The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1895-02-06

them now while thinking of Alicia"
All night long the ship creaked and
groaned and plunged, and all night
long the singular lines repeated them
selves as the lonely occupant of state
room 30 tried in vain to sleep
He had looked upon himself as
model husband, but honest RETROSPECT
ton and introspection in the midnight
darkness and horror of midocean
storm told him different story.
"The truth is" he said, as the ship
gave desperate plunge beneath huge
wave, "the truth is, we men are con-
stantly adding cares to the heavy bur-
dens our wives must bear. l am no
saint, and l detest the weakness which
prompts US to make good resolutions
only to break them, but henceforth l
must be more mindful of Allies COM
fort, and less careful about my own.
The old apple woman was right; l will
cure myself of this carping, critical
style, and that shall be my only reso-
luton for the New Year."
Just then great wave broke over
the ship, and cries of distress were
heard on every hand 1t was very
doubtful about reaching land, and Mr..
Grey, without word, prepared to meet
his fate like man.
Word came that the steerage passen-
gers were suffering, for the water froze
as fast as it fell, and the cabin was
soon full of women apd little children
who were wet and cold.
Mr.. Grey spent the remainder of the
night in relieving the wants of those
less fortunate than himself. 1t was a
fearful night, and morning seemed
long delayed. At last it came, and the
sun rose upon the sea once more.
Like a sulky child whose temper has
burned itself out, the ocean showed
only a smiling face. The transition
was so great the WORKOUT passengers
could scarcely comprehend it, and when
the brave captain staggered down from
the bridge, too much exhausted to hold
the cup of hot coffee prepared for him,
subdued cheer feebly expressed the
overweight feeling of all on board.
Four days more and the home lights
appeared. Mr.. Grey felt like new
man when he saw them; and when at
last he reached home he wondered how
he had ever possessed the hardihood to
tell his wife "she was not half as
DlCbt1 40 w DCh hC lOll III lONC Will
Surely this royal woman who had
seemed half so gentle, half 30 lady-like
and charming before; and the chill
dren, too, how we'll she managed them,
from the eldest down to the baby.
The next morning Mr.. Grey resolved
to open his account with himself; his
temper and tongue should be under ar
rest.
His first step was taken when he
pasted the lines of the old apple woman
on the flyleaf of small blank book !;
the second, when he called to his aid
his daughter Edith, thoughtful child,
who by virtue of her position as the eld-
est of the family seemed wise beyond
her years.
"You must warn me, Edith" said
Mr.. Grey, "poor mamma has hard
time of it with us all, and you shall be
my mentor"
at will seem rude, papa; why am
only twelve now"
"True, but your eyes have re-
preached me sometimes when l have
been impatient, and one little finger
placed on your lips will help me TO re-
member"
So they made their compact and
sealed it with kiss.
The next morning when Mr.. Grey
arose he found the ground well covered
with snow.
"Hello," he said, "true winter
weather; what have you been paying
the fellow who is shoveing the walk?"
"Half dollar" was Mrs. Gray's re-
ply. ,.,,
Brown contracted for his last year at
thirty cents and his walk is as long as
ours"
"True, but could not do better; the
snow remained until noon one day un-
til was fortunate enough to find this
man.
90, well, women always Mr..
Gray stopped short; took out his new
account book and made long x on the
clean white page, after which he wrote
" snow"
"Bless me-" he said to himself, "not
home day and finding fault 30 soon."
At the table Mr.. Gray frowned lit
tie when he saw piece Clipped from
his plate. Fine china was one of his
pet weaknesses, and he congratulated
himself upon his great forbearance
when he took it without comment.
He quite forgot himself, however,
when his wife filled his cup a trifle
fuller than usual; he did not see that
one hand was used to remove fishbone
from young Otis plate, while she
poured with the other.
"You have certainly forgot the meas
ure, my DEAR" he said, with a smile,
which could not conceal his tone of re-
proach.
"How stupid!" she said. " But
never mind; is is trife harder since
the children breakfast with u.s."
Edith's finger went to her lip, and
out came the little book. This time
Mr.. Grey wrote, tx coffee"
Go 1 know shall not sin again during
this meal" he said to himself, just as
Mrs. Grey remarked that the chops
were rather underdone, but she could
not seem to make the new cook under
stand the difference between beef and
mutton.