The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-08-18
James Vests Awakening.
IFrom Household words.I

IF'rom Household Words.1
l.
The horse '1umpered" coming up the
hill; there was no doubt about that,
only, if the driving had been a little
more careful, the accident might never
have happened. But James West and
his friend We're both "market-merry,' -
and upon this occasion the special
Providence that usually attended them
was absent, for after "lumpering" the
horse started off, leaving the two to
pick themselves up from the hard road
as best they could.
James West, as proprietor of the
rapidly vanishing horse and trap, was
first on his feet.
'Palk! Where be you to? We must
broken Shoulder!"
But Palk, having less at stake, was
more bewildered.
And here's me with me brains beat
outi 1 be goin' to sit in t hedgei"
But the mare be gone along. / tell
you, she'll be doing herself or some one
else a mischief. Pick up this cushion
and come along"
Now, Henry Palk was the last man to
leave his friend in the lurch, and, as his
senses cleared, his wOnted energy and
good will returned.
Come along, then; tits you be hidden
about. As to the mare, she knows her
way home we'll enough"
I'm none SO sure about that; she has
not changed hands very long, and her
old home is handy from here"
They trudged along silently, both
sobered by their tumble, and both feel
ing stiR and sore. The road was lonely,
save for a small wayside inn, and there
they inquired if anything had been seen
of the mare and the cart that she had
lightened of its load. Without the least
appearance of sympathetic excitement,
the landlord scratched his head.
81 iced harse go by, with marry o
fh0I1Ohf
med of happened
And couldn't you have come down
the road a bit of ways to see?" in
Of a chapl Couldn't you SO much as
stop the harse?'
Il did only hear a Glitter CHATTER and
she was past. The meare was layln
legs to the groun', my word!'
James West laughed carelessly, AYE,
she is fast, and will keep running until
she drops Wen have a pint, Palks and
then follow on
But Palk, save for one weakness, was
a man of action and different from his
companion.
'Have done with your nonsense,
West! Think of your poor wife if that
meare do get home avore ee."
For several miles they walked silent
~ along the lonely road, and then Palk
indicated some wheel-marks to his
companion.
See, she stopped to have a feed here
@--O -
steady"
Presently the road began to descend
into the river valley, and then they
soon reached Vests farm. 1t was
beautifully situated, but very isolated,
and, saving a couple of cottages and
the little jetty below, where the ferry
man could be rung for over the water,
no other dwellings We're near
Above all the winding river SILVER
mist was rising, which showed ITS
course for miles, and the autumn air bit
keenly. In the yard stood the mare
already half embarrassed, and a wo-
man was doing the work At the sight
of the two the blood rushed back INTO
her pale face, and her strained lips
broke into a smile of relief.
man aS little like the typical wife of a
yeoman farmer as could well be mag
ined A black dress showed Oft her
dazzling fairness, and her halr was
plentiful and golden. Her race was Re-
fined by a certain delicacy, although the
features were rather sharp, and people
said that James West had a nagglng
wife.
Perhaps this was so when she was
out of all patience with those habltS
of his which were running their nome
and their business, but her pleading
was often gentle, hoping even against
hope; for he loved her.
In his weakest moments he thought
there was no one like his wife; no one
so neat, so industrious, so untlrlng IN
going and ordered so much in the
house, and out of it, that the surface
of affairs looked almost thriving, al
though all the farmers were complain
ing of bad times.
She made all her own clothes and her
little girls, and her white cuffs against
the mares black sides looked SpotleSS-
ssOut of the way, Mile. We ill take
the meare out For a wonder, she lum-
pered coming up hill, and threw US botn
out"
To her he spoke much more like
gentleman: he had almost seemed one
to her before she married him. She
may have had her doubts about the real
cause of the accident, but she expressed
her great relief at finding them both
unhurt. Her manner was quiet and re-
pressed, but she had been a bright girl
''She lumpered sure enough" cried
Palk, leading the mare deftly from the
shafts, "and it's mercy that you were
not along of we, or might have squat
ted ee in vallin' out. I'm no light
weight
She smiled her anxious. careworn
smile, and asked him inside, for James
always came home more sober in his
company. Palk had a chivalrous pity
and care for the wife and mother wait
ing anxiously at home. In his honest
heart he despised West, and thought his
wife much too good for him
II.
The next morning Mrs. West brought
a bill that was owing to her husband
asking him for the money that she
might pay it. He glanced impatiently at
the amount and then tossed it careless
1y on one side.
Let it be, Millie, for the present;
they are owing me for hay and corn"
But they have allowed for that, and
the bill has been due so long"
81 can't help it. Times are bad with
US farmers, Mile; you know it."
1T is not the times she answered,
goaded into sharpness; eff only you
would let me have. what goes in other
ways I would not have bill unpaid"