The Negro world., 1900-04-14

4y4fyk " hhu 'hey hau
n u sTs'S grain ON 'S% for . ,Ss p,
mill and perhaps resented H. Mrs.
Dewey sat perched up beside her hus-
band on the high seat of the wagon,
drawing her shawl close about her, as
the chill Marca wind struck her sensi-
bly,. as she remarked 90 her husband,
with a protesting shiver. She was a
plump little woman who hnd been pref
~ once, when her hair was brown and
curly, her eyes bright and her com.
plexion fair aad peaehy, but since she
had married Lon Dewey, and gone out
TO his big grain farm TO live. continual
hard work had aged her greatly, and
the brightness and bloom of her girl
hood days were almost crushed out of
her.
Mr.. Dewey was u good man, for all
that he SO thoroughly needed waking
up. but he had been accustomed TO see
ing his mother and sisters turn of
great quantities Of work with their ro-
bust health and strength, and II sim
ply did not occur 10 him that his wife
was wearing her life away In tread
mill which was taxing her to the ut.
most limit of her endurance.
''Wheat's hringin dollar bush.
el," remarked Mr.. Dewey, as he fIicked
his whip suggestlyely around Mats
heels. II reckon II | can get the crop
sold afore she drops, I'll be some hum
dreds ahead of what I've been airy year
before In sone time"
"Ion, don't you suppose, II you do,
that we could have new carpet In the
parlor3 II seems like II could have
something real handsome TO look at. IL
would tighten the work ever 40 much"
"Ain't' 1 handsome enough2" asked
Mr.. Dewey. with unusual humor.
Mrs. Dewey laughed. Her husband
was not u handsome man nj his best,
and to-day nc had taken little time 20
slick up" aud the March wind had
tousled his hair and Redeemed his nose
In addition.
"Fhe rag carpet was pretty enough
when II was ew," she continued, "but
someways I've got awfully tired OF rag
carpetln'."
"Yon wimmln folks get terribly tired
OF things anyhow, IL seems to me-" re.
marked Mr. Eswey, refectively.
"Yes, we do, Lon" replied his wife,
with an unusual burst OF feeling. "rm
tired 20 death OF looking al the same
things, and of wearing the same
clothes year in and year out. get so
hungry for pretty things sometimes II
seems like I'd so wild"
Mr.. Dewey turned and looked at his
wife In astonlshment.
"well. swan, Martha" he said
slowly. PITY you didn't marry rich
man that could give you all you
wanted"
"No. I don's want no rich man."
Martha Dewey caught her breath in
a half sob. "Yon're plenty rich enough.
only you've got notion OF thinking
don't need nice things like other
women have them. Pretty things don't
cost so much more than humly ones,
either"
well, ! snum. what's got into you.
Martha. all Of suddenly"
Nothing new. Lon Dewey" replied
his wife In n combative tone. "it's there
pretty much all the time. but some.
times Il swelss and surges. and sets me
going In spite of myself, like the water
turns the big wheels at the mill"
They were in the town now, aud
young woman was tripping along the
sidewalk, clad In a handsome tailor
made suit, whose perfect NJ and mate.
rial added grace and beauty 20 form
and face no more 20 be admired than
Martha's in hsr younger days. Martha
looked at her with longing eyes. "If
could be dressed mp like that when /
go out wouldn't mind the hard work
atween times sc" she said.
The miller came out as the horses
trotted up 70 the door of the great,
busy mill. lie had been acquainted
with Martha years before. and he
noted her tired face and shabby attire.
Martha Hills didn't get much OF a
snap when she married Lon Dewey" he
reflected inwardly. as he invited her 10
come into the Office and get warm while
her husband sold his wheat.
Martha forgot her longlngs In the
euriosities Of the oiliee, the telephone.
the immense ledgers over which the
Dookkeeper was pouring. the book.
keeper himself. thin, wiry man who
made figures with the quickness and
precision of an automatic machine.
His wife came 10 az she waited, bril-.
liant. graceful creature whose gar
ments were reioient with the perfume
OF rich fur and odorous saehet powders,
A bunch Of carnations was pinned 70
her cloak. a'See what Bathers gave me
when ordered my Easter lilies. she
said, snaiEngiy 10 her husband, then
n0tieing the hungry, wiktfnl look on
the little sesAaH's face sa the Office
chair, sweet thought came 10 her. and
uniannlag the flowers. she laid thres