Waterbury evening Democrat., 1891-04-15
IN THE MIDDLE WEST.
A Story of Life in the Great
 Mississippi Valley.

green fur, then vivid reaches of spring ing wheat, and corn fields plaid ed with their even rows. Far, far to the south it swells and falls and bends away, bearing on its bosom many a grove and group of feeding cattle, and field and stream-divided meadow. Eastward the same billowy cxpanse sweeps off and breaks against billowy wood, and turning northward pierces the forest like mighty wedge. On the west the wood, flood of oak and poplar, ash and elm, maple and basswood, comes down, edged by lit tie river in its plum and thorn and willow fringe, and turns away to the broad southwest. At the foot of this green prairie-wedge, and dipping to- ward the rlver, lay the village, and back on a soft acclivity stood the low, long residence of Joel Whitney. Here on the fair June day we choose to enter it, we come upon John Earling play ing Justify. Another child is fellow to his sports-a boy of softer outlines but of even summers with the first The room seems slightly over-furnished, at least, not quite in keeping with a wholly temperate taste. However, 1t was not an unattractive place, though the two children rolling about the cheap bright carpet gave small heed to this. as witness the dust they made and sundry unconscious dents and scratches left upon the furniture by their fleet, unfeeling heels. Presently the door was opened, and Mrs. Whitney, little untidy of dress and sallow of complexion, entered, and seeing these rosy vandalS on the carpet said, rather brakiShly: "Here! you come out of here. Don't you remember that you are not to play in the front room?" and she gave the toddling John little flick upon his ear. Harry" she added, more softly, to her own pretty offspring, .'ma don't want you l to play in here. Go out with Johnny into the yard" Then the two tOddled | of, one with smiling face and the other with tear-wet eyes, but both were presently happy in the grass. After time Joel Whitney. coming to dinner l from the store, entered the gate, and the two children toddlod forward with 1 glad cries to meet him. Soon they were riding into the house one upon each of the big mans arms, and he was lauging, and calling them his little team, his span of spankcrs, , and other more or less hilarious eX- | preSsions of his bluff good nature. For l though a trihe coarse perhaps, ran mostly Tn one direction. He loved | smooth roads, good horses and good humor He loved his wife, too, and with much the same large unimpassioned | humor as the others. But underneath the smooth surface of his life there ran soft acquisitive under-tow, that with apparent ease drew back from all his operations with goodly profit, leav- ing here and there richer bar than follows on the gold deposit in the stream of common lives. Yet he was not perhaps small-hearted save in the way of busi- ness; there he was quite ineXorable. Starting when lad with nothing be- yond his stout arms and clear head, he had mounted up by firm gradations to a place of not indifferent moment in the region where he lived. He had risen by close attention to his projects, tightening a cord here and tightening a cord there, though mostly with seem
 ing fairness, until now at the age o1 thirty-two he was person of some means, of large prospects, and of fail repute. He seldom went to church, and cared but little for literature be yond the county paper. He was no intemperate, and drowned on all un chastity, though now and then h' thought a glass of beer refreshing
 Business and its practical at
 tainment were the prime de
 siderata With Mrs. Whitney tn
 thing itself concerned her not s'
 much. The position which it's success } ful carriage brought, however, was
 different thing. This she assiduousl. h worked for all that it contained. l t not first in spiritual things, she at leas 8 moved well in front with those wh . said wherewith and how the churc '' should be clothed and bonneted. He ' pastor, measured by her estimate, wa
 fashioned only a little lower than tn
 angels. His plain and amiable wife
 however, was factor in the spiritua
 government which she quietly ignored
 Sociality too, as eXemplitied in beneN
 olent ''bees" and fairs, though some
 what overshadowed and chilled b
 times, was largely aided and aug
 mented by her leadership and neve1
 failing flow of gossip. To parties sh
 went with relish and avidity, an
 parties she made, but deprecated tn:
 necessity. Joel liked nothing that W;
 solemn, nor yet any thing smackin
 over much of fashion; and when the S, were seated at dinner that day he sai IA rather abruptly: ''The boys wei " around this morning, Mary, and l giN 1t lem my consent to open the new mi Ill with ball tonight. Suppose you wi N, join the giddy reelP'
 'u "No. sir" she said, with lit C. backward jerk of the head, Fl don't {
 to such places. Who all's goinge"
 He laughed in his coffee-cuP as
 drank; "Oh, the lower stratum SUI
 pose, I'm going to be there!"
 "Joel. 1 think you ought to ho
 yourself above such places." she q - swcred, dryly. "llow it looksr'
 He laughed again. Appearance O lfgion. Well, s'pose it's good as f U as it goes. The thing is going to be
 ohr mill, you know, and it wouldn't (
 to let it go without touch of crear
 Several of us good ungodly are goiI