Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1890-06-27

you. Could you not come in to tea on
your way back from Pinelake2 Mr. Jeffrey
will be in then. We shall be so happy to
have you-and there viii be fresh butter
milk by that time. l remember you are
fond of it"
i saw Mr.. jeffrey in the fields a little
way of, lie Judge remarked, with a
smile. II 90 believe be was talking to
the haystacks. 1 ans nearly sure l caught
some scraps of an oration. he stood there
pitcthfork in hand before a row Of stacks
and harangued them: Ladies and gentle
men! On this memorable day I knew
he was praeticing his Fourth of July speech
and sympathized with him, for am in the
same box. For Mr.. Jeffrey it has at least
the charm ofnovelty; but wait until he has
served the same dish some fifteen to
twenty years; he will be pretty tired of
patriotic speeches by that time" He
smiled and she smiled.
''He complains now already. l offered
10 write that little speech for him, but he
declined
Declined! Did he really? We'll. well!
Look here, Mrs. Jeffrey, let somebody else
have it. Ask me, for instance"
ooh Mr. Burns! You are joking"
''Not at all, not at ALL my dear madam;
l never was more in earnest. Do let me
have that speech, pleasel | am willing to
stoop down to pick up the crumbs that fall
from the rich mans board-in this case.
But remember it must be short-fve
minutes and no more"
''Would it not be a capital joke on Mr..
Jeffrey" the lady said, half musinglY.
well, Judge, don't care if l write it,
for the fun of the thing. You must not
tell him, though, before the Fourth of July
is over. After the celebration You may
tell him whenever you like"
Il can keep my peace if you can, Mrs.
Jeffrey. viii you write it while I go to
Pinelake2 I might stop here on my return
in a couple Of hours and get the manu-
script"
Il could not possibly do that. Business
goes before pleasure, you know. have
my butter to churn."
"Look here; suppose you let me churn
your butter while you write the speech"
The old gentleman was by this time
fairly Interested in this novel transaction.
He went to tie the hose and buggy under
a shade tree, while thinking by himself:
''There is plenty of time, and it will be
cooler to drive in an hour or so. Churnlng
is easy enough, l am sure; its women's
work 1t won't take me long. 1t will be
quite a change, too-rdridti0 deteetdt 1t
will be interesting to see what kind of opus
that smart little lady turns out"
Mr.. Jeffrey practiced oratory before an
audience of haystacks III the sweat of his
honest brow. Puck, the judges horse,
made frantic efforts to keep off the flies
Mrs Molly sat in the parlor, where her
marriage certificate and teachers diploma
looked down upon her out of their frames.
Her pen was busily rasping over the note
paper, and the writer looked pretty, cool
| and happy Judge Burns looked neither
cool nor happy in the cellar, sitting ON
stool before an old-fashioaed churn. The
old gentleman was fast losing his temper,
and making but slow progress with the
butter. He did not find it as easy as he
had thought-no woman's work by any
means Why, he felt like swearing, so
thoroughly out of patience was he with the
old churn, regular medieval instrument
of torture. He felt like shaking Jeffrey,
too, if he had been on hand to be shaken
"Hc was brute, that's what lie was, ?
Judge Burns muttcred. THAT big, burly
young fellow, to let that delicate-looking
wife of his make a slave of herself, and
break her back over that abominabl e
churnl He would give Jeffrey a talkin g
to- Thank heaven, Mrs. Burns had never
been asked to do such work Why, it as
outrageous to let woman handle that
churn."
Bang, splash, bang, splash, up and down
went the stick of the churn. The work
grew heavier and heavier, the Judge hotter
and hotter. Down flew the gold specta-
cles; the hat followed suit; soon the coat
lay on the floor alongside Of the hat Bang,
splash, said the churn. With final bang
the Judge jumped up from his stool in
sheer despair, growing between his teeth,
Goodness sakes Millennium will be at
hand before that butter is done,'
"Well, Judge, how are you getting on!"
said a CHEEKY voice, and Mrs. efireys
light print dress lit up the cellar door.
H. nl hot with a
dazed, haggard look, and said: "This is not
ladys work, Mrs. Jeffrey found out as
much as that You ought not to work
that churn; you will hurt yourself"
81 churn three times week | don't
mind it much now; am used to it,. See
ing how tired he looked, she uddenly
changed the subject and said, ''Do come
with me out of this gloomy place to the
veranda. There is quite breeze now"
She picked mp his glasses and wiped them
on her apron, while he preceded her up
stairs. "This is the incest corner IN the
afternoon, and this is the easiest rocking,
chair Sit down, sir There is palm
leaf Now get cool and comfortable, while
l come back with fresh blttermilk for
you. Won't you enjoy buttermilk Of your
Own makingl Here are your glasses, and
here is-the speech" She pulled it out of
her apron pocket, and handed it reluctant
ly and timidly. Now, please don't make
fun of my work and l will praise yours so
much more" She courtesied and disap-
peared.
Ir. Burns put on his glasses without de-
lay, unfolded the few leaflets and read.
And when he was through reading he look
ed as if he had been listening to the first
bluebird's song in early spring He was
in the best humor by the time Mrs. Jeffrey
appeared with pitcher full Of buttermilk.
what DO you think of the butter?' he
called out.
ats great success, and l congratulate
you; and am ever SO much obliged to you
Mr.. Burns" Then she nodded, in an un-
dertone, ''And the speechi"
"It could not be improved upon, my
dear Mrs Jeffrey. You are an orator to
the manner born, upon my word. Allow
me to congratulate and express my thanks
to you"
They shook hands over the pitcher of
buttermilk, aud laughed like couple of
happy children. A moment after, Judge
Burns, with the Fourth of July Grafton in