The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1903-12-22

was something of a diplomat, and she
wished to be alone for a few minutes.
You have to manage Emarine by cor
traries." she reflected. II did not occur
II her that this was a family trait. I'm
orfuI sorry I ever egged her on TO tur1lIn
Orvilie's mother out o doors, but who'd
y, thought it 'u'd break her down 50?
She amt told a soul, either. l reckone1
she'd ak somethin' orful about US, but
she amt told a soul. She's KEEP a stiff
upper lip, an told folks she afays eX-
pected to live alone when Oryille got
married. Emarine's all worked up. l be-
ieve the Lord Hisself must "a sent
Gran'ma Eliot here to ak like an angel
unawares. bet she'd go an ask Ms
Farmer over here to dinner if she want
afraid I'd laff at her fer knuckiin' down.
III have to aggravate her
She finished busting and returned to
the kitchen. 81 wonder what Gran'ma
Eliot nd say if she knew you'd turned
Orville's mother out, Emarine?"
There was no reply. Emarine was at
the table making tarts. Her back was
70 her mother.
Il didn't mean what I said about bein'
sorry I egged you on, Emarine. I'm glad
you turned her out. She'd ort to be
turned OUT
EfndIlne uEOppeu d QuINSlihS iuby VI
jelly into a golden ring of pastry and laid
it carefully on a plate.
"Gran'ma Eliot can go talin' about her
daugnter-in-law Sidonie all she wants,
Emarine. You keep a stiff upper Ep."
4 can tend to my own affairs" said
Emarine f%ercely.
..Well, don't flare up so. Here comes
OIviIle. Land, but he does look peakld!"
After supper, when her mother had
gone home for the night, Emarine put
on her hat and shawl. Her husband was
sitting by the fireplace, looking thought
fully at the bed OF Goals.
I'm goin' OUT she said briefly. "You
keep the fire up
Why, Elnarine, it's dark! Don't you
want l sh'u'd go along?"
mo; you keep the fire up"
He looked at her anxiously, but be
knew from the way she set her heels
down that remonstrance would be use
less.
Don't stay long" he said in a tone
of habitual tenderness.
He loved her passiOnately, in spite of
the lasting hurt she had given him when
she parted him from his mother. 1t was
a hurt that had sunk deeper than even
he realized. 1t lay heavy on his heart
day and night. 1t took the blue out OF
the sky and the green out of the grass
and the gold out of the sunlight. 1t took
the exaltation and the rapture out of
his tenderest moments of love. He never
reproached her, he never really blamed
her; certainly he never pitied himself.
But he carried a heavy heart around
with him and his few smiles were joyiess
things.
Iror thn ro,,I1o lo b1o~,oS o-1x 1885,
He had promised Emarine solemnly be-
fore he married her that if there were
any sknuckling down" to be done his
mother should be the one to do it. He
lad nae the promise deliberately, ana
he could no more have broken it than
he could have changed the color OF his
eyes. When bitter feeling arises between
two relatives by marriage, 1t is the one
VINO stands between then-the one who
is bound by the tenderest ties to both
who has the real suffering to bear, who
IS torn and tortured until life holds moth
irg worth the having. Orville Palmer.
was the one who stood between He had
quilt his own cross, and he took it up
and bore it without a word.
Emarine hurried through the early Win
ter dark until she came to the small
and poor house where her husbands
mother lived. 1t was off the 1nain-travel-
90 street.
There was a dim light in the kitchen:
the curtain had not been drawn. Ema
r:ne paused and looked in. The sasi.
was lifted SIX inches; for the night was
warm, and the sound OF voices came to
her at once. Mrs. Palmer had company.
Its Miss Presly," said Emarine, re-
sontfully, under her breath. "Old Cos
ID"
"-goin' to have a fine dinner, l hear
Miss Presly was saying. Turkey with
oyster drcssin' an cranberries, an minca
an punkin pie, an reel plum puddin' with
brandy poured over it an set afire, an
wine dip an nuts an raisins, an wine
itself to wind up on. Emarine's a fine cook.
She knows how to get up a dinner that
makes your mouth water to think about
You goin' to nave a spread, Mis- Par
mer?''
Not much of a one," said O%rville's
mother. Il expected to, but I c'u'dn't
Ct them fall potatas sold off. Ill nave
10 keep EN- till spring to git any kind O.
price. | don't care much about Christ
mas, though'-her chin was trembling,
but she lifted it high. Its silly tor any
body but children to build so much on
Christmas"
Emarlne opened the door and walked IN.
Mrs. Palmer arose slowly, grasping the
back of her chair.
"Orville's dead.' she said, solemnly.
Emarine laughed, but there was the
tenderness of near tears in her voice.
| oh, my, no." she said, sitting down.
4 run over to ask you to come to Christ
mas dinner. | was too busy all day 70
come sooner I'm goin' to have a great
dinner, an I've cooked ey'ry single thing
of it myself. | want to show you what
ii fine Christmas dinner your daughter
in-laW can get up. Dinners at 2, an |
want you to come at II. Will your
Mrs. Palmer had sat down weakly
Trembling was not the word to describe
the feeling that had taken possession o.
her. She was shlvering. She wanted TO
fall down on her knees and put her arms
around her sons wife and sob out all
Ter loneliness and heart ache. But bic
is a stage, and Miss Presly was an aE-
J:o.ao Not @0 In iD,oroI IN NlC Dc1nlpT.