Middletown transcript., 1895-10-12

, with little start. s'Poor Roger" 81
murmured, "what must you think ,
me?" She cooked the best that hi
8 kitchen afforded, and in half ashame
way slipped into the blue and whit
checked dress which she had kept.
was little out of style, but then fast
ions do not cut much of a figure in
, Utah desert. ~ wonder if he will nc
| tice?" she said to herself. She hope
he would, and yet the thought fright
ened her.
Roger stopped moment as he cam
up to the door and saw her with lool
on her face that sent the blood TO hi
heart with thud. He paled little
and then, gathering her up in his arm'
carried her to the rocking chair, drop
| ped to the floor and buried his face il
her lap, sobbing as if his heart would
break. "Roger, Roger" was all sh'
could say. Finally he grew calm, ant
then he said: 81 couldn't stal it any
longer, AID l made up my mind to-day
to send you away where you would be
happy-and then to come home and SEE
you looking just as you did the first
moment l ever saw you-and pye
loved you ever since-was more than
could endure" swell, Pm not going
Roger" said his little wife, in an as.
sumed practical manner, ssto do any.
thing but get your supper" Which
she did when she could get out of his
arms.
Later in the evening they talked ii
over. Janet got the patches, and they
planned what design she should use.
81 think l would like to make il look
like the leaf of sagebrush. if you will
draw one for me, Roger" she said
thoughfully. Roger was only too hap
py, but i: took two or three evenings,
consultation before he could design a
pattern that suited. Evening after
evening the work was brought out for
inspection. Roger must see how she
had fitted the pieces together, look at
the stitches, hear the history of each
tiny bit of new cloth and when praise
had been given and made
there was always time left for the hus-
band and wife TO talk quietly and hap
| PLY together. When the quilt was
pieced, came the quilting, at which
Roger tried to help with his great
awkward fingers. At last it was COM
plete. 1t was beautiful in their eyes,
because they saw reconciliation and
happiness stitched into it. "Four
thousand, eight hundred and twenty
four pieces, would you believe it
Roger?" said Janet. "Let us take it
to the fair when you go in with the
sheep. l am sure it will get first pre-
MUM"
Going to the territorial fair was
their fall outing. They would do their
trading and lay in their winter sup
plies. Roger fixed upithe herder's wa
gon as costly as possible. There was
the cook stove, the bed, the water
cask and bucket, looking glass and
wash basin and chair for Janet. 1t
took four days to reach Salt Lake City,
and then Janet had the satisfaction of
seeing her quilt with the inscription,
"Four Thousand Eight Hundred and
Twenty-Five Pieces" hanging on a
line in the woman's apartment of the
great red brick building where the an
nual exposition is held. 1t had a red
ticket the last day.
Two young women, tourists who
had stopped in the city of the Saints
and who had been attracted by the peo-
pie attending the fair, stopped in front
of the quilt and read the inscription:
Four thousand eight hundred and
twenty-five pieces" "What do you
think of that for woman's work Julia p"
said the tall girl to her companion.
''Think! think the woman was a fool
who would spend her time making a
thing like that. She'd better be doing
nothing at ALL" "What do you know
about itp" said white-faced little wo-
man with blazing eyes. 81 made that
quilt and did it to keep from going
mad, What do you know about moth
ing to do?' Her anger had burned
out by this time and she began to
stammer. Then something in the girls
faces encouraged her to 60 on. "Would
you like to hear the stoly?" She told
it simply enough, but it touched
her listeners and made them her friends
as they realized for once in their lives
what it would be TO do without work,
daily papers, magazines, theatres,
music, or church. They must have
her show them the wagon in which
she travelled. Then they must 60 in
side and have her tell them more about
her life as sheep herdei's wife,
"What will you do now?" asked the
tall young woman as they were about
to part, ''you cannot piece quilts all
the timep' 81 shall find plenty to do.
There will be sewing and planning
this WINTER" Janet -Dinscombe an
swered, as a flush crept over her cheek,
land next summer, please God. I shall
not be alone"
That night the sheep herder's wife
was very happy as she fell asleep in
the wagon, with one hand touching a
package of books which had come
with the love of two girls from the
East" and the other resting on bun
die of soft material which she would
fashion into tiny garments against the
coming of a little child