The suburban citizen., 1901-03-30
A WOMAN'S LIFE.
by Hannah Hopper.

OOb-Dl7 ldlueNs EOOu-py, Z,
mother; don't know how
u shall make out in the
city but have as. good
right to try my luck as the young
men, and 1 can take care of myself
don't worry about that. will be care
full and not trust in strangers, and will
remember all your good advice, and
try to follow it"
With these words Susan Weathers-
field climbed into the old stage coach,
and, drawing her heavy veil over her
face, shrunk back in one corner Of the
rough old vehicle and remained silent
during the journey to the depot. She
did not once look back, though there
was a large oval window near her,
and she knew her father and mother
were standing on the porch with their
old eyes dIInmed with tears as they
watched the old stage coach until it
was lost to sight Her lips were firmly
compressed together, and her eyes
closed so that the tears might he held
back should they attempt to flow.
Susan Weathersfeld was a farmers
daughter, and was not much used to
the world. She could work well IN the
kitchen, and her hands were hard and
brown. For years ard ears she had
washed and ironed and scrubbed and
baked over and over again, and had
been to a certain extent contented
bu& those days were past and gone,
and she had resolved TO make a drudge
of herself no longer, but to 80 out
into the world to seek her fortune.
In spite of the matter-o. fact life
which she had led, Susan Weathers-
field had had her bit Of romance and
1t had awak .neC in her mind new
thoughts and new desires.
Seven years before. when she was
out eighteen, she had given her heart
to a nice young farmer and had CON
tinued from that time to think of a
home Of her own, and lorm plans OF
economy and comfort, Her cheeks
were as red as roses then, and her
heart without thought of sorrow or
pain. She sang and laughed at her
labors, and nothing seemed too hard
for her to do. She worked in the dairy
and in the kitchen and often helped
her father in the field,
Enoch Chapel came often to the
farmhouse and sat with her at the
freside while the old folks nodded in
their chairs. They stammered and
blushed and were as happy as only the
innocent and contented can be; but as
the years went by Enoch Chapel be-
came ambitious, and tired Of plodding
year after year on a farm, receiving
but little more than plain living, and
after weeks Of deliberation be went
TO the city.
Susan Weathersfeld watched him
after he had hidden her "good-by" un-
til the apple trees hid him from her
sight, and not a doubt Of his sincerity
and faithfulness entered her mind,
though no engagement existed be-
tween them. She was a little dlsap-
pointed that he had given up farming,
for her mind had so long been fixed
on a quiet home and a pleasant, we'll
cultivated farm, with Enoch to oversee
1t and herself to do the work indoors;
but Enoch was too dear to her heart
to excite in her bosom any rebelllous
thoughts, So she went back to her work
in the kitchen, little disappointed
and lonesome, but she tried TO drive
such feelings away by thinking of the
future.
But time rolled on, and Enoch did
not come to claim her as his bride. She
watched and waited in vain, and her
heart grew sick, and the whole aspect
of her life was changed. He came
back to the neighborhood once, and
she saw him at the country church,
but he had changed so perceptibly that
she could hardly believe him to be tine
Enoch Chapel who had so often eaten
nuts and apples with her at her faith
ers fireside. He had put on city airs,
and was dressed In city style, and poor
Susan knew, by woman's Intuition.
that they were .oreyer separated.
She went home from church that day
with mind so changed that II scarce
ly resembled to any extent her
thoughts and feelings Of ,he past. She
took the path through the pasture and
grove, and her brain had never since
It's existence performed the amount of
earnest, thorough work which # per.
formed that day as she walked home
from the little steepleless meeting.
house on the hill. There was a com.
plete revolution, and 1t seemed TO stir
the blood in her veins and awaken
every nerve to activity
She walked into the old farm.bouse
with her face 30 white and her llps 50
firmly compressed that her good moth.
er was alarmed; but Susan assured heI
it was nothing, that she was only n
little weary from her walk; and then
she passed by her and entered the If
tie plain parlor, and sitting down by
the open window tried to form her
thoughts into plans and resolutions.
1t was a very fair September dny,
And from the window where Susan SAT
there was view Of broad fields, and