The Press., 1894-04-26

pine-knot was flooding the low wainscoted kitchen with homely cheerfulness, throw ing off sparkles of light from piled-up pans upon the dressershelves, and making the dust-pan, hanging on it's nail behind the panty door, shine like flrstclass Koh-i- noor; when the dog lay curled upon the hearth, a brindle mass of embodied com- fort, MT. Puffer sat mending harness at one side of the pine-knot, and dog and Mrs. Peffer sat at the other knitting new heel upon defective sock. There was an appropriateness in the accident of sit ting separated by the brindled Bose; fol the dog family had been, indeed, one of the chief promoters of doinistic schism
 Mistress Puffer, as it happened dotted on cats and detested dogs, while master approved of dogs and despised cats Sc it always fell out the playful, purring kit tens which mistress possessed herself of and loved with all her heart, invariably disappeared, sudden and untimeIy, like B!uebeard's wives; while great, lazy glutton of dog perpetually fattened and grew insolent without let or hindrance being always eating, always underfoot and always barking distractedly at pass ing travellers.
 The group sat thus upon the evening oi that fateful day, making 8 pleasant pic ture of domestic happiness; but one, alas which was not founded upon fact.
 "I've been thinking whether or no Law yer Sabin wouldn't be as good hand as we can get to help about dividing up tht stuff," said MT. Puffer, presently, tryins to put a waxed-end through an awl hole
 "Yes, should call him as good choice as any, He is man of excellent judge ment and prudence, and he isn't of tn, telling kind, who would be likely to blal all the particulars to every body" replied Mistress Puffer.
 This was the second point of agreement Then followed long silence, filled onl, | by the cracking of the fire, the heavy tick | ing of the gaunt eight-day clock, and th snoring of Bose. It was not until tn clock had ticked half an hour from tim into eternity that the Goodman spok, again.
 | .'I calculate it will be your best way t, take your part and go up to your brothers William will be glad enough of you for housekeeper, for he has had to get alon! most any way since his wife died.'
 "Yes, I expect I can be help to Will Ham," replied Mrs. F., for the third tim harmonizing. "But what do you lay ou to do for house-keeper ?"
 "Well, am counting on making shif somehow with mothers help" returned Mr. P., drawing up his waxed thread.
 Now the mother was an infirm old bod not over-neat or energetic at the best, an Mrs, P. s heart began to swell with pity but of course it was not for her to obiec or dictate, so she only knit the faster knowing well there would be sore need.
 ''I want to finish out my corn to-mor row. What supposing we ride up to Sa bins the day after and settle up the mat ter ?" suggested MT. Puffer, when tn clock struck nine.
 "Two, four, six, eight, ten," responde the dame, counting her stitches. ''I don know but that time will suit me as we'll a any. I have been laying out to make u the quinces tomorrow, and then yo need new frock, you know; but gues 1 can fetch them both tomorrow
 There was shade of sadness in he tone, for she was morally sure Mothe | Puffer would let the preserves mould o fermet or come to ruin in some house wifely way, and she was thinking, too, ( the rags to be in the blue woolen frock But then it was not worth while to sho' any such feeling; so, just to testify to he l light-hearted indifference, she began sing softly to herself while she bound o tthe heel; meantime the husband, froI his side of the dog, could but confess tn sound of her voice was much more mus cal than his mothers asthmatic breathing
 The next morning MT. and Mrs. Puffe were astir long before light, for they ha busy day before them, MT. Puffer husR ed out his corn and ate his meals, whic happened to be of his favorite kinds ( food, in his usual heavy silence; and Mrs P.-well I am afraid Mrs. F., though sh hustled about with great show of cheer full activity, mingled a few pitying tear with the beef-brine she was scalding, aE even went so far as to pat Bose once z twice, and feel thrill of affection for hil in her capacious heart when he looked U with a wag of delight.
 But the busy hours of the October da hastened to spend themselves, and quit too soon the old skeleton clock pounde out nine of the evening again.
 ''Do you lay out to be ready for to g to the Squire's tomorrow ?" asked M Puffer at last, finding Mrs. Puffer woul not speak according to her wont and say him the trouble of opening his mouth.
 "Ye-es, I suppose SOL returned tha lady, reluctantly; "I rather though whether or no I shouldn't manage to spi up that little handful of rolls into stocl ing yarn; then the pickle-yinegar need scalding over; and I do suppose you winter flannels ought by good rights have an oyerhauling but somehow th time has slipped away, and l haven seemed to accomplish half meant to The fact is, there is always something { to be done in 8 house, and 1 don't kno but I am as ready as I shall be. Yor mother will keep up things the best sh can; Ive no doubt; but the poor ,ol woman is rather wheezy and shaky, an she can't do as she could once."
 As 8 reply was not strictly necessary of course MT. Puffer made none, but ther was an answering "Amen" deep down i his heart, which was the fourth time the two had found point of agreement.
 That night Mistress Puffer could nc sleep for thinking how every thing abou her well ordered house would go speedil and surely to rack and ruin under tn thriftlessness of madam the mother Neither could master sleep for thinking sefish soul of the same. But I will him the credit of admitting that mingle with personal bewailings was asdegree c pity for the life of slavish toll which await ed his late helpmeet at her brother house, where there was, besides, poss ble chance that she might be at any tim supplanted by new sister-in-law.