Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1892-06-30


the end of the month. At that period
she was seen entering village church.
where a simple marriage ceremony
changed her into Mrs. Jeffrey, the wife
OF struggling farmer from the neigh
borhood. Miss Molly Ross had worked
five hours day and rested on Satur-
days, Sundays, legal holidays and summer
vacation; Mrs. jeffrey worked sixteen
hours day and knew of no Saturday
holidays, no Sunday rest, no summer
vacation. Miss Molly Ross had cashed
$40 month; Mrs. Jeffrey cashed just
$40 less. Still Mrs. jeffrey was su-
premely happy, even after year of
married life, and could not understand
how in the word she could have gotten
along as Molly Ross. What a great
difference loves makes, anyway! The
young couple were doing well, but they
had 10 work very hard. He toiled in
the fields and stable from sunrise till
sunset certain parts OF the year; she
worked in the kitchen and dairy all day
long, all year round, and had breath
enough left to sing merrily at her work.
And she had the loveliest color in her
cheeks, not due TO cosmetics, but manu-
Health anu Kitchen fire.
II was haymaking time on the farm
a busy, warm time. The Fourth Of July,
the village celebration, and Mr.. Jeffrey 8
maiden speech were drawing close.
Dinner was over-dish-w washing too
and Mrs. Molly now proceeded to churn
butter. A buggy stopped az the gate;
an elderly gentleman, with gray whis-
kers and gold spectacles, came walking
up to the house, and shook Mrs. jeffrey 8
outstretched hand ON the doorstep,
where the little lady, In her neat print
dress and white apron, had come to
meet her unexpected visitor, one Of her
former school trustees.
L am so glad to see you, Judge
Burns!" said her lips and her smile, and
she meant it. How are you and your
people? Take this rocking chair
i am sorry can not stay, Mrs. jeff
rey; l am on my way to Pinelake on
business. Very warm day-the dust
nearly choked me-so thought I would
come and ask you for a drink out of your
we'll, II you will allow me, Mrs. jeffrey"
They were both standing by "the old
oaken bucket" at the well, where the
Judge had enjoyed a cool drink.
L am sorry Mr.. jeffrey missed your
visit" said Mrs. Jeffrey. Il know he
you. Could you not come in to tea on
your way back from Pinelake? Mr..
Jeffrey will be in then. We shall be so
happy to have you-and there will be
fresh buttermilk by that time. l re-
member you were fond of 1t,
Il saw Mr.. jeffrey in the fields little
way off,, the Judge remarked, with a
smile. Il do believe he was talking TO
the hay-stacks. / am nearly sure
caught some scraps of an grafton. He
stood there. pitchfork in hand, before a
row of stacks, and harangued them: La
dies and gentlemenl On this memorable
day. l knew he was practicng his
Fourth of July speech, and sympathized
with him, for / am in the same box.
For Mr.. Jeffrey 1t has at least the charm
OF novelty; but wait until he has
served the same dish some fifteen or
twenty years; he will be pretty tired of
patriotic speeches by that time He
smiled and she smiled.
He complains now already. I Of
fered to write that little speech for him,
but he declined
Declined Did he, really? Well, we'll.
Look here, Mrs. Jeffrey, let somebody
else have it. Ask me, for instance"
"Oh, Judge Burns; you are joking"
am; l never was more In earnest Do
let me have that speech, please! I am
willing to stoop down to pick up the
crumbs that fall from the rich man s
board-in this case. But remember, it
must be short-hve minutes, and no
more"
Would it not be capital joke on Mr..
jeffrey" the lady said, half-musingly.
We'll, Judge, don't care If l write it,
for the fun of the thing. You must not
tell him, though, before the Fourth of
July Is over. After the celebration you
may tell him whenever you like"
Il can keep my peace IL you can, Mrs.
jeffrey. Will you write it while go to
Pinelake' 1 might stop here on my re-
turn, in couple of hours, and get the
manuscript"
Il could not possibly do that. Busi-
ness goes before pleasure, you know.
l have my butter to churn."
Look here; suppose you let me
churn your butter while you write the
speech;"
The old gentleman was by this time
fairly interested in this novel trans
action. He went to tie the horse and
buggy under a shade tree, while think
ing by himself: There Is plenty of
time, and it will be cooler to drive in an
hour or so. Churning is easy enough,
/ am sure; it's women's work. 1t won't
take me long. 1t will be quite a change,
too-variatio delectat. 1t will be inter-