The Somerset reporter., 1890-04-03
SELECTED.
HE MISSED THE TRAIN,


that half the time he had to rush himself
clear out Of breath TO reach it, or else
miss it.
He was In that exasperate state of
mind where he wanted to blame some
booy, abuse somebody; a state of mind
which, IN condition of development
little nearer the savage, would impel him
to acts OF cruelty toward anything or any
person on whom anger could be wreak-
ed. The person on whom, in this in
stance, he could most quickly and with
the least impunity cast blame w9s his
wife. 1T was all her fault. Why could
not she manage household affairs SO that
he could get his breakfast earlier? He
worked like slave at his business ten
hours day; he gave her full c. ntrol of
the house and furnished money to run it !;
she had servant and 1t was pure and
| utter shiftlessness in her that breakfast
| could not be ready in proper time. Thus,
with flashing eyes, soliloqulzed Mr..
Smith, as with anger flushed face, he
watched the train disappearing i'll the
| distance.
1t was full hour and a half till the
| next train; it was nearly half mile back
to Mr.. Smiths house. He paced back
and forth nervously for few minutes ON
the station platform, debating ON his
mind whether he should wait there for
the next train or 90 back home. As he
mused his anger grew. He would 90
home and give his wife such piece OF
his mind as she would remember for
onlils. She shouiti DC Tna,o 10 tfua;,, that
1t WAS no light matter to have breakfast
i've minutes late. He turned his face
homeward and stamped heavily along,
| la nf a Iata a.,
desperate deed. His face was flushed
with anger and his eyes cleaned tiercely.
But, as he FASTENED along somehow or
other his attention was diverted by the
song of bird among the trees that lined
his path. He looked up involuntarily.
How brightly the sun was shining; how
blue the sky was; how balmy and fra
grant the air; how peaceful everything
| appeared as he looked of through the
| green space on either side of the village
street
The trees were putting forth their ten
derest green; so was the grass. He no.
| ticed the fragrance of the crab-apple and
wild-plum blossoms, he distinguished the
peculiar strain Of bird he used TO hear
IN boyhood. 1t was the wood-thrush
He had listened TO that bird, when, years
ago he had walked in the meadows and
lanes with the pretty, shy young girl
whom his heart was bent on winning for
his wife. She was his wife now. She
was the mother of three rosy active
children, they were his and hers. She
was not as pretty now as she was then;
she was thin and careworn. The plump
rosiness and merry smile were, for the
most part, gone. But, what good, true
wife she had been to him. How her
economy and faithfulness had helped him
in getting the start he now had in the
world How little she saw of the out
side world, or of diverting pleasures
How self -denying and accomplishing she
had been, and what a devoted mother to
their children!
And on that bright, sunshiny morning
he had been thinking hard thoughts of
her, and meditating what sharp, cutting
words ne could say to her-and all for II
trivial little loss OF an hour from bust
ness Mr.. Smiths pace slackened; his
countenance relaxed; his heart melted.
On such morning he could not, would
not, by harsh words mar the harmony
and beauty OF the sunshine and BIRDS and
the green things growing. No, if he
could not speak kindly, he would hold his
peace.
AS Mr.. Smith neared his home he felt a
certain shrinking from meeting his wife
directly. He almost feared he might be-
tray on his C0untenance some of the
harsh thoughts he had been thinking. So
he went around the side of the house and
entered the kitchen. Bridget was stand
ing with perplexed and exasperated ex-
preston on her face, looking into the
kitchen stove, in which smouldered a
dark, dying fire.
What is the matter, Bridget"
Faith, sur, it's the stove that breaks
me heart intirely. The CRATE is broken
and the stovepipe smokes, aud whin |
sthrive to make quick fire here's the way
it serves me.
well, Bridget, believe 1t is all my
fault. Your mistress has asked me many
times to bring new crate from the city
and also to send man to clean out the
stovepipe and chimney. | will put this
down in my notebook and bring the new
CRATE this evening, and Pat McFlynn, the
timer, shall be sent right up this morn
ing to clean and fix the stovepipe!'
"Oh, thank ye, sur" said Bridget. with
Frightening countenance. "And could
Pat fix the cisthern, too' The pump has
been broken long tonne and keeps me
back in my work and breaks me back
drawing water wild rope"
Again Mr.. Smiths conscience smote
him. How often had his wife asked him
to send man to fix the cisterny
Eyes, Bridget, the cistern shall be fixed
this very day"
well, sur, thin | think I'll stay. |
was just telling the mistress that |
wouldn't work any longer wild SIGH incon-
veniences, but If the stove and cisthern
are fixed poor girl can get along
Mr.. Smith made another memorandum
in his book and passed on through the
dining room toward his wife's room.
He noticed that her plate indicated an un-
tasted breakfast Softly he opened the
door Of their room. His wife started up
hastily with an expression Of alarmed in
curry on her face. Her eyes were wet
with tears. The baby still in its night
clothes, was fretting in the cradle, while
little two-year-old, partly dressed tug
ged at her skirts.
And so you missed the train-break-
fast was lste-well, can't help it
Bridget Is going to leave, too !" and the
poor little woman covered her face with
her hands and burst into sobs and tears
She fully expected angry complaints from
her husband. and, In some vague way,
she felt she was to blame. She could
not compass everything, and the babies
were so troublesome. Oh, did every
young mother have such hard time as
she did2
"Why, darling, what Is the matter?"
said MIR. Smith, putting his arms around
his wife and drawing her to him.
Come don't mind. think 1t Is really
mostly my own fault. have come
through the kitchen, and l ind Bridget
has so much trouble with the stove being
broken and the chimney smoking, that
wonder she can get breakfast ct ALL"
II ought to get up In time TO see that
you have breakfast early" sobbed the
poor little woman; "but Bridget 10 10