The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1897-07-30
THE OLD HOME.

you've got your new house most
done, haven't you, John?" said Martha
Mills to her brother as they sat togeth-
err in the twilight.
"Yes, Marthy, I guess we shall be in
it-well, perhaps by Thanksgiving.
Martha made no reply. Her head
dropped over her knitting. Presently
she got up and poked the fire, keeping
fast hold of the big black cat that lay
purring in her lap then resumed her
work, which she did mechanically, not
requiring much light save when she
dropped stitch.
Say, Marthy, you never felt quite
right about my building new house,
did you, now? You might as we'll own
1t, because there's no need Of misunder-
standings at our time of life. You're
sot on living here as long as you live
anywhere.
"John, what made you build new
house anyway? Wasn't this one large
enough for us two? You amt thinking
of getting married again, are you?''
"What put that idea into your head,
Marthy?"
81 don't know anything about that,
but the idea came near two months
ago, and it has come to stay, seems,
though, for can't get rid of it,
"Well, now," said John Mills, set
thing himself down more firmly into
his chair, "I'll tell you jest how it is.
You'll allow that I've been a widower
good respectable length of time.
Fourteen years ago Sally went away
and left me. I'd set good deal of store
by Sally, and she was one of the best
wives to me for ten years. But amt
so very old, Marthy-only 3d."
well. go on, John, for mercy's sake.
You needn't stop to tell me your age;
knew it before you did. She must be a
proud crittur if this house amt good
enough for her. was looking at it this
afternoon, as I came along up the road
from Maria Saunders and thinking how
kind Of picturesque it was. with the
setting sun shining on the big Chin
neys and long, slanting roof all covered
with woodbine. And then the old trees
in the orchard, all red with fruit, and
the nice, ample barn and the cornfield
behind. 1 tell you, it's enough sight
prettier than your place across the road,
with the house so straight and stately.
You haven't got brick oven, either.
Just think Of this oven, of the bread it
has baked and the rye and injun pud-
dings, not to mention the beans and the
turkeys and ducks and chickens"
who's taking up the time now,
Marthyf"
That's SO, John. I won't say any
more.''
well, it's Maria Saunders. You al
ways liked her, didn't you?'
"For the lands sakei don't know
why didn't think Of her. She's been
uncommon obliging to me lately, CIV
ing me some Of her best eggs to make
custards with, cause the whites whip
up so crisp and frothy. Yes, suppose I
liked her well enough; il might have
been worse" Her heart smote her the
next moment. The last clause did not
sound kind, and it had slipped out with
out deliberate intention on her part.
But her brother was not sensitive per-
son.
He had, moreover, expected something
of direct opposition to his plans, and
this extremely mild protest slid of the
surface of his mental consciousness
without stirring fiber. Martha Mills
was four years older than her brother.
She had lived with him since the dark
winter day when the meek, quiet figure
that had moved about the house, an
angel of good will and good works, had
been laid in the village churchyard.
The SHOWS of God fell softly all that
night, and next morning no one could
have found her resting place.
Martha had fondly hoped that her
brother would not marry. again, but,
having by nature philosophical spirit,
she accepted the inevitable with sereni-
ty and reverent optimism. If she had
read her Browning. she would most
likely have taken for her chief motto:
Gods in his heaven.
Ais right with the world.
"Marthy, said John Mills one even
ing, II always wondered you never
married Milo Searle. I thought one
spell you was engaged to him sure"
''To tell the truth, John, l was al
most, but somehow you kind o. picked
ON him and made sport of him. So
began to think perhaps he wasn't worth
having after all.
You'd ought to have had mind of
your own. Why, bless your heart,
never meant anything. only just to