The Newtown bee., 1899-04-07

light his pipe with splinter ignited at
the kitchen fire, rather than use match.
1t was not Mr. Boothby's fault that he
disliked farm work, and it was his fortune
to have no boys of his own to grow mp
and relieve him from the irksomeness Of
chores. The younger of the two girls
was helpful both indoors and out, and it
was owing to her willingness to do the
milking that the last one of their COWS
had not been sold. Pressing debts and
Mr. Boothby's indifference were RESPONSE
BILE for the picking away of all save the
Jersey heifer, which Anna claimed as her
own.
"You gave her to me, father, on my
last birthday had you forgotten? Anna
had exclaimed, when Mr. Boothby mad
vertently spoke of disposing of the Jer-
sey.
"WeII, we'll, come to think ont, be-
lieve there was something said about your
havin' the critter," said Mr. Boothby.
ssShe is mine, and III not let her go.
But will take care of her, so you need
"Pshaw, child guess can milk one
COW night and morning, If it comes to
that. Keep her. Anna she's your'n, fast
enough. Guess / can milk one cow"
Anna MIXED the heifer that night and
the next morning, and then Mr. BoOthby
seemed to forget that there was any
milking to be done. So, one by one, the
odds and ends of work which he had been
accustomed to do were dropped and neg
lected, to be silently picked up and done
by Anna.
This was harder for her than even her
mother knew at the time. She told John
Lane everything, and perhaps the hard
things at home made his calm sympathy
the sweeter, and SO bound them together
Ia way which would not have been had
the journey toward their wedding day
been smoother.
Her aister Louise was fortunate in hav-
ing married and gone away before Mr.
Boothby began to strip the farm OF its
wood and timber to get money for their
running expenses. The elder daughter
was more delicate than Anna, and her
hands would not have been large or
strong enough to milk q COW; go, had
she been in Annals place the Jersey
would have had to GO. Then, in being
chosen by Charles Harding, who was 10
some kind of business in the city, Louise
got away from the petty discOmforts of
country life which che disliked.
Mr. Boothby never ceased cOugratula.
ting all concerned over Louise's good
fortune in marrying so well. He could
not see enough of Charles, nor listen
enough to his discourse, which was 30
full OF worldly wisdom such as the town
bred man has measured cut TO him, II
was tacit tribute to Mr. Boothby's nm
Outstanding that Charles should talk so
candidIy with him about matters Of
finance and politics.
Charles sent his wife and children out
to the Boothby farm every year to stay
through the summer; and to Anna 1t
seemed that a girl or boy baby was add
ed to the number each year. But no ac-
count was ever taken Of the trouble or
cost, as it was understood that Charles,
in his own good time, was to personally
superintend the work of reclaiming the
much-talked-of swamp. Many summers
passed, however, with much thrift In
weight and number for the Harding FAM
lily, before the work was actually begun.
As preliminary to the undertaking,
Charles took sample OF the soil TO a
chemist liz town to be analysed. The
cost was only $40, sum which Mr.
Boothby gladly paid. since, according
to Harding's glowing account, the result
more than justified the prediction that
the swamp would prove q gold mine.
All that followed came with hurry
which was quite bewildering to the slow
moving minds OF the Boothbys. IA gang
Of laborers were set to work ditching
and digging, while another choice lot OF
timber was sold to pay for wages and
machinery. Even Mrs Boothby grew
cheerful when so much seemed to be ac-
complished from day to day. 'sCharles
thinks we could git snug sum for the
swamp by selling it outright, after he
gifts il into shape" she said one day
when Anna had spoken OF the way
Harding threw money right and left.
"John has no faith in IL; you know he
never had, Anna answered.
stl'hat's because he never liked Charles
Harding. He wouldn't have faith in
anything that Charles spoke we'll OF. 4
isIt isn't that, mother. John went AL
over the swamp seven Or eight years
agO, when We Arss gos to liklug saeh