The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1892-02-27


excited manner, from the fact that she
had burned the letter as though it
brought subtle temptation TO wrong
perhaps from stray sentence which
he had once read about the hidden de-
sires and discontents in the minds of
farmers wives, that the invitation had
come to Serena like a window opened
into another life, and that she had
faithfully tried and was still trying to
close it
There came with his thoughts no Bit
terness or indecision. Serena must go
to New York. The farm and he could
put up without her for a week or more,
he thought, if she had borne with them
for twenty-five years! So when he
spoke again, it was, though after a
considerable pause, with the same
widespread, kindly smile:
81 hope you'll go, S'rena; it'll do you
good, an you amt no cause to throw
away sech a chance"
Serena was astonished; she had ex-
pected her husband to do just what |
said he would have expected her to do,
had not love quickened his naturally
ltlSuTtly DIulu. ohb lldN ottl1s oOb
thee behind me, Satan" and here was
Joshua serenely inviting that dignitary
forward again. The window was wide
open now, and could not be closed.
But Mrs. Fry's mind and conscience
did not quickly settle themselves. Not
once or twice was the invitation almost
fully rejected by them during the next
few days, as their owner worked over
frying-pan or sewing or
talked with her many visitors. For
when it became noised abroad in
Green's Corner that Serena Fry was
thinking of going to New York Ito
spend the winter, gossip sometimes
had it; and ometimes, to live), her sit
ting-room became the scene of great
social activity, and Miss Lamson, the
dressmaller, who had been sewing at
Smithville, came home of her own ac-
cord to fit out the traveller for her jour
ney.
So circumstances held the window
open-not Sereua-and she let them
and Joshua and the neighbors decide
that she would go, rather than decide
it herself 1t was Joshua who wrote
the letter to his nephew that she would
come, and who, with his own old hands,
did the great part of her packing. For
Serena, usually the readiest and most
sllillful for work, now seemed dazed
and scarcely half happy at the pros
pect which had been opened before
her.
In the pale gray and green light of
early morning they drove to the rail
road crossing. Trains stopped at
Green's Corners only when an anti
quated man, who lived in closet,
came out and frantically waved a flag
at them. He came out now, and
leaned on the flag handle, while Ser
ena tried to look back at the farm
house
Don't you be worried, Serena" said
Joshua, cheerfully. "I'll prosper all
right, unless get sick along of eatin'
all them pies and fiXin's. You must
hev thought I'd hev sight of com
pany. Well, good-by; take good care
of yerself.'-for the hagman was wav-
ing for all he was worth, and although
Serena privately hoped that the diabol-
ical-loolSing engine would refuse to
stop, it stopped. In u moment more
Joshua and the flagman and the farm
house were as the cinders which were
jerked past the car window by an un-
seen hand.
So long was it since the wide world
of travel had shown glimpse of itself
to Mrs. Fry that the morning passed
swiftly, on account of the rapidly
Il, ,,-l, 1,o
train fed along, and Serena was more
nearly like herself than she had been
since the invitation came. But noon
brought a dismal rain, which drizzled
down the windows and put the coun-
try in drab mourning, and discouraged
nearly every one, especially Serena.
Not thinking that she had changed her
place, she felt certain that it was rain
ing thus dismally at the Corners, and
that Joshua would have to look after
the cows in the chilly wetness, and re-
turn to an equally chilly kitchen and
stove. Presently the indefatigable news
agent, who had been all the morning
firing alternate caramel packages and
books at the passengers, threw pam
phlet into Serena's seat, and she idly
picked itup and began to read the ad-
vertisements on the cover. AS she did
so, she let the book fall and gave lit
tie cry of despair.
1t was only an advertisement of some
patented rat destroyer which had met
her eye, but it threw her poor heart
into deep distress Only the night be-
fore, when she had been arranging
Joshua's provisions in the pantry, Mrs
Slemmons, the grocers wife, had come
to the door with jar in her hand, the
strings of her sunbonnet hanging de-
! jectedly in front of her shoulders.
Here's that rat pizen l promised
you," she said. 81 thought likely Mr..
Fry might find it useful while you was
away; the emptier house is, the more
the mice likes it, When my Susan died,
she want really buried before they
was gallivantin' around her room. I'll
sit it right here, Mis- Fry, for can't
stop! it's comm on dark. You'll find
| il II make 'em go right off an die every
! time"
Serena had noticed dimly at the time
that Mrs Slemmons had set her jar
jNst in front of one of apple butter
which had been filed for Joshua and
placed on the pantry shelf Now, with
the swift remembrance of this scene
which the advertisement brought, came
a dreadful thought.
She had not put the rat poison away
1t must still be standing there by the
/ apple butter, and Joshua-it made her
sick to think of it-might take the
/ To-. ;r H. L. 4