The Forrest City times., 1891-02-27
sadley. with . little fremolo iu her

= ~ all the time by shiftless wife'
 A big round drop plashed down into the frying-pan which Mrs. Sadley was just preparing to receive sundry slices of well-cured ham which she had been cutting; she made no verbal reply, how ever.
 'Ehp" said the squire; "why don't you say somethingP Sulking, s'pose, as usualp"
 At this poor Mrs. Sadley burst into tears.
 No, Titus" said she. Il ant sulk- ing. But feel awful bad today, and 1t don't take much to upset me. It's all true what you say. l am poor. worn-out, feeble creature. and don't blame you for gettin' out of patience. But if hadn't worked so hard all these years"
 ''Oh. yes. there's always some ex. Cuse." growled the squire; and taking . stray sample numoer" or a paper. he went out to sit in the honeysuckle shade.
 T can't stand that roasting fre." said he
 Then" said Kitty. the enfant terri ble. ''how do you suppose mother likes ito"
 In an instant however. her fckle. childish attention was diverted.
 '.Seem she cried; "therc come Cousin Mary and Mir. Dallas over the hilli Oh. father, they're engaged. Did you know it?'
 Yes" absently answered the squire. intent on his paper.
 al n fnA n,rlnr tbat nitri,f. if thundered and rained so hard" said didn't know it. And heard them talk ing to each other. And he called her his darling love"
 "Humph.' gruntcd the squire. "A reglar case O spooning."
 And she said he was her dearest. dearest one" added Kitty. the circum- stantial.
 Young foolsr' snapped Squire Sad Icy.
 Father" said Kitty. leaning on his shoulder-she was the only one in the house who was not afraid of the stern despot--'don't all lovers talk SOP"
 They're fools for their pains if they dop'
 Didn't you love mother when she was a girl like Cousin Maryp Didn't you say just such things to her9n
 The squire moved uneasily in his chair under the calm. searching light of Mary's eyes.
 Il might ha' done.s he owned at last. 'I s'pose was just as great an idiot as other folks be.
 Il don't sec why people ever leave it <xT ,kt l. t,4, k.t ,I mother pretty girlef
 Don't talk nonsense" said the squire. almost angrily; and he got up and walked around to the old wooden bench beside the well curb.
 Had kitty's mother been pretty girl? Yes. that she ad-rose-cheeked and limpid-eyed, with laugh sweet as the note of thrush. and the lghtest foot in Virginia reel of any glrl in the neighborhood And now. Il am poor. worn-out feeble creature" she had said. in the faint. weary accents. looking at him out of the dim, faded eyes, and don't blame you for get ting out of patience. Yes; it was all true. But what had wrought the changeP Whose fault was ito
 Il don't know" said the squire. star ing at beaven's blue eye reflected far down in the heart of the deep, cool well. but l most think I've been too hard on her. Now come to study on it. I've had lots Q hired help about the farm. and she's done all the housework herself. And she never was very strong! Was she pretty girl? There wasn't none prettier in radius O twenty ! tIaa la, ob,,r ,I to look al her now"
 The squire got up and stamped un- easily around the we'll
 live been brutem he muttered to himself. Worse than a dumb brute flor they ant supposed to know no better. don't know what I've been thinkin' of all these years. Leave of loving herr han't never left it of l love her now. bless her faithful. pa- tient soul. as we'll as ever 1 did, only I've fell into the way of beiu careless aud neglectful. But I'll turn over a new leaf this very day. see if don't" He kept his word. "Engaged. Marv7 Ia 1t reallv a settled ,6ings' said Mrs. Sadley. ''Oh. hope you'Il be happy. l hope. after twelve years of marriage. dear Mary. l you'll be as happy as l am noww Her eyes shone; faint color glowed on her ordinary pale cheeks Mary Sadley looked at her in surprise.
 Would you believe" went on the squire's wife. ''he has hired girl to come here and do all the rough work so as to spare me? And there is such 1 an easy. ng-upholstered sofa in the hall in place of the lumpy old lounge. and there's one of the highlands split ting pile of wood to last from now to ] Miehaelmas. And we are to keep our wedding anniversary in real old fashioned style next week. and Titus has ordered dress trimmed with white ribbons. just like the one was married in. He says shall look as young and | pretty as did then. Such nonesense, you know! And yet ii is nice of him i to say so--now. isn't 1t?
 Aud Mrs. Sadley laughed through ! her tears.
 Poor soul! The sunshine had come late in liie.yet it filled her whole being with blesscdness. I'm so glud"' said Mary But yos deserve t all. Cousin Eunice." Aud Inc newly he,rothed lovcrs whispered to each other that the mil lennium must surely be at hand. For what else could so have changed the squire?
 They did not stop to reflect that there is truth in the old saw: Good in all, and none all good. ."--Amy Randoiph .H N, F. Leader.