Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1892-07-15
JANE.

"A WOHan shlu ", rs sue ieaHcu
tired head on her hand, aud looked
down at tho rough pine table, by
which shc sat. She was a Young
woman and worn-out woman, but
there was still in her face good
deal of beauty that years before had
made her the belle Of Swectwater
county.
"Ycr ain'f got noihin' fur me TO
eai2n repeated the man, in daEcd
sort of way, as he turned around from
the piece of broken looking-glass
hanging on the wall, before which lie
had been combing his beard, ''why-
what's the matter, Jane"
"Thcre's lots the NATTER" said the
woman, biting her lip; "but the main
thing is, Pete Miller, that hereafter yer
has got 10 make yer own livin'; and
If yer wants to live with mo, yer got
to make mine, too. I'm tired-Im
tired of everything. Pm tired Of
work. and Pm tired Of hopin', and"--
there was cold look in her eyes that
he had mover seen before as she spoke
-"l'm Tired of you'll"
She poured the words forth as
angriy as the foamihg Popo- Agic did
down below in the canon where it was
narrowest.
eyer promised to take care of mo
when yer married me, > she continued.
eyer promised all sorts of things, and
yer haven't kept promise. Fur six
years, Pete, I've kcp' you. Yer
haven't worked u fifta of tho time, an
I've seen precious little of yer money
when yer did work. I've taken care
of you fur six years, lilo you hear! I've
worked with my hands and arms over
that washtub--my hands and arms
as used 10 be as white as any gals in
the county, to get you somctliin' 10
eat. But I'll do ii no more, tell yer.
There's food in the house, but it's
mine. Yc can have no more of IT,.
Ef yer want 10 cat, go 10 work au'
earn it. That's all I've got TO say.'
The man sat down in trough chair,
and looked at her stupidity. The
rough hands that he had just washed
in the TIN basin were clasped behind
him, and the fingers were moving TO-
gether clumsily and nervously
'Yer don't mean il, Jane ?" he
said; "rvc never hecrd ye talk like
this before. There's somothin' the
matter with yer, gal Tell me what il
is"
al do mean i'll" she answered,
hoarseiy, and with effort; "you' We
got to work, aud that's the end of it.
You don't get another meal until you
pay for it,"
"Work p said the man; ''thcre amt
no work, Jane. Yer knows I'd work
if thar was any. But till the mine S
gets agoin' ag'in, thar won't be no
work fur me. | amt the only. ono.
Thar's three hundred AM more Of us
here in the same fix, aud thar uSed TO
be more'n a thousand. The young
fellers can go away, but married
man can't. Don't yer sec, Jane, a mar
rict man can't. Hes got home. An
all lie can do is 10 stay here till they
run the mills ag'in. An that's the
reason | can't git no work, gal; I'm
married. man, an ! got home
leastways | tho't he'd"
She turned her head away from
him. The red light of the fire sh )wn
through the unframed hair that hung
over her ears in fuzzy cloud. lie
could not see her face, but that did
not matter. He could Always see it
in his Imagination, and it was always
the laughing face of the young girl
he had married years before. If he
had loved her less, perhaps he would
have noticed how time and trial and
work had changed il. But she was
! always the same TO him, and he had
supposed that he was always the same
TO her. She was not woman who
talked much. lie had never heard
her complain before. Perhaps
that was the reason why,
when she did complain, shc uttered
such bitter words. He would have
liked to go 10 her and throw his strong
arms about her and kiss her, the way
lie had seen other men treat their
wives when little temporary annoy
ance made them cross. But he had
never been able to take such liberties
with her. They seemed liberties to
him. She was something wonderful,
in his eyes, and, with lis dull con-
sciousness, he was perfectly satisfied
10 sit and watch her, day after day,
and not help her even so much as tC
make the fire for her.
Presently she spoke.
eyer can git work if ye want TO, >
she said.
lie began to notice the GOODNESS il
her voice. the strangcness of her man