The Yale expositor., 1894-10-12

rulousness. and does not feel enough
as a rule. to want to talk about it, or
think enough to do himself an IN
fury. And Fletcher profoundly de-
| spised women. He had gone SO far
as to tell his wife on one occasion
that for his part he considered he
and master got on much better as
bachelors while she and her mistress
were away, than when thoy were
both at home.
Mary had laughed, and always took
Fletcher's part when Martha rallied
about him, knowing that the little
woman really adored him with all
her heart
Only she would not be mastered,
Martha was resolved on that point.
Why shoald she? She was
every bit as good as he
was-and better. Certainly she
never bore any malice, and you
can always trust woman who bangs
a door in rage, but beware of the
one who goes out quietly and
squeezes the door handle.
IL don't understand the men,"
Martha would say, rolling her nice
round arms up in her pink cotton
sleeves. II can't make them out,
ma'am, and that's the truth. "
And she would adduce such long
list of men who made their wives
lives misery to them, till Mary
would come to the conclusion thai it
must be true, only she had the one
exception to the rule.
Martha's bosom was this morning
evidently bursting with a grievance,
and presently out it came.
What do you think, ma'am" she
said, as she began to pile Mary's
hair up, "pd hardly got into the
house, when Fletcher told me that
he knew me by my waddle right
from the other end of the street
| AS if such a scare-crow OF man
oughtn't to be thankful TO have mar
ried something comfortable Dear
me, how these tall, thin people do
fancy themselves"
Mary smiled family as she looked
a the two reflections in the glass.
Mistress and maid were both
brown haired. blue-eyed, beautifully
compile exioned, both were round and
soft and cozey-looking, but Mary was
the taller by at least three inches
Both were domesticated women, with
no interests whatever save home
ones, and each had an only child
whom she adored, and was u mother
to the hearts core.
Tom was nearly always away, and
little Molly lived in the country
with her grandparents, but mistress
and maid often talked of their
children together. and were thor
oughly good friends ut all points.
Martha" she said, suddenly,
would you mind being away from
! Fletcher for-for timer"
Martha started, and looked appre-
hensively in the glass.
You're not going to send him
away Ma'am, are you" she said, the
corners OF her mouth falling, hes
got his faults | know, but he is a
good servant, and serves you and
master faithfully"
Especially his MASTER" said
Mary, grave and pale. mo, / have
no idea of his leaving his master.
But am going to Pigeonwick, Mar
tha, for an indefinite time Cher
blue eyes met the other astonished
blue ones in the glass;, and | should
want to take you with me, and Of
course your master could not do
without Fletcher.
Martha went on mechanically and
blunderingly putting in hairpins.
Her mind was in u whirl, her
thoughts We're chaos--it was natural
enough 10 her TO live with Fletcher
on the terms she did, but a quarrel
between ner p9ster ana mistress
one that entaileJ Il division OF house
hold and dwelling place thou ght
she must be dreaming I'LL her eyes
fastened on the stethness OF Mary's
face, and then real concern moved
her.
"Ma'am," she said, you're not
angry with master, are you? And
him so helpless and almost us If he
was a baby, looking to you and de-
pending on you for everything
Why, he's just lost without you, and
goodness knows where he'd wander
il he hadn't got you to come home
to"
"He has wandered far enough
while l am here" thought Mary,
bitterly. but aloud she said, land
am going as soon as possible In
deed, l have set my heart on gciHg
within three days; so you must work
hard, Martha, and l will help you 'ec
pack up"
Martha rolled bewildered eye
round the pretty room, then sGghct
hopelessly, as If Mary had talked oi
packing up and removing tue world,
and SAID, "You mean, maaam, just
linen and clothes rs usual"
"No--I mean everything-4every-
thing that is mine, but nothing, re
member. Martha, nothing, not &
stick or atom OF anything belonging
TO Colonel Anderson"
She had risen, and as she turned
faced that shut door, which mutely
proclaimed her disgrace (but the
L