The Monitor-register., 1896-09-25
A SORE PUZZLE.

"o4u oub you snap m6 up IL D"&' nnBS
nag every hour, like the rain dripping
from the house roof. I'm sick aud tired
of this state OF things!'
$50 am l, but l won't sit still and mum
to heal myself blamed for everything, lit
tie or big, that goes wrong or the place
no, l won't!'
Wesley Todd's face flushed with anger.
He pushed away his untasted breakfast,
aud looking straight at his wife, said,
with hard decision in his tones:
See here, Malipdy, this things been
going on long enough! I've been think
ing it over for some time and can't see
but one way out of it. We must part!"
Mrs. Todd gave a short dry laugh.
$50 it seems we're agreed for once.
Pm If the same opiuion as you, and the
sooner the parting is lone the better"
Perhaps her husband had expected a
different answer, but at any rate he was
not, as he often boosted, one to go back
upon his word, and his wife's cool indif-
ference angered him.
So that very day he went to consult his
nearest neighbor. Farmer Humphrey,
while Malinda called in her cousin, Mrs.
Polly Green, and between them all the
terms of separation were settled.
Wesley was willing to act literally by
his wife; 80 he gave up to her the farm
house in which they had lived ever since
their marriage, ten years ago, with the
garden and poultry yard, and his best
Jersey COW; while he himself took pos
session IF a smaller and less comfortable
house, at the other end of his farm. which
he had lately purchased, with its few sur
rounding acres of land.
The two houses faced upon different
roads, which met about a mile distant at
the village of Pine Forks.
Wesley sent for his sister Sally TO come
and keep house for him, while Malinds
took one of the seven Green girls to live
with her.
1t was early in the spring when this
arrangement was carried into effect; and
for some months all seemed to go on well
with both parties. Wesley appeared too
busy with his crops, and MaliDda with
her poultry and vegetable raising, to have
time to think of anything else. They
could sometimes see each other at a dis
tsncs, but this was steadily ignored by
both parties; in whose hearts anger aud
resentment, and a mutual sense of inius:
tice burned as strong as on the day of
their separation.
So the summer passed and the harvest
was gathered in, and Wesley Todd had
time to think of other things than his
farming. He found himself not SO happy
aud content as be had expected to be.
His sister Sally was a young woman,
cheerful and ~good-patured, and never
contradicting him or answering back"
but she was careless and unskillful in her
housekeeping; and Wesley often found
himself ~involuntarily drawing COMPARE
sons between her ways and those of
Malinda. When he sat down, as he often
did, in an untidy kitchen, to a badly
cooked meal which he could scarcely eat,
he would think of the exquisite neatness
of his former home; of the light bread
and pies, the appetizing soups, the meats
done to a turn, and of Malinda herself,
neat and comedy, and always, despite her
"nagging," careful of his welfare aud
comfort
Then he found himself going back to
the first happy years Of their married life,
when she had been 8 ligtt-hearted and
pleasant. What could so have changed
her and himself, too? for they had no
care or trouble to Soul them. What had
made her SO continually cross and snap
pish that at last they could hardly speak
to each other without it's ending in some
disagreement, until there was no peace or
happiness in the house? 1t was to
Wesley Todd a sore puzzle, which grew
the more difficult of solution the more
be thought upon it.
Winter came, a stormy and severe
winter-8hich kept people at home.
Wesley Todd heard from Mrs. Green that
bis wife was comfortable and happy,
with nothing to worry her" But he him
self was not happy; and his vague dis
content grew as the months rolled by.
He was glad when the busy spring tim
and harvest again came; and in sill this
| firua h. ha1 ,1ot bai.tJ -:
a distance. He no longer avoided seeing
her, but whenever she CHANGED to be il
view. from behind the screen of some
bush or fence, would watch and follow
her movem ents, wishing for a sight Of
her face. But he noticed that she never
looked in his direction-not once.
10 October Wesley was taken down
with ''the fever" and then, more thar
ever, he missed his old home and Ma.
linda's careful nursing. Mrs. Green was
unexpectedly kind to him, and every day
sent him some little delicacy by Que o.
her Doys; but from Malinda came never q
message or inquiry.
Poor Sally did "the best she knew
ho~;" bus Der nursing was little mole
skil'fui than her cooking; and besides
she Was 0 being courted by the Pine
Forks storekeeper, which naturally
caused a diversion of interest from her
household duties.
Her brother could not bring himself to
fad fault with her, for she took it 40
meekiy. and seemed so anxious to please
him, that bis omplaints and cross words
died apun his lips, or were turned to
soothing
why hadn't it been so with Malipda ?
he wistfully asked himself; for then
there woul have been no trouble between
them.
Aud as be unused upon this question,
suddenly a light broke upon him, and he
felt that he understood at last what had
St, long puzzled him
One dreary November evening, when
W esley Todd as quite recovered from
DIS attack, cut still a little pale and weak,
De lett Sally and her sutton alone together
10 Inc warm kitchen, and set off across
the field in the direction of his old home.
They would not miss him before his
return in abont au hour or SO; aud meau-
time, his face wore a sober and anxious
expression, as one bent upon a solemn,
though hazardous. purpose.
tn
There was a bright light shining
through the windows of the farm house.
ana Wesley as he passed them, could not
forbear a glance inside.
How comfortable and familiar it all