Waterbury evening Democrat., 1890-09-17

though she was so uncomely, her dress looked full of smuggling places for chll- dren's heads, and hor large shoulder like pillow for the forlorn.
 Now, take of your things and be com fortable," she said. '' 1 was afraid you couldn't come this evening, the weather's so raw"
 II don't mind the weather" said Phoebe, "whcn am asked to supper with you. Here you arc shut in pi'ncess-like, with a red-hOt forest stacked in your fire place, the woods outside breathing, and the kitchen kettle singing wish Thorney and l were set up in log-house life"
 ''How is Thorneys' inquired Mrs. Barker.
 "He is well. He is so stout and braw- n.y." She looked at the hearth without brightening. ." am glad he has muscles, anyhow"
 'Mr. Barkers late tonight" said the schoolmaster's wife. His school is so full. He's fitting some of the young men for col lege, and often helps them after hours"
 She hung up her guests wraps on deer antlers. Several doors of various heights opened from this general room. Beyond one the kitchen showed it's furnished stove and tin vessels; another, stepping down. ward step, gave entrance to a bedroom, where Mrs. Barker's best finery hung on the log wall protected by muslin curtain. Two more doors just like it probably opened on similar state-roomS. But the masters | library was bolder conception, cast out like a dormer-window from the main pile, to be entered by pine archway hung with | curtains of chintZ calico. The shelves were | very full. Rudely carved pyramids of pomegranates supported the masters row | of Greek authors. His study-chair was a | gnarly stump, chopped into shape and cush- ioned
 A long clock in cherry case filled one corner beside tho fireplace, ts yellow dial marked in Arabic figures. One iron hand pointed to five, and with a deliberate, rasping | voice, it told the hour.
 Phoebe stood on the hearth to warm her hands, while Mrs. Barker drew a table from the wall and set up it's leaves on extra legs. 1 The broad boarded floor showed the many | grooves this table had made in it's many | journeys. The masters wife spread a cloth of unbleached linen, exactly balancing the | ample folds at each table corner, and put | her blue-edged dishes and handled l knives and forks in array upon it. Her | talk with her guest was as brisk and con stant as the firm leather pat of her foot steps on the naked floor. She brought jams and finally scented cake from her store room. The masters chair was dragged from his library to preside at the foot of the table like throne over two splint-bottome6 seats and one wooden chair with gliding or l the DaCK. The hostess SeWlnR-rOCker SUOOC near the fire for Phoebe's use.
 nI told Mir. Baker if he saw your brother to ask him to supper along with you.'
 ''Thorney would be too shy to come," sait Phoebe, wistfully
 "You pear very different to me-" re
 marked Mrs, Barker, candidly, as she se
 down the maple sirup in a glass dish ant
 arranged in goblet the silver spoons sh'
 had bought with her own first savings, be
 fore she married Mir. Barker. II alway'
 tell girls" said the masters wife, standing
 lack and admiring them, 'the first thing
 they ought to do is to get a set of spoons
 Take some of your earnings and buy len
 whether you're thinking of going to house
 keeping or not. Then you have 'em."
 ''Thorney and can hardly afford silve when we set up our house," said Phoebe