Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1898-10-29
ESSTE.
BY E. r.
"If I only had q piano!"

Even as the wish rose, almost IN
consciously, to her lips, Essie Trow-
bridge blushed deep crimson tint,
and her shy eyes looked out half
frightened from under the long
lashes.
"a piano!"
The depth OF sarcasm in John
Trowbridge's voice justified the
shrinking of his little daughter-in-
law.
"a pianol Wouldn't. you like q
diamond necklace or carriage with
four horses? A pianol This is one
of the results of plain farmer mar
rying q fine ladyl"
81 was not fine lady when Har-
~ married me, only hard-working
district school teacher" said Essie,
land he was kind and good, and
never sneered at me beeaHse'I loved
music and pictures, and--and-and
all the other pleasures had, before
my father died!" 2 z5arA
"WsafFsthere, sthere-don't cry"
said the old man, hastily. 81 did
not mean to hurt your feelings.
Harry was" 1~,e'-
But there the father choked, too;
for was not Harry his only child, the
very idol of his old heart, lying in
the churchyard, and the six months
widow sobbing beside him2
She rose softly from her seat, and
crossing to where her father in.lav
sat, said gently:
81 will not try you again by ex-
travsgant desires. l know how
good you are to me, and l will try
to learn to be better farmers
girlp'
"You are very good girl, a very
good girl was the reply, "and it is
only natural you should banker for
what you've been brought up to hay-
ing. But pianos cost hundreds Of
dollars, and | have none to spare,
Essie. l can't get round the farm
as Harry did, and l have had him to
lean upon so long that things go
crooked enough without himl"
Essie sighed, caressing the snowy
hair, her shy, brown eyes full OF
trouble. She knew that the farm
was suffering for the master hand
and eyes, lying folded forever, and
she longed TO be of some use TO the
father she had promised Harry to
love and comfort.
But she was only 90, city bred
and reared in luxury. just one year
she taught district school after her
father died bankrupt. Then Har-
ry Trowbridge, the handsome, ten
der farmer, who met her in the coun-
try house where she "boafded
round" told her his love and Won
the sweet, pure hearts affection.
Only a few months after the wed.
ding, when Essie was conquering
one by one the difficulties Of farm
housekeeping, Harry fell from a hay
wagon, and was fatally injured.
In the few hours of life granted
him, his one desire was to keep his
father and his young wife together,
to love and comfort each other. b.
"You will give Essie home when
I am gone," he begged, when his
father bent over him.
"While I have q roof to cover
me" was the answer.
You will not leave my father ut
teriy childlessH" be whispered, when
Essie put her cheek to his to hide
The tears that would fall.
II will never leave while my love
is any comfort" she answered.
And in the first days OF mourning
these two were an unutterable com.
fort 10 each other. But as time
wore on they found many rough
places in this life-contract each felt
80 solemnly binding. John Trow.
bridge had profound contempt for
all womankind who could not fll bis
own rough ideal. A woman who
could churn, milk, cook, care for
poultry, keep house shining, wash
and iron, and keep in perfect, robust
health, withal, was a woman after
his own heart. A starving mind,
hungry soul, were problems be had
never realized as existing:
1t fretted him when Essie, bravely
striving to do the work so new in
her experience, would faint at her
post. 1t reused his rough sarcasm
when the day closed upon duties I'M
performed, when bread was heavy
and cooking imperfect.
And E'sie, hoping against hope to
grow stronger, made herself misera-
bic in the supposition that she was \
useless burden where she 80 earnest.
ly desired to be a comfort and a
blessing. She stifcd her own easy
ing for the books and refnemeAts
that had been second nature; and
yet she could not fill the place they
had occupied by interest 10 chick
ems, pigs and cows.
1t added to her perp!exities to
know that the farm had not paid its
expenses in the last year. Spring