The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1899-09-29
WIFE,


She well-lookih', anyhow. My man
saw her Friday-and it's week since
coming home from market, and he says
there's never been conelier seen in the
parish for hundreds of years"
Fine looks is as good as they goes.
She's my brothers wife, and l oughtn't
to speak against her But she's so sleek,
so carrying, that l take it she's seen
more Of the world than she ought"
"Lor, Janey. You don't mean to say
she lords it over you?"
Over me? What are you thinking
about? Oh, no; my lady is US soft as
wax, and asks to be shown that and to be
told this; and is mighty civil spoken. All
She amt said anything about your &C.
My what2"
Your leaving the farm? You know
she's miSSus now
Not word I'd like to see her turn
me out" Jane snorted; but privately she
wondered why the young woman didn't.
Don't zee really know where she halls
FROM
NO, l don't; and more than that,
t'other night | made Joe so mad over one
thing. and another that he owned up and
said he didn't know himself. It's hard
on us-decent farmer folk for nigh OH
100 years-to have 70 put up with some
rubbish"
Enough of that tulk. Jane Heslop If
you can't speak fair Of YOUR own-don't
speak foul. Martha Bissop, you know
my sister, she wouldn't speak fair of her
own BARN. Let me tell you-my wife's
as honest a woman as any Of you. You
can make that known about the place"
The two women went off in different
directions, without another word. They
lived in a country where man has still
some little authority.
himself up. looked down on his shapely
limbs. clothed in well-made cords, seemed
pleased, pulled his coat together-wiped
his face, smoothed his hair down with his
hand.
Come in, Joseph; you're, Just in time
to help turn this lot Of milk"
She was beautiful, and especially so
with the glow and CLEAN of genial worE.
upon her. \ graceful figure, shapely
calm, wide-apart, gray eyes, and glossy
hair, which hung in a big knob at the
back of her head. -
Joseph" she said solennly, II do wish
| could get hold of some technical farm
ing terms. l really think we had better
not ,butter,make' together again. Don't,
oh don't; leave off! Wait a moment y
5,
put them in heap, jumped upon the ia
Bile near by and began to wipe them.
I like her.
We'll, yon see, Jane is an odd woman
"A very odd woman
Not at all. Jane is sensible crea-
ture.. Why, doesn't she like me?''
. "She doesn't object to you personally -
If you mean it's-it's because she
didn't know YOU before we were married
and because she doesn't know your maid
en- name-maybe you're right
Would that weigh with woman like
Jane?"
Bless you, yes. Why, we've lived here
nearly 100 years. and we've always mar
Red decent wenches, all of 'em known in
these parts, and l suppose she thinks
II suppose she thinks you've not mar
ried decent wet1ch?"
why, lass, they've only got to look at
You, to see you're something better than
the others. No disrespect to them.''
"JosePh,: have you ever-any doubt
Me? No, no; never" and he left the
churn and went toward her.
Go back she cried, warningly; and
he Obeyed.
Joseph, when you first met met i.
not so very long ago, only a few weeks
| was poor, friendless and homeless"
He NODDED.
Tell mellow do you find ME after ter
weeks acquaintance?
Perfect. You are a good, hard-work
ing woman. You learn more in day
than the lassies about here could learn il
six months. You manage WELL You dom
chatter. you don't, rove. you don't fool
and-yOu love me"
She bent over and kissed him again.
II believe I do. Now | will tell yor
how came to be in a destitute condition
at the station that night"
1T doesn't matter if you d rather not.
Il will not if you stop churning:'"
He went on turning. She wiped care
fully into the intricacies Of the compli
Gated cow-head pattern.
Il don't like my life. 1t was different
from this-very different, and | didn't
like what the future had in store for me
1t would have been all gaiety, useless
ness. | had schemes by which to benefi
mankind, and | thought I'd begin with
women l left my home-my people
would only mss me from one point o.
view; they would only grieve for me.
wanted very much to do some really goot
work, but misestimated everything; IN,
strength, my knowledge, my money. L
was all miserable failure. I still wan
to work. but l want to do it to pleas,
myself and my surroundings. Mankint
goes right out of my calculations here
after: what saw Of it hurt ME, robbie,
situation from which you extracted me
DO you, can you. understands
mo, no; | don't understand, hut be
lieve you. DO surroundings mean me
this ho,se-this life? Can you put III
with it?''
"Oh, yes" she whispered, leaning he
cheek against him. II want peace.
want to be taken care of. wasn't mad
TO regencrate mankind or revolutioniz
the world 1t didn't take me long to fn>
that out It's only twelve weeks toda!
since left home"
Afraid I'm interrupting," said lou,
voice, and large woman bounced in
',,Heslop, | want to talk to you abou
the calves
Wife. this is Mrs Norton-our near
est neighbour
rushed Immediately into prices. She wa
| evidently in an uncomfortable frame O
mind. though she -pointedly exclude,
Hes]op's wife from the conversation. sh
| was not satisfied with her performance
She presently vert off with Heslop t.
inspect something in another part of tn
farm.
!He lIEHt u!eu Out VI the young WON
ans face. She left her work. and sa
quite still for time; then she went t
the window and looked out, and sh
sighed.
"Opinions pursue me everywhere. VIII
could have imagined that Jane and Mrs
Norton held any? If had not been "
depsely ignorant I should have known
half enough useful things: we should b.
! taught the opinions Of other classes: the!
vary. OF course. but a rough idea Shout,
be given. Flow was to know the worl,
WIS so bad: that the people ! wanted
most to help mt. would rob me. and lhei
turn me from their doors' aud, that th
people wished to elevate woHld-woVlt