Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1911-05-19

not had an easy life. but it is hard t
get away from a farm. Now. let m,
see."
She evolved a plan, called a family
council and eventually wrote letter.
There" she said placidly, wipine
her glasses. 81 hope Mary will like
my plan. She was always a great
one to make believe" >.
After week had gone past Mrs
Brown tried to make herself keep away
from the mail box at the front gate
but in vain. She watched daily fol-
the carriers coming, and when he had
gone past she plodded out to the gate
Her heart stood still when she saw
a letter. She picked it up. 1t was
the letter. 1t seemed TO her that heI
heart would have broken If it had
been anything else. She could hardly
walk back to the house and sank
breathless on the lowest step.
She was to visit Ellen first, the letter
read, then letter would come telling
her whom she should visit next, and
so on. Thus there would be some.
thing for her to look forward to-
There were a great many do you re.
members following the business part
of the letter. and Mary Brown laughed
softly to herself
The hungry clatter of chickens and
pigs reused her at last The rapt ex-
preston faded from her face, and she
looked anxiously at the setting sun.
"Mercyw she calculated. ITS get
ting late. Shoe, there! I'm coming to
feed you now"
The next morning she arose with a
feeling of elation.
"Now am visiting Ellen" she
thought happily. ELLEN had pancakes
for breakfast when / was there be-
fore"
Mrs. Brown had pancakes for break
fast, served with the best sirup. and
she beamed upon Jared in a way that
made him feel uncomfortable.
At noon she had fried chicken, and
Jared watched her in astonishment as
she helped herself to one of the choic-
est joints-his favorite piece.
Are you feeling wellG' he asked.
"As well as common, thank you,"
she responded in her best company
manner, and Jared pondered in silence
He noticed during the next few days
that things did not seem to run with
their accustomed smoothness, and he
did not understand why it was So
His wife seemed well; In fact, when
he took pains to observe her carefully,
she looked uncommonly we'll He de.
cided the trouble lay with himself
81 wish you'd fix me up some bit
ters, Mary" he said that evening. II
don't seem to be feeling just right"
why, certainly, Wil-Jared," Mrs.
Brown said cordially. "I'd love to.
I'll do it the first thing in the morn
ing"
Jared had expected instant sympa-
thy and was prepared to give his
symptoms in detail after he had had a
little gentle urging. But Mrs. Brown
was visiting William Just then, and
William had written that his health
was fairly good. Moreover, she re-
membered that William had never
liked to be fused over. Therefore she
forbore to ask questions. and Jared
turned to his paper in disgust
With the morning came a letter
Her mind was filled with pleasant fan
cies, and the bitters was forgotten.
Jared was indignant. He was not ac-
customed to being ignored, and Mrs.
Brown was ignoring him. 1t was not
Intentional, however, The truth was
that he simply did not enter into her
present existence. ...-.
Her necessary work she CLOSED over
by pretending to be helping which
ever relative she was visiting, and
when that was done she followed bold
ly where her fancy led. 1t led her to
do many things that puzzled Jared.
She walked around imaginary chill
dren when she worked and crooned to
imaginary babies while she rocked.
To be sure Jared could not know why
she suddenly swerved from a straight
course in going from one room to an
other or why she held her arms In
such. peculiar manner when she
rocked. 1t came to him suddenly one
day that her arms held in such a man
ner might easily enfold child. He
walked out to the barn and sat on an
empty keg.
poor Mary" he groaned, poor Ma
ry! Her mind is going! It's been-let
me see, it's been thirty-fve years since
her baby died, and he was only four
months old, not old enough for her to
be much attached to him, though she
did take on considerable at the time |
remember Poor Mary! What am I
going to do?"
Then on baking days she made saucer
pies and set them before Jared with
such shining face that he ate them,
although he longed to sweep them vio-
lently from his sight.
"Poor Mary! She don't realize what
she's doing" he groaned "Those drat-
ted pies were bad enough. and now
these things! She seems to think the
house is full of children. Poor Maryw
An impulse to which he yielded
brought him in from the field one aft
ernoon. She was not in her accus-
toned place on the side porch.
AS he drew nearer he saw that the
chair, too, was missing. The porch
looked lonely. He stood irresolutely
for a moment Then he heard his
wife's voice, and his face cleared.
"She's got company" he thought,
and fastened around the house.