The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1897-03-03
THE BIG ARMCHAIR.
DY HELEN FORREST GRAVES.

Dut We c0uiun ngree, me anu Drlck-
EFT. So we separated.
"Dear me l' said Mrs. Marrowfat.
at was all about Grandfather
Gunn's big armchair" said Mrs.
Brickett, stitching resolutely at her
new Sunday gown. "Now l look
back on it, it does seem silly that /
and Brickett should quarrel about
such little thing. But when your
temper's up, you know. you cant
stop to reason, as you do at ordinary
times"
mo. indeed" said Mrs. Marrow.
fat.
Grandfather Gum willcd Brickett
that big armchair" went on Mrs.
Brickett. "He hadn't great deal to
leave, poor old fellow, but he did
what he could. 1t was n great, ugly,
old-fashioned thing, MS cumbrous to
move as n horse and chaise, and dread
fully old-fashioned in the make. SO
says I, 1T amt fit for any place but
the store-room.' 'Store-room, in
deedH says Brickett. My Grand
father Gums armchair amt going
to be hustled away into any store
room. I'm just going to have it down
stairs, where l can set in it, aud take
my comfort, says Brickett, says he.
1T don't match any of my furniture,
says /. Then take your furniture
somewhere else, says Brickett Well,
the first we knew, We came to light
words, me aud Brickett. I'll go
homo to mother, says ]. The sooner
the better, says lie. Tve stood your
temper till l can't stand it no longer I
So l came home to mother-and Brick
EFT, he's let the farm and gone out
West, so the Widow Simmons writes
me; for, Of course. I've no way Of
knowing anything about it myself"
And Mrs. Brickett brushed a tear
out of the corner of her eye with the
frill of her apron.
Dear, dearl" said Mrs. Marrowfat.
az suppose Mr.. Brickett was great
trial to you?"
''No, can't say that he was"
acknowledged Mrs. Brickett. "He had
a temper of his own, had Brickett;
but so had ]. I'm most sorry, now,
I didn't let Grandfather Gums arm
chair stand by the settin'-room fire
just where he wanted it!"
"Why don't you write and tell him
so?" suggested Mrs. Marrowfat
~ won't be the dust under any mans
feetl" snid Mrs. Brickett, with spirit.
"I've left him, and I'm not the woman
to go fawning back again and ask his
pardon, for standing up for my own
Tights--no. that I'm noti"
But after Mrs. Marrowfat had
folded her knitting work into its bag,
put her best cap into pasteboard
box, and gone home, Mrs. Brickett
sat sadly looking out where the tall,
red hollyhocks nodded their heads
above the garden wall, and the bees
came hummiug home from the white
blossomed buckwheat fields beyond.
aud thought OF the pleasant old farm
in the Unadilia Valley, with the steep
rooted. Old-fashioned house, and
Grandfather Gums big armchair
standing vacant by the unused hearth.
stone. and she almost felt as if she had
done wrong.
"Bat I'd die before I'd own as m much
to Briekett!" said she.
So, by way OF securing change of
air and scene. and diverting her mind
from the folly of her conduct, Mrs.
Brickett concluded to go out West,
and visit aa old sehoolmate who had
married and settled there. tr
Perhaps. II ! like Kansas, l shall
stay there" said she. to herself "It
don't matter very pueh whether /
live in one place or another, nova
days"
1t was a long, tedious journey-es-
pecially SO to Mrs. Brickett, who was
not nm accomplished traveller.
The evening OF the second day
closed In wet aud windy. as they camo 4,
steaming steadily along on the edge OF
an almost interminable prairie. nel ~
b They had stopped for supper at an