The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1894-07-18

humiliating. He had pFided himself
on being kind to animals and eonsil-
crate toward help. Was it possible he
had been cruel 10 his own wife? IL
must look 50, or good woman like
Mrs. Bradley would not have spoken
as she did.
The deacon was good man. He was
not going 10 spare himself now that his
eyes were getting wide open. He went
back over the years when they first
came TO the farm. "Cynthy" was young
and bright She used 10 talk and laugh
then What had changed her into the
silent woman she now was?
'If her busy hands and feet should
be silent forevern' What awful words
He had no more calculated ON any
change OF that kind than that the old
eight-day clock which had licked on for
forty years sholld suddenly leave it,
place And, then, that dreadful
thought ahDlt tn frmers wive; be-
coming inslna. II hal rcl1 el pIgh
TO know that melancholy Is one species
of insanity. What if that state should
be slowly coming upon his wife, for
certainly she grew more silent and sad
year 10y year.
1t must be that she worked too hard;
when he came to reckon it up and tell
over to Mrs. Bradley all the work she
did, summer and winter, it was more
than he had supposed. How could she
get any time for reading or going out =?
And now that she thought oft, she
never went anywhere, except to church
and not always there, because often she
was too tired. How different it used to
be! Once she frequently went TO town
with him, and they occasionally took
tea with neighIDor or drove in 70 the
sewing society.
But of late years work had been 50
pressing that there had been no time
for going or inviting company. He
had just gone on buyingmore land and
more cows and employing more men,
50 adding O. her labor, while she had
but the one helper they used 10 have
when the farm was small. And as if
this was not enough, he had encouraged
her to 90 on taking summer bOarders
occasionally, n she herselfh had suggest
cd long ago, one year when the crops
had failed And he pretended to think
she did il all because she loved work so
much. That was all stuff. He had
seen her stand in the door and look af-
Ter him when he rode of TO town on a
pleasant afternoon, and he had heard
something like 4 sigh just as ne start
ed The dear, patient woman had not
complained or said sharp words he
wished she had, then maybe her pig
headed husband might have seen things
as they were. The truth was, the love
of money had taken possession Of him
and he had sacrificed everything. lie
had not even hinted 10 his wife that
she must spare herself, and he had for
gotten to speak word of praise.
BE hated himself. For although he
had been mean, selfish and graSping,
he still loved the wife of his youth.
What would all the money and land he
had scraped together be to him when
he had laid her in the old bUrying-
ground? The sturdy farmer, H. he sat
there thinking these sharp truths in
the gathering shadows, realized for Il
moment the desolation of going on
without her. He bowed his head and
prayed with oil his soul that he might
be forgiven, and that he and his wife
might go together hand in hand down
the hill to the gate that leads out of
| this life to life eternal.
The darkness had settled down when
Deacon Bates got up and went into the
house. He had gone over everything,
had reconstructed affairs on new basis
and made several plans. He would
have no difficulty in carrying them out,
| for his word had ever been law in his
own house. If he had suggested any
thing ii must be done, and this not on
account Of tyranny, but because of the
old-fashioned reverence for her husband
as head of the family which Mrs. Bates
had always maintained, and instilled
into the minds Of her children. Faith
er knows best" was her unvarying de
cision.
1t was not like Deacon BATES 10 say
nluc4l about his good resolutions, but
to proceed to put them in practice as
rapidly as possible. There was no light
in the sitting room which he entered
bat that OF the moon which streamed
in at the long window. He Thought
the room was empty till he caught
sight of his wife asleep in her chair.
Her mild pale face upturned in the
white light sent pang through the
self-convicted man. He went over 10
her and laying his hand on her head
said,-
"Come mother, you better not wait
up for the boys. I'd go right to bed if
/ were YOU"
He continued 10 smooth her hair a
he said it, and Mrs. Bates presently sat
up straight and wondering. twas long
since her husband had lost the habit OF
bastowing little endearments he used
often to do this very thing in Other
days.
'.Was Daniel going TO die"
The next morning soon after break
fast. Mr.. Bates went away in his spring
wagon, returning in the space of TIVE
hours with the strong, capable girl who
assisted them ON extra occasions, AN.
nouneins to his wife that Sophia Mill:
had come 70 stay till the theft Of the
summers work" was over, "and mind
YOU keep her busy" he told the aston
ished woman, '.and you get some tim'
to rest"
In the afternoon Mr. Bates drove e
town, and a. Mrs. Bradley had the day
before said she wished TO match some
worsteds. ne took her along, taking oc
casion to say a. they were well OF
their way;
"Tm much Obliged to you, Mrs. Brad
lev. for giving me hint about my wife
last nigat. have been blind and duml
a an old bat. But 'nough said
Tnings'll b. different Now want Il
L :.