The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1890-06-19
MISSING THErRAIN


Mr. Smith missed the train BY inst ous
hall minute and be vas 10 fanous tenn
per over The matter He lived 10 prett.
coaairy like snhnrb village sbon, forty
dse minutes ride from the large city i
which be bad his place Of business. sp'
be was sccnstomai TO take this psrtirula
train every mofaiog Not onee 10 thre
months dii such thing bappen A. bis he
Jog late for the train; bu, on this occasion
he felt like declaring that bali the time b.
had 10 rnsh himself clear ont Of breath I,
reach II. or else miss il.
He was inthst exspersted state 81 miad
where be wsn,ed TO blame som. body
abuse somebody; state Of mind which. II
q condition of development little nesrei
the savage. would impel him TO acts o
cruelty toward anything or any person o,
~sea anger seuld be ~rrsked ThH per
son on whom. IN this instance, he could
most quickly aud With the least impunit,
east blame. was bis wife II was her fanlt
Why could not she manage han.ehold NJ
fairs so that he could get his hrt asfss
business ten hours day; he gave ber ful
control IL the house and furnished money
TO run it; she had serva ant. and II is pure
and usier shftlessness 10 her that break
fast could not be furnished 10 proper time
Thus. with flashing eyes, soliIoquized
Mr.. Smith, so with anger flushed face, hs
watched the train disappearing 10 the dis
tance.
II WAS full hour and half till the mex
train; il was nearly half . mile back TO Mr..
Smiths house He paced back and forth
nervonsly for few minutes on the station
platform. debating IN bis mind whether be
should wait there for the next train OF go
back home. As he mused his anger grew.
He would go home and give his wife such
piece Of bis mind NJ she would remem
Der for months. She would be made to
feel that it was no light matter to have
breakfast five minutes late. He turned
his lace homeward and stamped heavily
along, With the air Of man determined
to do desperate deed. His face was
flushed with anger and bis eyes CLEANED
tiercely.
But as he hastened along. somehow or
other his attention was diverted by the
soug OF bird among the trees that lined
the path. He looked up inyoluntarily.
How brightly the sun was shining; how
blue the sky was; how bAlmy and fra
grant the air; how peaceful everything ap
peared Us be looked of through the green
space on either side Of the village street.
The trees were putting forth their tender
est green; so WAS the grass. He noticed
The fragrance OF the crab apple and wild
plum blossoms, hedlstinguished the pecu
liar strain Of bird he used to hear in
boy hood. II was the wood thrush. He
lad listened to that bird. when. years ago,
40 had walked 10 the meadows and lanes
With the pretty, shy young girl whom his
heart was bent Oh winning for his wife
She was his wife nov. She was the mother
II three rosy, active children; they were
lis and hers. She was not as pretty now
IS she was then; she was thin and care
ha nj
mile we're for the most part gone But
what's good, true wife she had been TO
lin! How her economy and faithfulDess
lad helped him in getting the start be
low had in the world! How little she
aw Of the outside world, or OF diverting
,leasures How self-denying and unoom
,laining she had been, and what devoted
mother to their children.
And on that bright, snnshiny morning |
Ie bad been thinking hard thoughts Of her.
nd mediiating what sharp, cutting words
q could say to her-and oil for trivia
oss OF half an hour from business! Mr.. |
imith's pace slackened; his countensnce
bis heart melted. On such q
,ofning he could not, would not, by
arsh words, mar the harmony anI beauty
the sunshine and birds aud the green
Lings growing. No; II he could not
peak kindly be would hold his peace.
As Mr.. Smith nesred his home he felt
ertain shrinking from meeting bis wife.
irectly. He almost feared he might be
ray on bis conntensnce some OF the harsh
hougtts be had been thinking So be
ent around the side OF the house and en-
,red tie kitchen door. Bridget was stand
lg with a perplcxed and exssperated eI
ression on h,a face, looking into the
ltchen stove, ia which smoidered dark,
ying fire.
What is the matter. Bridget?
Faith, sure, it's the stovs that breaks my
cart entirely. The CRATE Is broke and
,e stove pipe smokes, aud ~hin | shtfiye
make qnick tire here's the way it ser
~ me.
Well. Bridget. believe il is ali my
ult. Your mistress has asked me many
mes to briug new CRATE from the city,
I'D also to send q man to clean ont the ,
owe pipe sud chimney viii put this ,
own in my note book aud bring the new
ate this evening, and Pat McFlybn. the {
aner, shell be sen, right up this morning
clean and fr the pipe.
Od. thsDk yea, sur, said Bridget. with I
Frightening countensnce. And could |
II tix the eis,hern, too? Tue pump has
'en broken long tonne and keeps me |
ck 10 nv work and breaks my back =
swing water ~id rope. =
gain Mr.. SDith's conscience smote him =
w ollen had his wife asked hin 10 send '
mao 10 iii the cisterp. r
Yes, Bridget. tbe cistefu shall be 6Ied g
is very day
Well. sur. thea think III stay. was =
a telling the mistress that | would not Y