The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1897-01-09

early and late, and paid off the last
of the mortgage after his fathers
early death; and now his life looked
bright and full of hope. He could
make plenty of money off the farm;
the rapid growth of a manufacturing
village only three miles away prom
ised a good market, his mother would
have kind daughter to help her,
and he himself would have the dear,
sensible, loving companion, for whom
he had worked and waited patiently,
and had loved with all his heart
since they were at school together.
While his mother was waiting and
fret ting, the young couple were driv-
ing slowly home in the late after
noon. They had followed the simple
country fashion of going to the min
ister's house to be married. Their
wedding was quickly over, and Han
nah Parish still held in one hand a
shining new copy of the Scriptures,
which had been the minister's gift.
Early that morning Dan had
brought her trunk and box or two
and few pieces of furniture from
her sisters house to the new home
Hannah had lived with this elder
sister of late years, and helped to
bring up the large family. She
thought of them now sitting down
to supper without her for the first
time, but she was too happy to sigh
even for their sakes. She and Dan
had been looking forward to this day
and this very drive for long time.
No wonder that the horse was lin
gering as he pleased. At last the
thought of the feedtime quickened
the good creatures steps.
Dan and Hannah were having a
good plain talk. Now that she was
truly his wife, he talked with perfect
freedom about his mother, as he never
had dared to talk or even think be-
fore.
you'll have to work hard some
times to keep pleasant, pleasant as
you be, darlin'," said Dan. I'm taxed
myself some days, I tell you, but
l strive to rec'lect all poor mother has
gone through; how hard she had to
work long O. the first of it, and father
want one that took right hold as her
folks always done; and then she set
all her hopes on to poor Eliza, an
with workin' early an late for her ex-
pense at the seminary, and then pay
ing the doctors, and waitin' on her
all through the consumption, we'll,
you see, it broke mother, an she amt
what she would been. She feels
mortified to give up doin's she always
has done, an some days when the
Furnish girl was there this spring,
she couldn't suit her no way. AS I've
told We, mother don't want to give up
to another, and yet she can't bear
things being expected of her."
Don't you go an worry, Dan," said
his companion, placidl7. 81 expect
women understands each other easier
than men reads 'em. You forgit l
have been living with sister Lyddy,
and her being older than I be, more
like an aunt; and when she's wore
out she always gets jealous fits about
the way | do things, and as for me, l
hate to be stood over; but we think
sight of each other underneath, and
| always tell her afterward, a good
thunder-shower clears the air. I've
always tookto your mother; she's got
pretty ways above most of the folks
about here; perhaps it's because she
was your mother that l feel to like
her. I'll study to please her the best
| can, an if | can't, I'll stand by my
duty; and now I've got you to go to
and you've got me, so 'twon't go
hard"
Thin, sharp-faced, anxious Ann
Parish sat at home in the creaking
rocking chair, growing more misera-
BILE every minute, and more suspicious
of the attacks that would inevitably
be made on her rights and comforts.
81 expect she'll be dreadful sweet
long at the first ont" grumbled the
poor tired soul. "Oh, dear, this day'll
never end. | was up before four"
and she sighed and rocked while the
sun went down. The house seemed
empty and sad; this hour was fatal
crisis. She began to think that some
thing had happened to the young
people, and went again to the door.
They were just driving into the
| yard. Here we be" said Dan, cheer
fully. 81 s'pose you'll say we've kept
supper a-waitin'." He helped his
wife down from the wagon, and they
went together to where the ad-faced
woman waited on the step.
81 give you welcome" Ann Parish
managed to say. II hope you're 90