Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1900-12-06
-THE-
REVOLT OF MOSES.
THE
BY Hope Daring.

| furrowed with wrinkles, that is, the
part visible above his griZZled beard;
eyes gray and sleepy, ye with kindly
light in their faded depths. Sarah
Ann, his wife, was also tall but
straight, carrying her head stifiiy erect
Her blue eyes were very wide open;
her brown hair, in which were only
few silver threads, was always
smooth and her thin red lips had q
fashion of closing that Moses we'll un-
derstOod.
For 80 years they had dwelt togeth-
er. In all these years Mrs. Smith had
commanded Moses and Moses had
obeyed. There had been but few occa-
sions on which he had advanced
opinions of his own. But this fair
morning. when the sun was, in count
less dewdrops, multiplying his own
brightness, and the south wind wooed
the rosebuds into perfect bloom,
Moses Smith determined to have for
once, at least, his own way.
Two weeks before he had heard his
wife say to a neighbour
anybody can wind Moses round
their finger"
Now Moses knew his weakness: was
aware that his wife knew it, for did
not she tell him of it every day? But
to discuss it with another! That was
different. He had pondered the mat
ter for IA days, and his mind was fully
made up to this day assert himself,
but he ate his breakfast of toast, fried
potatoes ham, coffee and molasses
cookies in his usual silent way. AS
they rose from the table Mrs. Smith
Said,-
Il want you to churn right away,
Moses, fore it gets SO hot"
'All right. I'll be back from the
barn soon," and he slouched off ut his
usual leisurely gait.
Mrs. Smith entered the pantry,
raised trap door that led to the cell
lar, and descending, saw that the jar
Of cream was ready for the churn.
Then she went about her usual morning
work. In q short time she heard her
husbands voice.at the kitchen door.
SIS that air cream ready"
"Of course it is. But you hain't got
the water"
"Yes. I have l jest drawed three
buckets"
"Now, Moses Smith, hain't heard
you carry it into the woodhouse."
~ guess you didn't I'm going to
churn out under the apple tree"
There was an ominous silence.
Mrs. Smith persisted in using an old
fashioned dash churn. In warm
weather this churn was placed in
tub of cold water. drawn with a wind
lass from the stone-lined well by the
kitchen door. a few steps from the
we'll stood a gnarled old apple tree,
whose spreading branches made
canopy of breezy shade. Moses had
many times hinted desire to do the
churning here instead of in the wood
house, but his wife always forbade.
"You bring that tub of water into
the woodhouse. The churn is out
there, all ready, and you see to it you
don't spatter the cream when you
empty it,"
She went upstairs. opened the win
dOws of her sleeping room and put the
bed to air. She also tldied her careful
ly kept sitting-room. When she went
again to the kitchen, she stood for an
instant transfixed with astonishment
by the picture framed by the open
door.
Under the apple tree stood her hus-
band, his straw hat laid aside. while
both hands grasped the churn dasher.
slowly propelling it up and down.
"Moses Smith, Sarah Ann pushed
open the screen and advanced to his
side. what do you mean by bringing
that cream out here? Didn't You hear
what l said?"
Eyes. AS to what ! meant by bring
in the cream out here, / meant to
churn it that's ALL"
"Well. you won't do 1t here. You
carry that churn straight into the
woodhouse. l don't see what does
make you act SO like IL fool. Moses
Smith"
II hain't actin like fool Sary Ann.
can churn jest as well out here. It's
real pleasure to listen to the mother
robin over yender and to see the SUN
shine peepln through the leaves"
"Humph. Poetry and work don't go
well together. Why don't you do as
tell your
Mr.. Smith dropped both hands from
the churn dasher, drew himself UP
us straight as was possible after stoop-
ing so many years, and said distinct
ly.-
"Cause | don't want to-
~ don't care what you want" Mrs.
Smith returned angrly. Il tell you
not to churn another stroke here.
guess ="
"sary Ann" Moses leaned one arm
rcfiectively against the tree: II don't
oa mite. xxL.thar \ .h..... ..~s