The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1896-12-17

sumed by the family.
1t also fell upon the faces OF the diff
fereut members of the Mills family,
grouped unsystematically about the
red tablecloth; upon the heavy face
OF the father, bending over his plate
sullenly, and on the bland face oil tho
mother who. hopeless Of happiness in
her earthly life, had turned to heaven
ly things, looking forward TO a man.
sion IN the skies, since her earthly
habitation had been the humblest of
cottages.
At her right hand sat her favorite
son, James. Beside this young man
sat his sister, girl of about sixteen,
who would have been pretty but for
two slovenly buttons unfastened at
tho throat of her calico gown. A
younger brother occupied the scat
next to his mother on her right
haud, and near him sat Luella, baby
on either side.
"l'll take some more meat. pa"
said James, passing his plato for the
third time.
The father raised his head. "What
say?" he asked, for he was very deaf
uuless two heads nodded together
whispering.
GIVE me some more meat" re-
peated james.
"rhere amt no more" said the
father. "lt's all gone.
"rhat comes OF havin' two extras in
the family when there amt enough
meat to go 'rounl as It's" growled
James.
And they oil looked at Luella, before
whom the insects about the lamp sud.
denly swan in kind of mist. She
raised her cup to her lips and choked
as she tried to drink the muddy coffee.
She rose, coughing, and lett the table I;
going out through the kitchen door
into tho back yard, she sank down at
the foot of n little tree, all trembling
aud crying, her wet face in her apron.
The fit OF crying grew upon her. she
shook with sobs and little gasping
moans; eho grovelled in the wet
grass, her face pressing against its
cooling green, her nails sunk in her
palms.
Does our Mother Earth sometimes
com ort her children in their distress? :?
Something III the smell OF the earthly
earth, in the mere contact with the
sweet, green, dewy carpet soothed
Luella's heert. Presently she ceased
to wrthe aud moan; she only sobbcd
now and then like IL hurt and tired
pl,tll tl,a l,Al,,. -,
After awhile she grew entirely quiet,
turning her face sidewise aud looking
out Mt the brooding night, Mt the
myrinds of twiuking stars in the
purplish dome overhead. aud at the
iiredles dancing here and there in the
long, waving grasses.
As she lay there something OF the
nights quiet stole into her brain, and
calmly, without any of that acute
agitation that had shaken her at first,
she began to think over her past life.
She had married early-too early
IN order to get away from this poor
home, which was always on the verge
OF penury, anu always had been as far
back rs she could remember; aud
she had not been happy. Her
married liIe had been made up
of petty quarrels. which had
finally ended in her return to this
meagre home nest with her children.
Her brothers taunt was common
one; but perhaps to night tho flesh
was unusually weak. She found it
impossible to endure the lash in 81.
lence. She had felt like turning upon
them and blazing out in one great
fash OF Indignation. and she had only
come out here in the night TO weep
and wiring her hands alone; she was
so poor worm she would not dare let
them see she had made the feeblest
attempt to turn.
She was an usurper, they had made
her understand thai from the first. A
bird once mated has no right to return
to the home nest. She was taking the
very bread out of their mouths; and
yet she had earned her living since
the first day of her arrival; she had
been the household drudge at the beck
aud call OF every member of the
family.
She clinched her hands as she
thought of the cruel taunting OF the
little sister, whom, as a baby. she had
carried about in her arms.
Her mother did not openly reproach
her, hut she WAS not the less cruel.
Leading her life OF perfection, it was
her custom to read daily from some
passage OF Scripture, aud latteily she
had invaribly chosen this text: "For
this cause shall man leave father and
mother and cleave unto his wife, and
they two shall be one flesh. There
fore what God hath joined together,
lot no man put asunier."
And Luella bnaS aer meaning right