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

why on earth dom t you smile any
more9" he asked her one day.
She started up surprised and fright
ened.
"I-I-don't feel well, " she burst
out, and hid her head over the bas-
ket of darning. Great sobs shook
her form, and then Tom noticed how
thin and slight she was. She looked
up presently and smiled through her
tears.
maybe am homesick," she said
in excuse.
'Homesick, and only three miles
from homer" he asked.
Eyes, Tom, only three miles but
do you know when was home last ~
Tom scowled. He knew it had
been over six months, but he did
not like to admit even to himself how
little thought he had given her or any
thing outside the farm. She laid
down the stockings and went over
to her husband.
What's the matter, dear z" she
asked, putting her arms around his
neck. s'You used to kiss me every
time you came in the house and now
you are cross and sulky."
Tom shook her arm off.
"Oh, it's nothing you can help, /
suppose, but rather discouraging for
man with farm like mine to have
everything to do and plan himself.
Mrs. Horner said only last week that
Betty's butter took first prize at the
fair in September, and they had more
demand for it than they could supply.
haven't said anything about it to
you, but our butter is getting worse
allthe time. You don t work the milk
out of it and it spoils in notime.'' j
As he was talking he traced the
pattern in the carpet with his foot.
May moved short distance from him
but did not sit down She watched
the man before her, studied his face
as she had never done before. In it
she saw determination, steadfastness,
honesty, temperance, everything de-.
sirable in man yet she was realiz-
ing to the fullest extent that these
admirable qualities were not all that
was necessary to assure wife's hap
piness. ST.
From his face she glanced at the re-
Election of her own. Where was the
roguish laugh that used to hide in the
blue mirrors of her soul? Where
were the roses that used to peck out
from her full round cheeks?
1t was not the first time she had look
ed at herself since harvest, but it was
the first time she had really seen
herself.
"Tom," she said, slowly, 81
think you made a mistakei in not mar
rying Betty Horner."
1t was not a quarrel, but it would
bave been better had it been, for then
there would have followed a make up
and an understanding. As it was,
Tom only laughed.
Jealous of fBetty' butter, are you?
Well, you can do as good if you try.
I'm glad I've given you All incentive. +"
He kissed her before going out to
milk, but the pitiful little droop in
her lips did not leave them.
Jealous Of Betty's butter" she
whispered. Jealous of somebody's
butter-oh, Tom, Tom," she sobbed
''you do not understand, you cannot
comprehend beyond butter"
She smiled at the idea, but the
smile was not like the one that greet
ed Tom the first time he saw her and
received from her soft white hands
bundle of college letters.
Toms thrift and success were the
talk for miles. Never before had the
farm yielded such patotoes and corn.
The butter was not up to the usual
standard, but one man cannot do it
all, and when his wife does not do her
part as we'll as he, his neighbor can
not blame him. They did not, but
curiously enough they did not blame
May, either. While she had dropped
out of their lives almost completely,
they all remembered her as she was
when no hay-ride or country dance
was complete without her.
Christmas was only three weeks off
when the postmaster and his wife
drove over to see Tom and May.
The ground was covered with snow,
and the air was filled with the music
of sleigh bells.
Married almost year only
three miles from home; and yet I've
only seen you four times since you
shook your old daddy" her father ex-
clamied. taking her in his arms.
"How light you are, pet" he said,
holding her off so as to look at her.
His face clouded, but he said no more.
Mrs. Douglas was looking curious
1y around the cherries parlor. If
Tom was so wonderfully successful
and his father had left him snug
bank account, why should Mays
home be more barren than any home
in the village. And May herself was
positively shabby.
"You will need new furniture,
May. I'm ashamed of your letting
things run down so," she said. Before
May could answer Tom spoke up:
1--WE will get things for the home
after we get the ten-acre field on the
north and the woodland adjoining
ours. Just now we feel positively
poor, for have bought Silas Jones'
herd of Jerseys. We are going to
make speciality of butter next year.
Betty Horner has promised to teach
May the art of butter making. I'm
afraid she hasn't enough to do to keep
her out of mischief"
He pinched Mays cheek as he said
this. His fingers made queer pur-
pie mark, but did not bring the shadow
of a rose.
The buying of the cows and Bet