Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-05-26
LITERARY.
Delphine's and WilIard's Partnership.

~ Iolleu up the coarse wooden sock
which she had commenced and more
than half finished that short afternoon
IN Delphine's pleasant sitting-room
stuck the needles into the ball of
sheep s-gray, and arose to go.
The shower had driven Willard
Plainly in from the potato field and
for more than half an hour he had
been enjoying the sitting-room and his
/ Farm Journal together. He was not
SO absorbed. however, but that he noted
what a good time the two women We're
| having. Delphine was radiant with
| joy over the unexpected delight of her
visitor in the Art Amateurs they were
! slowly leafing through Mrs. Handson
never pausing. in her knitting, leaned
| forward and drank in everything like
thirsty soul. Her few comments in
broken German betokened an artistic
sense. Her enthusiastic pleasure grew
as they passed from page to page and
She began to look young. They came
upon some exquisite illustrations Of
Dresden china.
There" said Delphine. Il am tempt
"a to sell all | have and buy some
Dresden ware. | want at least one
pitcher like this"
y tear dropped down among Mrs
Handson's hurrying needles.
4 come from Dresden" she said in
answer to Delphines glance of sym
pathy. "Heim-weh comes at seeins;
| this"
Another turn of the leaf. and they
We're smiling together over The
! Climbing Kittens
But neither pleasure nor 'heim-weh'
could make Mrs. Handson forget her
manifold duties as house-mother Her
! hands told of hard hard work: and her
| tidy person. and the dispatch with
which she made herself and her sleep
ing baby ready to go home. bespoke
| thrift and capablity.
Il mus look to supper and milkin'. :
she said. conclusively. in answer to the
\ remonstrance against her going.
| At glance from Delphine, Willard
was On his feet. hat in hand. ready to
carry the baby over the slippery quar-
ter of mile to the Handson place.
Involuntarily. he compared the two
bending over the couch; the mother,
adjusting the cloak about the baby 5
feet, Delphine tying on the little hood
with gentle touch and tender look, the
rosy tea-gown, the other. without an
ornament. save the love-lisht in her
eyes as she looked upon the tiny sleep
er. the story of rough. hard work writ
ten all over her. As she took up the
bundle Of dry goods, the bit of human
ity inside opened a pair Of very dark
eyes and smiled sweetly.
she knows her mother" said Will
lard. feeling that he had fortunately
hit upon the right words.
But Mrs. Handson looked at him re-
proachfully and then back at the baby,
| saying. with an undercurrent of deep
| meaning. He's no girl, He's nice
| boy: and he'll grow up to be nice.
pig man by and by. and earn a living
for some sweet lady. like Mrs. Plainly"
| Her eyes and mouth We're coquetting
| with the smiling little one. all the
while: and before passing him over to
Willard she gave him an extra hug, as
if unwilling to give up the pleasure of
carrying him.
Don't you think you earn your HN-
ing?" asked Delphine, stiffening her
backbone with some Of the dignity she
felt belonged to her friend. The bear
ing and rearing Of eight children. with
all your making and washing and
mending, your cooking and churning
ana milking. your gardening. not to
mention your making a hand in the
potato field and orchard, your knitting
and sewing after every one else Is
asleep-don't you think you earn your
Hving?" And her glowing eyes ana
burning cheeks intensified her climax.
For a moment Mrs. Handson looked
frightened, as if treachery might TURK
in those impassioned questions. But
the case was too plain. Her good sense
asserted itself. ana she laughed out
right at the absurdity of her doube,
and grew a little taller as she said, i
believe / do"
q x
"If that blessed little woman, with
poet's heart and muscles OF IRON mas
not earned a living for herself ana
dozen others, and good half OF the
Handson acres besides. | should like 20
know who has, asked Delphihe
severely Of herself, as she went TO ana
fro setting her teatable. TO tmnk'
TOO. that | have lived here two years
she went on, suffering for some one
10 enjoy my Art Amateurs with me
and have been too stupid to see tht
friend / needed in her. L feel as Il
had caught a glimpse of angels wings
through a chrysalis shell this alter
noon. But Who would dream OF u {
~ her going day after day IKE
working machine? And that woman
bas \ living doled out to her! AZ
nan should piecemeal out TO ne
ar,daing pittance Of what | earned pS
| Sfhe sweat of my brow. Ana she
st,.,cI< an attitude of defiance, deter
,oinad enough to put to flight the
shades of any close-tisted oppresSof u
.ap,artind that might be lurkihS
! noar Then she sank into a char a
III head of the table. and laughed a
In am heat. But she burst our WltI
= rareved energy when her goou TT
MA entered the room:
o' Willard. YOU say that ! am pori
: a,omnion Of women. | tell you 'h'
= NJ Handsons need me- ana you, am
: as many more as We can muster 10
d champions. 10 said sittins
!, down close beside her. The path pCr7. .
,bat moor woman's 20 years OIL , unaue+ :.
|. . .inning dependence is driven nome L
! lloHiiiT IL, that fond forecast OF ne