Birmingham age-herald., 1894-12-23
AN EXPERIMENT.

wife.
 Ut ain't ag'inst the Scriptures to only them that won't believe If tho Lord has revealed tho day of his coming to the faith full ones, doesn't it become them to Do readyY Ain't that Scripture, Caleb BrowD?"
 Tho next night there was a meeting, and Caleb went to it. Tho elder waxed eloquent as he described the glories of tho ascension and the terrible destruction of : the impenitent. Women sobbed hysteric- ally, and children clung to their parents in fear.
 He's orazy's loon and ought to be shut up" thought Caleb
 Mrs. Brown was very quiet all the way home.
 II don't want to leave you behind, Ca leb, she said as they sat before tho fire.
 You'll never need to if you don't leave me till you go that way" he replied
 All tho next day Caleb seemed moro disturbed than ever. He leaned on the hoe handle when at work and talked to himself while milking. lie had faithfully titled his farm, although Mrs. Brown had protested against the waste of labor, as they would not need tho products. She did not dry apples nor mako preserves as usual.
 .'It'll be dry eating without them next winter, said Caleb.
 Ho mlked tho COWS that evening, think ing aloud, as usual.
 T think he'-meaning tho elder "won't Do in tonight, and I'll speak to Matilda about it. She always was a little mite jealous of Sophy James, though she was not so much 10 blame, after aIl for wanting to get married No woman is. They are better off, say"
 Caleb went into the house with tho pail of milk and ate his supper as usual. Mrs. Brown washed tho dishes and drew her low rocker up to tho sowing table. The even- ings were chilly, and bright fire burned in tho fireplace, it's ruddy glow eelipsing the tallow candle that burned on the sew. ing table.
 Matilda, when is that ascension to come off?" asked Caleb.
 "The 2Sth-that's thrco weeks from to- morrow-and wo arc going over to Iem- lock hill to watch for the Lord $ coming from there, do hope you'll be ready, Ga leb
 Pm ready now without going over to Hemlock hill, |" replied Caleb but there is one thing wish you would do for ro before tho time comcs.'
 What is itS" sho asked.
 ''I wish you would learn Sophy James how to cook. calculate it's going to be quite a space of time between the ascen- sion and the destruction of tho world Tho Lord warned the Sodomites several times, and I guess he will do as much for us. Now, don't want to live here alonc and no woman can cook us you do without be- ing learned.
 ''You'vc always had good victuals, if I did cook them, m,'' interrupted Mrs. Brown, not yctseeng the drift of Calob's remarks.
 II know it, Matilda, and I don't find any fault only as you are going away 1 wish you would learn Sophy. She is a good houseleeper, but not much of a cook, so 1 have been told. l think of getting her to como and 1.-Two with mo after you 90. ,"
 Caleb Brownl" Matilda let fall tho white robe she was sewing on and stood before him. You'll wait till havo as- cended before you bring another woman into the house, a simpering old maid like Sophy James'
 "Sho ain't to blanc for being an old maid, Matilda. Sho has tried hard enough to get married, and thought you would rather have her than a young woman. I had 7"
 You won't need to get anybody for the present." said Matilda.
 No moro was said that evening. Caleb
 
 the Bible for prayer as was his custom Mrs. Brown was too excited to talk or sleep. She went around the house the next day more absorbed even than Caleb had been. She went to the front room closet and took out her best china. An uncle had given it to her on her wedding day. Not a piece had been brokon or cracked in her 20 years of housekeeping She lifted ono of the shell cups.
 ''Sophy James!" she said scornfully. "It will Do a long time before sho uses my dishes if sho waits for me to ascend. They would get married before I was out of sight," continued Mrs. Brown, forgetting for the moment the terrible destruction that was to fall upon the impenitent. Ut Is wonder to mo he didn't marry her years ago. and he would have dono so, only she wouldn't give him chance to do his own courting. Caleb was always a mas ter hand to have his say.
 Mrs. Brown went back to the kitchen and sat down with very sober face. She began to cry, and she rocked and sobbed spasmodically, like tempest that passes over and returns.
 Caleb came in for drink of water.
 "What's tho matter, Matildaf" he asked.
 ITO think, sobbed Matilda, ''that you should want Sophy James to keep house for you while 1 am livingl"
 Caleb did not hoe any more that morn ing. In the evening neighbor called on her way to church and found Him and his wife busy pairing apples.
 "We are not going this evening" said Mrs. Brown. ''I am behind with my pre- serving, and Caleb is helping me pare ap- ples so can make cider apple sauce"
 ''Mis' Brown" exclaimed the neighbor, "you ain't a-goin to backslide jest as tho time is drawin nigh, air youf'
 ''I am going to take my chances with ~ Caleb" answered Mrs. Brown.
 The neighbor went her way and report ed Mrs. Browns backslidden state. The next night the elder called to expostulate with her. Caleb was chopping peppers, and whether it was Mrs. Browns lost state or the-pungent odor of the peppers that affected the elder he could not tell His tears and pleadings were all in vain. No vision of glory or destruction was half so real to Mrs, Brown as the vision of Sophy Names laying the table with her best china.
 "I have made up my mind to take my chances with Caleb" was all she would