Waterbury evening Democrat., 1891-04-13

"a iocund ssHeigh-ho my laddyr' and shook the child above him laughingly. Then they turned and went up among the apple-trecs. she with her slender hand upon his arm, telling some humorous happening that fell between the child and Absalom, to which he laughed assentingly, but as if his thoughts were little apart Coming to her seat, the wife resumed her needle-work, while the husband threw himself along the thick growing and tousling his curly yellow beard, said, without turning his smil ing eyes from the child's: "I have bit O news for thee, lass; Ivyl SnaeI wants to buy the place. What think ye O thet?" "No; does he, truly?" said the wife, with surprise and doubt in tone and look. Then, after little pause, she added: "Why, you don't wish to part with the farm. do you, John?"
 "Only if it would please thee, lass" he said. Then without waiting for her reply, went on: "rve been often thinking since the little chap came, that may be it was na we'll to rear him in the country here. The air is good and wholesome, but the lad will be heeuLn scnoolAS ny anu py' au couldna bear to see the town chaps go above him. Besides, havna lived 1 these years beside the river here and not learned that it is lonesome for thee, lass."
 ''Oh, indeed, John, I have been hap pier than can ever tell," sad the 1 wife, looking fondly at the two upon l the grass. And since baby came have never known q lonely hour"
 "Well, sometimes I think it were better for tn both i the end to live by some greater town," said he. ''When I brought thee here, lass, tn cheeks were redder and tn fingers not so slim. More stir is what tn needs and folk tn more like thee."
 ''Oh, I think it is not that, John; will get strong again." she answered.
 May, lass. some minds need more than thct they love for food" said Earling. ''Th' wilma be strong al- words are good medicine. l ha' seen it, lass, tn mothers cares mind me O gnats thet always keep singin' about tn heart, and never give OCT plagu- ing it a little. Tn wouldna let a great strong loon like me live long, know, then why should tn not make thee slender, lass?"
 That's the lot of motherhood, you know, dear," said the wife. ''It is a sweet trouble, and one grows better bearing it"
 Il know" said Earling, ''it is Natures way, and there's no better way than Natures, I suppose. But tn man canna see well who canna see its hard way. It's we'll thet Coda mighty put love in it Many's tn man as goes lightly about his business which is full O changin' talk and faces, as leaves tn lass at home year by year wi tn gnats about her heart an tn bairns tuggin' at her, and thinks her days all simmer an sum- shine, when he were run daft as a hare wi half her cares"
 My life has never been like that, John" said she. ''You have been SC good could not be unhappy. Before baby came, when you were away, il sometimes seemed little lonely, but not now"
 Then Hcttie calling down from the porch, that tea was waiting, they went in; the wife leaning on her husbands arm and laughing up at the babe, rid ing the fathers shoulder with chubby fists clinging in his hair. After they were seated, the wife, pouring the tea said: What can Ivyl want with oul place, John?'
 ''Ivyl is bit greedy" said Earling, his face darkening q little. ''He car stand more than one cage if he hash: bird to feed. He matched my price
 but I wouldna close with him, lass without tn will"
 They considered the proposition iron many points that night, and on thu morrow John Earling rode away to
 ward the town resolved to take Ivyl a
 his word. In the afternoon he cam,
 home, bringing the instrument of writ
 ing, which, upon the payment of cer
 tain sum, should transfer his estate tt
 Ivyl Snaer. It bore John Earling signature, and when the wife hat tremblingly appended hers. the dee'
 was perfect.
 That evening after they hat
 supped, the husband put on his grea
 coat, for all day long a dull scud hao been drifting and banking about tn sky. and. saying that he had agreed t'
 deliver the deed at Ivyfs house and re
 ceive the money that evening, went ou to get his horse in readiness. When h. came back the child was sleeping, ant the mother, throwing wrap about he
 shapely shoulders, went slowly down ward with her husband to the gate Very fair looked the great valley spread out before them, with its long shadow and sheets of light from the sunset Old Jade and Absalom were drivin! the cattle barnward from the lowlan' meadows, the cow-bells beating softly and the whole landscape seeming man tied with sort of rosy film, divided b the white and silent river. They paused at the gate moment, looking out owe the quiet scene. Very still was tn wife, and the strong man looking dow where her pale check rested agains , his arm, saw that her eyes were file with tears.
 "Why, lass" he said, "I didna thin . thee loved the old place so!' . l Rut fha uifa oO1xy o1osa6 haT arac fr