The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1899-01-19
"NOw we'll talk -


ture. Why doesn't she like me?'
''She doesn't object to you personal
ly."
"Then she dislikes me theore tically.'
"If you mean it's-it's because she
didn't know you before we were mar
ried, and because she doesn't know
your maiden name-may be you're
right"
Would that weigh with a woman
like Jane?"
BLESS you. yes. Why we've lived here
nearly a hundred years, and we've al
ways married decent werches, all OF
en- well known III these parts, and
suppose she thinks"
II suppose she thinks you've not mar
ried a decent wench?"
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
YOURSELF"
Me? No, no; never" and he left
the churn and went towards her.
GO back" she cried, warningly; and
he obeyed.
Joseph, when you first met met
is not so very long ago, only few
weeks-I was poor, friendless and
homeless"
He nodded.
81 had always imagined that men be-
haved well to lonely, helpless women. l
was wrong, Joseph. You are man
apart-a superior being"
Joseph blushed with pride and pleas
ure.
in fact, you are a real, true man.
Now, you know life-at least you
know something of the world-and as
you chose to behave in an eXtraordi-
mary Quixotic way"
Did -"
And marry me. Tell mellow do
you find me after ten weeks acquaint-
ance?"
"Perfect. You are good, hard
working woman. You learn more in a
| day than the lasses about here could
learn in six months. You manage well.
You don't chatter, you don't rove, you
don't fool, and-you love me-"
She bent over and kissed him again.
81 believe | do. Now | will tell you
how | came to be in destitute con-
dition at the station that night"
at doesn't matter if you'd rather
not"
81 will not, if you stop churning,"
He went on turning. She wiped care
fully into the intricacies of the compli-
Gated cow-head pattern.
g! didn't like my life. 1t was diff
ferent 10 this-very different; and
didn't like what the future had in store
for me. 1t would have been all gayety,
all uselessness. | had schemes by which
to benefit mankind, and | thought I'd
begin with women. l left my home
my people would only miss me from
one point of view; they would not
grieve for me. | wanted very much to
do some really good work, but | miscal-
culated everything; my strength, my
knowledge, my money. 1t was all a
miserable failure. | still want to work,
but | want to do it to please myself
and my surroundings. Mankind goes
right out of my calculations hereafter;
what | saw of it hurt me, robbed me,
iusuited me and landed me in the stu
alton from which you extracted me.
Dc you, can you, understands
"No, no; | don't understand, but l
la1 Il
me-this house-this life? Can you
put up with it?"
"Oh, yes!" she whispered, leaning her
check against his. Il want peace. l
want to be taken care Of | wasn't
made 10 regenerate mankind, or revolu-
tionize the world. 1t didn't take me
long to find that out. It's only ~ weeks
to-day since l left my home"
. I'm afraid I'm interrupting," said
loud voice, and a large woman
bounced in. ''Heslop, l want to talk
to you about the calves"
"Wife, this is Mrs. Norton-our near
est neighbor."
The girl bowed and came forward.
The woman did not look at her, but
rushed Immediately into prices. She
was evidently in an uncomfortable
frame of mind, and, though she point
eddy excluded Heslop's wife from the
conversation, she was not satisfied with
her performance. She presently went
off with Heslop to inspect something
in another part of the farm.
This must not go on. Joseph is I'M
comfortable. | must manage to clear
up matters soon. Ireally wish it wasn't
necessary. l shan't be half so happy"
and she began to sing.
Jane came in for some milk
you don't seem to mind, ma am"
Jane couldn't for the life of her help
calling her ma am" and that made her
hate her.
mind what, Jane?"
"Why, that Mrs. Norton won't speak
to YOU
"Oh! but I do mind, because-be-
cause of Joseph"
"Do you mean to say you care for
him?"
Care for him, Jane? Why, of course
l do. l love him very much" and then
she turned crimson at having thus to
express her feelings aloud yet she
knew ii was not the moment for reti-