Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1895-08-29

passed since he went forth in the morn
ing dew that day, bent upon getting that
last grass crop, ovcr-ripe as it was for
lack of hands to save it, mown. There
were still some acres to cart; the hands
could 20 on to the carting when the
dew was fully dried in the meantime u
quarter OF the heavy grass at least
might be down-the whole must bo
down before dewfall, and those acres of
well-madc hay carted besides. To NOW
one field and cart the othcr--that had
seemed the whole aim and problem Of
existence in the morning. AID Annie
to worry him with her petty wants iuet
then. lie had flung off with a snarl,
when she raised herself from the pillow
on one arm and called after him as he
was leaving the room. only half awake,
his heavy eyes full Of sleep. Money!
Women were always wanting money
OF the wrong time. What if James
wages were week overdue? She
could wait; but that heavy, ovcr-l'ipe
grass could not. Give Annie tho key to
his strong box to get il? A likely.
matter. And the weed that had got
into the cows pasture to be seen to be-
sides. Why hadn't Annie told him of
the taste in the butter before? Who
but woman would wait till that morn
ing over breakfast to mention it? Who
wouldn't have sworn?
Those acres of rich waving grass. stiff
against the scythes and that invidious
weed in the pasture seemed of small
moment now. The whole dairy and
the years hay had better have gone
before that evenings tragedy took
place.
They had been marSicd ten months
and it had not troubled stephen to see
Annic's rounded check sharpen anc
pale and the corners of her young rcd
mouth droop; it was only nature, he
thought And IL she was found crying
at times, why it was the way of young
wives on the road to motherhood; SO he
was told. These woman'S troubles had
to be borne; what else were women
made for? To be borne quietly. with
out troubling men. Wives must not be
spoiled. Men had troubles enough out
of doors; they wanted peace at home.
SO he thought in the morning but
now his thoughts We're changed.
In spite OF his moroscness and evil
temper, he had been a happy man in
the beginning of that day. What
would he not give now TO drag himself
from sound sleep in the morning cool
ness, and drowsily dress and hurry
forth, to be called back by Annie? TO
be standing in the mowers rank at
midday with streaming face, sweeping
the long bright scythc through the
stiff thick grass-tO be lying, face down
ward, beneath the hedgcrow oak in u
pleasant doze, huShod by the faint rus
tie in the cool green canopy above -
half dreaming. half thinking of happy
things-of heavy hay crops, nearly
saved. of glorious weather and conSc-
qucnt coming on of blossomed wheat,
Pumping out of heavy ears of barley
and filling of Oat-husl5s, as we'll as of
the lucky chance that the child was
not to be born till harvest was done. tho
dairy work lighter and autumn leisure
at hand. 1t would not do to have An
ME upstairs in harvest or haying time,
with twenty cows in milk. She would
get through a good summers work
irst. and by next summer the boy
would be grown to plaything good to
toss. OF course it would be bov.
"Stephen," he heard, continually,
above the cob's trot on the dusty high
road, "do listen, Stephen. Indeed it's
particularly OF all things he hated a
complaining woman; ard the qucrulous
tone of Anuic's voice irritated him. He
knew that he was not good-tcmpercd,
was ungracious, taciturn, irritable.
Annie should have known it too, and
forborne to worry him. A whole day
often passed without a word from him;
he meant no harm; he hated scnsclcSs
chatter; she knew it was only his way.
Yet he promised his conscience that if
Annie were but spared, he would be
kinder, moro Bile, gcntlcr for ever
after. If,
He turned sick and pressed his heels
into the tired horses side. The posi-
bihty was ininitesimal. The cob
quiclcned his weary trot; stephen
thought he might be too late.
The tailor's son was still at the win
dow, watching the street lamps sparkle
ont on the dusk. and few silver stars
point the pale strip of sky that ran like
river between the black roofs lie
saw the untaStcd supper in the oppo-
site room, whore no one remembered
to draw the blinds, and caught the
CLEAN of Mrs. Ncwman's white gown
as she passed the open doors, pacing
disconsolatc in the garden, waiting for
her husband
And always. he saw the spare, sinewy
figure of stephen Adams; his sun
burnt, hard-featured face, with red
brown beard and thick hair matted
over his strong, stubborn forehead.
Always he heard the words: shot
through the body" Whowas shot and
by whom? "Wife, ""loadcd gun" were
the only words that he could make out
in the farmers hurried urgent mes
sage.
Stephen was hearing that shot oyer
and over again, together with Annie's
words, above the cob's foot-fa the
droning of cha fcrs. voice OF corn-crakes
and chirp of grasshOppers, and then a
mist Of blood would come before his
hot, dazed eyes.
The moving was at last quite fin
ishcd the hay had been carted long be-
fore the dews began to fall The sun
was low when he went into the wide
brcwus or outer kitchen to replace his
gun in the rack after firing at rocks in
the piece of wheat beyond the orchard.
lie had fired both barrels. reloaded
and II pad apain more than onpn. bc ba Il