Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1893-01-20

pOu Was ldl iuSl {,
hence Sarah Marpod was farmers wife !;
both hard-working, unsophisticated
people, conscientiously pursuing the
straight path of life, while, on the other
hand, little keener insight into human
nature and its motives might have
shielded them from many a blow, and
materially aided their right economy.
In spite of hard work they advanced
slowly in the acquisition of home COM
forts. Disappointments and misfortunes
accumulated with pitiful rapidlty and
iroze the fountains of domestic happi-
ness. Before marriage the happiest Of
couples, they looked with sangulne hope
to the future, not expecting great re-
wards, but trusting in Providence and
loving each other fervently.
They never had a lovers quarrel and
the idea of post-nuptial disagresments
dawned not upon their youthful imagi-
nation. A comfortable home, conten t.
ment and love was all they bargalned
for; all they sought, and surely fate
might yield this to any one who means
well and thinks honorably.
Thus they thought, and thus they ex-
pected it would be-, but the path of life
runs continually into the dark. What
Jagged rocks may pierce the feet of the
traveller on this highway no one eau fore
tell. We Can only judge by the light Of
the past, aad to people of limited ex-
perience this light is line so narrow as
not to reveal the rocks and thorns on
either side.
Luke Marpod was simple, honest aud
narrow minded. Mrs. Marpod was
was simple, honest and narrowminded
also, and perhaps the trouble lay in this
very uniformity of tastes and tempera-
ment.
Luke's little farm was mortgaged at
the outset, and the few hundred dollars
that Sarah received from her father
disappeared in twinkling and left no
trace or footprint. Their first season
was bad one; crops were general tall
ure aud weeds and creditors arose on
every side.
The neighbors, who always liked
Luke's conscientious good nature, began
to look askance at him, for they saw the
tables turned, and, paradoxical as it may
appear, found it much more convenient
to be Luke's creditor than his debtor.
AS time passed without bettering their
condition and creditors became impor-
tunate, Luke and Sarah took to brooding
over their troubles and occasionally find
ing fault with the ways and means of the
other, which might never have led to
anything serious had the second years
crop proved good one and helped to
make up for the deficiencies of the first.
This, however, was not the case, for,
whereas, the year before the drought had
baked the soil and scorched the growing
blades of wheat and rye, the second year
it began to rain in April-a very good
prognostication, everybody thought, OF
a bountiful harvest, but Pluvus, having
other aims in view, refused to recognize
limits and give the farmers time to plow
and sow. Through April, May aud June
the rain poured down inceSsantly, day
after day, until at last all hopes were
abandoned and the Marpods entered
upon their second year of infellclty.
Luke, who began to think that the
cause of all his troubles lay in his mar
riage, was rash enough one day to mint
the same, and received retort from his
spouse that reused his latent dignity oi
marital lordship. Words were ex-
changed, and the result of their first pro-
nounced disagreement ended by Luke s
slamming the door behind him, end 60
ing hastily across the lot after the COWS.
That night he whipped the dog for let
ting the brindle heller escape through
the bars into the corn6eld, had trouble
with the same member Of the bovine
genius at milking time, and rose wrath
fully to his feet after extrlcating the
cows hoof from the milk pail, to swear
an unmistakable oath for the first time
in his life. Then he beat the animal and
made such a hubbub that Sarah came II
hot haste to demonstrate on his brutality
"Shut up; mind your business, will
you2" shouted Luke, as he hurled the
milking stool after the COW and chased
her around the yard.
The same evening Mrs. Marpod, con
doing over the loss of milk, gave vent
to her indignation at her other half''
carelessness, and the quarrel was re
newsd with vigor.
These first storm clouds in the do
mestic atmosphere soon cleared away
but each had discovered the others lacE
of infallibility, and accordingly, whil'
Luke lost little of manly pride, Saral
lost also in gentleness of disposition.
For more than month all went well
but aggrayating things will happen, es