The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1905-01-14

BY FLORA STEWART EMORY.

When May Douglas married Tom
Davis everyone said she had done
well. There were those who limited,
although quite vaguely, that perhaps
Tom might have done better for him
self. 'Tis true no sweeter. prettier
bride could bave been found. even had
Tom gone to the big crowded city to
hunt for her, but, as old Mrs. Horner
said, "How can any man expect girl
like May to make butter 7"
May was the only daughter of the
village postmaster and she had hand
ed out sweet perfumed notes to the
country boys and girls ever since she
was big enough. 1t seemed her de-
partment, and almost unconsciously,
her father handed her certain tinted
envelopesto sort while he tucked away
the larger, coarser ones in the line of
cubby holes beside his window. May
had her own window, a square frame
of brown wood, from which she look
ed out for all the world like a dainty,
winsome picture.
1t was there that Tom first saw her
with her roguish eyes and dancing
golden curls. He fell in love with
her the minute she nodded her head.
"Good morning, sir" she said,
pleasantly. They needed no intro
duction after that.
Tom was a strapping big fellow.
handsome after the fashion of prize
fighter or blacksmith. He had OBJ
tanned this strength from the college
gymnasium and football field. He
had come home to the old farm now,
and contrary to tradition was going
to put his education to practical use.
He did not drink a drop of intoxi-
eating liquors; in fact, was model
young man, and one whom any girl
was fortunate to win the love Of.
He had been home less than month
when his father, satisfied that his
duty was done, died, leaving his farm
to his deserving son.
Tom was a. farmer by nature.
There are great many different kinds
of natures more or less alike, but the
farmers is something separate and
distinct from the others.
Tom took his round-faced bride
home. They did not take wedding
trip, as it was planting season and the
spring was late.
"You do not mind, May, do your"
Tom asked.
ooh, no /" she had responded, and
if she was disappointed it would have
taken keener insight into character
than Tom possessed to have detected
the little choke in her voice.
Help was hard to get, and within
few weeks little Mrs. Davis was re-
duced to 14-year-old girl, who spent
her time hunting eggs. No matter
how many times May called to her,
she was always down to the barn.
"Yes, ma'am, I'm coming" she
would respond, and then not come TN
til May had washed the dishes herself
or done whatever task she had want
ed Lizzie to do.
There were so many dishes, too.
May used to wonder where they all
came from. Then there were all the
milk pals and crooks which Tom
seemed to be continually bringing in.
He did the churning after Lizzie had
ruined the cream three times, but he
showed May how to work the butter
and make it out into little half-pound
rolls. She heard Mrs. Horner say
how proud it made every farmer S wife
feel, no matter how tired she was when
she viewed long line of butter rolls.
IT must be more tired than the 9TH
er women," she sighed, "for they do
not fill me with PRIDE
The poor little woman had tried to
work out a sense of happiness and
pride from the mass of yellow grease,
but the cold spring water made her
joints stiff.
They got through the hot summer
somehow. Harvesting was the hard
est. Lizzie left and they could not
get anyone to take her place. Perhaps
they might have if Tom had been will
ing to pay more than the average
wages and thereby makeit an induce
ment but he said he needed every
cent he could save to buy new ma
chinery.
"You see, May, I am running the
farm on a scientific basis and must
have proper implements, he had said
when she asked for new dress.
Dresses and everything had to give
way to the farm, and May did mol
like to go to the village dressed poor
er than before she married well-to
do farmer. She heard of the jolly
good times the young people in the
neighborhood and village were hav
ing, and wondered how other farmers
found time when Tom declared h
could not. They, probably, were
not farmers by nature, but they go
.1...r< o.,d ,,,o,,aoad fo cef come of I h,