Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1908-09-04

rest"
Obed went in, bewildered, to a soil.
tary meal, and all the while he ate he
watched his wife furtively through
the open door.
For the next few days he noticed
nothing out of the ordinary, except
that he often caught her staring at
him intently, and frequently the table
was badly set.
One noon the dinner-bell summoned
him as usual from the field He came
home wearily and washed up at the
pump outside. Then he entered the
kitchen, and stood staring. 1t was
covered with pies. There was nothing
else. Apple, pumpkin, mince and
squash stared back at him. Mrs. Tut
tie was cutting large pieces from each
and heaping them lavishly upon a
plate
Il thought I'd have just what you
liked today" she said, smiling up at
him as she stood back to survey her
work
Her husband stared at her in dumb
bewilderment. There was look of ab-
solute terror in his eyes.
Il don't want no pie!" he stam-
mered.
why, obed!" she said, reproach.
fully, you always liked my pies. I've
made a lot of 'em. 1 guess"-look-
ing at him wistfully-"I've made
enough to reach from here to the
asylum"
He turned and left the room, his
teeth chattering.
That night at two o'clock he was
awakened by the sound of someone
moving about in the kitchen down.
stairs. His wife was gone from his
side. He sat up in bed and listened.
The sound had ceased, and an uncan.
ny stiffness filled the house. He got
cautiously out of bed and slipped on
his clothes. Then he CROPPED his way
| to the head of the back stairs and
| listened. The door at the foot was un-
latched, showing a faint streak of
| light There was the sound of some-
thing being dragged across the kitch-
en- floor. Obed shivered little, and
then began to grope his way down,
one step at time. When he reached
the bottom he pushed the door open
cautiously and peered into the kitch.
en-, blinking little at the light. There
was small hand-lamp on the table,
| and in the center of the kitchen floor
knelt Mrs. Tuttle. Her blue-checked
apron and calico skirt were pinned up
about her knees, and on the floor be-
side her was a pail of water. Her
sparse, black hair was drawn tightly
back and fastened in small knot by
large, plainly-visible hair-pins. A few
stray wisps had escaped and hung
against her shrunken cheeks. She had
paused to wiring out her cloth, and
her eyes, fixed on the blank space of
of sleep-walker. On one of her thin,
work-worn hands cleaned her wed.
ding ring.
Ma" said obed, in an awed voice.
why, mai"
He stepped cautiously into the room
and picked his way gingerly across
to her, between the puddles. She
seemed not to know that he was there,
but shook out her cloth and, leaning
lOIWdlu ou ohS manu-, pSSah W hlop
the floor.
He touched her shoulder. MA" he
said, "be you awaken"
She paid no attention, but went on
steadily with her work, her arm NOV
ing in large half-circles. He stood
looking down at her for several min
utes.
"Ain't you gettin' tired. ma?" he
asked gently.
Mrs. Tuttle stared straight in front
of her.
Il want ter leave the house lookin'
neat when l start fur the asylum" he
said mechanically
He leaned forward. His hand shook,
but he held the lamp so that the light
shone full upon her face. 1t was set
like flint.
You amt goin' ter the asylum.
ma" he said soothingly, as one speak
ing to a child. You go upstairs and
go ter bed. I'll get Milly Pettingill
in the morning. She can stay here
right along and do the work. You
amt a.goin' ter the asylum" his
voice broke.
Mrs. Tuttle did not move for sever
al minutes. Then, with a sigh, she
rose slowly to her feet and, taking
up the pail, walked unsteadily across
the kitchen to the sink. She dried her
hands on her blue-checked apron and
hung 1t carefully upon a chair by the
stove. Then she went quietly upstairs.
A fortnight later Mrs. Tuttle was
sitting on her back porch after din
ner, rocking placidly to and fro. From
the kitchen came the reckless clatter
of dishes and the shrill tones of a
girls voice singing. Mrs. Tuttle
smiled uncertainty.
II guess she's breakin' about every
thing I've got. But / amt worryin'.
No." she went on, her glance stray
ing idly out across the fields. golden in
the autumn sunshine, mo, I'm just
restin', an It's about time l begun. I'll
have to tell Obed sometime, suppose,
but"-a quizzical look stole into her
faded eyes-'"that night / got up an
mopped the kitchen floor at two
n'cIook with him cfandint hv ho1din' of