Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1893-03-02

a1g th0uEnt - ene W3Ecneu tho treat
mill round Of skimming milk
churning, baking, dressing poultry
washing, ironing, cooking, and
washing dishes. beginning ut sun,
rise and not by any means conclud
ed at sunset.
| Sometimes in the twilight the
| tired woman rested few minutes,
then Mrs. Bradley, plying the
narrow life, would. try to awaken
her interest IN an article in the
newspaper, or 0 bit from book,
but the weary listener usually nod.
ded in the midst Of it.
One evening after tea as Mrs.
Bradley wandered about the place,
she came upon Mrs. Bates, who was
out under the apple tree engaged in
picking chickens.
you are at it early and late,
aren't you ? Mrs. Bradley said as
she watched the swift fingers travel
over the plump chicken. Il heard
that you were perfectly remarka-
BILE. but l had not imagined that
one SO persistently industrious ex-
isted.'
You heard that of me p Mrs.
Bates exclaimed with more interest
than she had ever before displayed.
How could yon p
1T was when the convention was
held at Berkshire. / overheard
your husband sounding your praises
Mrs. Bradley hoped at last that
she had found q key to open this
closed heart, as a CLEAN of surprise
flashed for an instant on the worn
face of the farmers wife. so she ex-
erted all her powers Of pleasing; she
praised the flower garden. remarked
on the fine chicken, and admired
the luxuriant vine which clambered
over the woodhouse, but Mrs. Bates
seemed absent minded and less in
clined to talk than usual. There
was silence for q minute while she
worked as if her life depended upon
getting done at certain moment.
Mrs. Bradley was just thinking how
useless it was to try to get anything
ont of such o wooden woman, when
suddenly Mrs. Bates, without lift
ing her eyes from her work, jerked
out question.
Mrs. Bradley, / should like to
know-would you mind telling me
what it was Daniel said that day
up to Berkshire p
'Who? Mr. Bates !? Oh, he said
he had the best wife in the whole
country
And then, searching her memo
ry, Mrs. Bradley gave faithful re-
port of what she had heard.
1t was curious to note tho effect
Of Ter words in the light which
came into the sad eyes, and the
faint flush which stole over the fad
ed cheeks.
Did Daniel say that 2
The wistful tone and the starting
tear were pitiful to the other wo.
man, who affected not to see or hear
anything. She broke a spray of
Towering currant and said, as she
tucked it in her belt and moved
away:
Yes, he did, and l quite agree
with him., and then remarked to
herself Poor creature, she has a
heart after ALL
1t was an hour later. when Mrs.
Bradley sat alone on the front pi-
azza, that Deacon Bates, his chores
all done, came and sat on the up
per step. He was q man of much
shrewd intelligence, who read his
weeklyreligious paper from end to
end, and liked occasionally to dis
cuss an article on doctrine with a
bright woman like Mrs. Bradley.
His wife was still busy in the
kitchen, as the rattling of milk
pans occasionally testified. Mrs.
Bradley's thoughts followed the
tired worker; her kind heart longed
to make the weary life of this wo-
man different. If only somebody
would speak q few plain words to
her husband, she reflected, and get
his eyes opened.
why not do that yourself.' = said
her inner voice. She shrank from
that, though, telling her conscience
that perhaps she would sometime
if she got good opportunity.
The deacon, taking off his hat,
ran his fingers meditatively through
bis gray locks. and oDened mn On an