The Newtown bee., 1890-06-06


it was sweet and light; the house was
scrubbed from one end to the other;
bonfire made of the old dirty comfort
ables and quilts; the kitchen reprinted
soft yellow, and new windows, with clear,
large glass, set in place of the dingy old
sashes; the woodhouse was filled with
dry wood and good store of pine cones
aud chopped brush for kindling. new
milk room was built, but little way
from the back door, over - tiny brook
that ran down the hill north of the house,
and under the Slated floor kept upra cool
draught of fresh air; covered passage
connected it with the kitchen, and door
into the old milk room made of that a
convenient panty, while the removal OF
the old one from the kitchen corner gave
to that apartment more room, air and
light. A new stove, with IL set boiler,
filled up the hearth of the old fireplace;
but further improvements Amasa left for
Mary.
A different Homecoming from his
mothers she, had indeed, on just such
Spring day as Wealthy came there. The |
kitchen shone clean and bright, bowl of
pink arbutus blossoms made its atmos-
phere freshly sweet, and the fire was laid
ready for her to light, the shining tea
kettle filed, and the pantry held such |
stores as Amasa's masculine knowledge |
of household wants could suggest; flour,
butter, eggs, sugar, all were in abund-
ance, and no feast of royalty ever gave
more pleasure to its most honored guest
than the hot biscuit Mary made and bak-
ed for their supper, the stewed dried APP
Piles, the rich old cheese, and the fra
grant tea gave Amasa this happy even
ing. Next day they took their wedding
trip to Peet's Mills in the new and SEN
sible farm wagon Amasa had just bought,
with strong spirited horse to draw it.
II want you should look around,
Mary he had said the night before,
"and see what is needful here. l expect
most everything is wanting, and we can't
lay out for finery. But first of all get
what'll make your work easy. Your
wedding present will come along to-mor-
row; to-day We'll buy necessities"
Mrs Peet had not sent her only girl
empty handed to the new house. A good
mattress, two pairs of blankets, fresh,
light comfortables and some cheap neat
white spreads; a set of gay crockery, a
clock and a roll of bright ingram carpet
ing had all come to the farmhouse soon
, after the brides arrival; her ample sup
ply of sheets and pillow cases, strong
towels and few table cloths had been
sent the day before, so this sort of thing
was not needed; but there was a new
churn bought, and altogether new fur
nishings for the dairy, several modern
, inventions to make the work of woman
easier, set of chairs, a table, and an
easy lounge for the parlor, some cretonne
covered with apple blossoms and white
thorn clusters and pals, brooms and tin
ware, that would have made Wealthy a
, happy woman, crowded the over-full
wagon before they turned homeward.
The old house began to smile and bios
, som under this new dispensation, and the
, new mistress smiled too.
} Amasa MIXED the cows for her, and
5 lifted the heavy pals of milk to strain
r into the bright new pans; he filled the
e woodbox by the stove twice a day, put a
t patent pump into the old well, and, as it
stood above the house, ran a pipe down
e into Il sink set in the wood shed, and so
v put an end to the drawing and carrying
: of water.
The fat, round, placid pigs, that now
s enjoyed themselves in the new pen, he
:. took care of himself.
- "'Taint work for women folks" he
e said.
y you've got enough to do, Mary
o there's The garden you'll have an eye on
Y and the chickens, if you're "a mind to
3. I'm going to build hen house and yart
a to it right off, that'll be good enough TO
10 you as we'll as the chickens; and l wan
g you should promise if any time the worl
70 gets a mite hefty and worries you, you'll
ID speak right out. l can afford to hav
everything else worn out rather than m.
h wife,"
,e Really, it paid! 1t does pay, my mas
culine friends, to give any woman kind
no ly word now and then; if you had don
u
the rights of women never would hav
ct angered or bored you as they do now, o
in unsexed and made strident and clamol
O. Gus that half of creation which is and a
al ways was unreasonable enough to hav
v. hungry hearts. Try it, and see.
gn Amasa was wise above his generation
ed he had seen his mother suffer and learne
ed lesson. Mary never pinned for kindl
d, appreciation of her work, or help in !
er When she had door cut through int
the parlor, the stiff chairs and sofa bal
ly ished, the fiowery curtains hung at eitht
he window, the gay carpet put down, an
ry the new furniture set in place, with b.
,r, wedding present-an easy stuffed rock
an drawn up to the table, on which la
nd two weekly papers and Harper's Mag
zine, she had still sense enough left
ge make this hitherto sacred apartment I'M
err real sitting room, where every eyenir
est she and Amasa rested, read, or talks
al over the days doings; and when the fir
lin fat, rosy baby came, and Mary was abo
zee again, it added another pleasure to ha'
ok the old cradle beside them all the eve
on ing with its sleeping treasure.
Can tell in words what sense
,ut peace and cheer pervaded this househol
elk, in spite of some failures and troubles9
ay- the rye did blast one year, the two be
He cows die another; if weasel once inva
of ed the new and wonderful hen house al
md slaughtered the best dozen Plymou
i'm Rocks; if sweeping storms wet the gre
her crop of hay on the big meadow, or an