Middletown transcript., 1891-09-10
of the truth Of this.

got more cantiabout her than com :
non-sense. Well drop it all. I've
got a principle against going over un'
comfortable things. 1t just makes
them seem worse and worse"
They rode along in silence again.
!" John, I've got y Mrs. Hewett
cried out suddenly. "I can't reject
Christ no longer, even to please you"
What do you mean ?" He spoke
roughly.
:" don't know what will happen
maybe what you threatened me once
but Eve got to give in. I've got
to make stand for right"
g. never stood against you in doing
right. We've been all over this
ground, and l amt going over it
again. tell you now, once for all,
you can choose between me and that
snivelling set seen you with to-
night. If you've made up your mind
that's all there is to it. You can go
back to your mother tomorrow, if
you want to-"
They drove into the yard at the
side of the house and stopped. He
helped her out, and went out to the
barn with the horse.
The door was unlocked, and she
went in. She lit the lamp and look
ed around the familiar room, then
went into the bedroom, leaving the
lamp on the table.
In the morning when she awoke
she heard her husband building a fire
in the kitchen stove. She arose and
got breakfast, calling him to come in
from the barn when it was ready.
She noticed as he took off his coat and
hung it up behind the door that one
of the sleeves was ripped. She
thought she would tell him after they
had had their breakfast to put on
another coat and let her mend that
ore.
He sat down in his shirt sleeves
and ate his breakfast in silence. She
felt the oppression of his silence keen
ly. He was usually SO light-hear ted
and happy. When he got up from
the table he said
I'm going down to Longton with
some of that corn. l hear Jennings
is paying bigger price than Mccall
lister"
Mrs. Hewett was picking up the
dishes. WelI?" she said, without
looking up.
"I don't believe I'll get home
much before night" He went out of
the door, and not long after she saw
him driving out of the yard.
She washed the dishes and swept
the room, then went into the bedroom
AMI began, with trembling fingers, to
change her dress. When she had
finished the fell on her knees beside
the bed and prayed aloud. Her
heart rebelled against the thing she
was about to do. She felt that her
desire to stay was her greatest sin,
and prayed for help to overcome it.
When she rose she was calmer she
tied on her bonnet, and took out her
pocket.book and counted the money.
There's enough. Oh, I'm SO
| wicked wish there wasn't. l wish l
could stay, but can't. l can't give
in to him again-I can't do it."
It was two miles from the farm to
Elk Falls, and the day was warm
Mrs. Hewett started in time to take
the one o'clock train north. 1t was a
long, warm walk. All the FIVE years
of her married life went with her,
They had not been unhappy years.
John had been a, kind husband al
ways. So
where she could look off OYER the
prairie and see the little town. in the
distance, she stopped. If she went
back now John would never know
that she had been away. But tEshe
did not goshack. She dragged her
self YEARLY along until she-cam into
the one street of the little town, and
aaer5stopping at the station to see
how long before the train would be
| due, she vent across the street to bid
Mrs. McCallister goodbye. She
hoped to gain from her little of the
moral support she felt herself so sadly
in need of.
The people that she passed looked
. at7her curiously and sympathetically
Every one knew what had happened
the evening before. 1t had been talk
ed oyer in ali its possible meanings
The men who were then lounging IN
the store were in a warm discussion
over John Hewett's life and his posi-
4 BILE future.
T. Mrs. McCallister was ironing neal
the door.
"My! what a start you gave me
didn't know there was soul about
Did John bring down another load o.
i corn ?"
7 "No he's gone to Longton with {
load"
"Oh, has he ?" ,
Mrs. Hewett understand the qulcE
resentment of her tone. We'll. he
free to take his corn where he pleases
l come to bid you goodbye. In
going home for a SPELL"
Mrs. McCallister turned and looked
at her shrewdly for minute; ther
went out into the kitchen, and cam
back trying a hot iron with ne
dampened finger.
Well. you're lucky to be able t
60 this time of the year. You al
ways did seem able to pick up an
go more than any woman l eve
knew. They amt many men woul
take it as good-naturedly as job
HeweLt does. But then he know
more than most men,"
{. He don't mind my going"
No; he's SO good-natured, l sup
pose he don't"
Z" I've got to 60 now, or I'll miss m
train. 1t must be most time.
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