemed suddenly struck by
her unusual silence.
''Aint YOU well. mother
"Oh. yc.. about ~ usual. lsecm % have
q kind - tir-i feeling most ~ the time
lately. but s'po-s its because I'm gvt.
ting Old. We can't always Is young,
yOu know"
NO" said Mr Hill. But any com.
plant from his wife Wa such a novelty
that be- ccased his talk. and pretending
10 look critically at the grain heh of a
neighbor stole few glance at her face.
IIe wa. not an ol-cryant man; had
not. IcrhaTs. In the daily rUund ot har.
monious home life taken = keen look AZ
the face ~ any one there for u year; and
a feeling % dlsmayed surpri-c aro-o In
his heart a. be marked the worn feat
urc.. the dcprcssod expression and the
thick sprinkling of gray In the soft hair.
"Annt YOU well, mother The qucs-
ti0n wns repeated with more u meaning
In the tone.
"why. u course am, James. Don't
you know what q worker Two always
le.nY'
At the gathering q neighbor for the
country funeral Mr. Hill. leaving his
wife at the door 10 make her way into
th. gloomy parlOr In which one more
pair IL weary hands lay folded In ret,
went 10 find place to tie his horse.
Men talked In subduei tones u orOp-
AMI stock until the signal came for the
b-ginning ~ the service, when all
gathered ~ nearly n possible within
ruach ~ the voice ~ the minister. Mr
Hill found himself crowded against
corner u the house close to the end of a
long porch which was fllel with chair
occupied BY women. while from an open
window near caIne sounds which soon
told him that the Children ~ the woman
who lay resting were within.
They were Of all ayes, a. hs knew.
There was the babblc of a toddlins
child. happily tao young 20 know what
dr,al meaning lay In these strange
doing-. And Mr.. Hills heart turned
sick at sound % the wAiling cry Of girls
Ike his own. What II such q thing
could come 20 his hones How could
any one have Anticipated this Of the
woman who had been such power In
her family Who could have believed
that she was in nes,l - this resti
The short service ended. the neigh
bors were invited 10 take the last look si
their friend. a. Mr.. Hill stood waiting
for the crowd about him 10 dispere an
undertone conversation between two
ncighb0ring farmers wives distinctly
reachei his ears through the low hum.
"Adruadful thing for them poor girls.
Eyes. indeed. whai'd she o thought
II she'd had time 20 think Of it,
''such an ambitious woman A. she al
ways waS Never thonght any WORK toe
har,l for her.
"So, and I'm inclined to think that's
where the mistake come In. i believe
Sarah Duffyd q been alive today II that
husband o. hers had had grain OF sense.
Ehe KEEP on and KEEP on till she broke
down all nj once"
"IIow do you meant lie was always
good to her."
eyes, In way. But he let her work
and slave without ever trying TO make
things easy for her. II ! should say my
cay hight out I should say twas that
pump In the shed that was the aeath O
Sarnh Duffy"