Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1911-08-22
The Voice, Of
Mary Eta
Il Proves a Safeguard In Time
Of Need
BY CLARISSA MACKIE
Copyright by American Press Asso-
alton. 1911.


y Copyright by American Press Asso- 9
2 alton. 1911 y
"Never mind. Ben." encouraged Mary
Eta as her husband shrugged into his
overcoat and picked up his hat, "ey-
erything will come out all right in the
end. All the other farmers in the
county have met with the same fail
ure that we have. only you've got the
best Of most Of them. You've got your
trade to fall back on"
The sullen expression deepened on
Ben Madison's handsome face. 1T
isn't so easy going back to work under
a foreman after being my own boss
for five years." he said bitterly.
Mary Eta WINGED. II know It. dear
But suppose you didn't have trade
and couldn't make up this winter for
your losses Of last summer Mr. Fray
has promised you steady work at $3.50
that's S15 week. Why. 1t will pay
the interest and taxes for a year. be.
sides paying all our living expenses
and giving you splendid start for
the spring. You might be able to buy
another cow"
II know all the advantages" said
Ben impatiently. But you don't un-
derstand how I feel about It. Mary
Eta! It's sort Of admitting I've fail
ed on the farm. Just as your father
said | would"
His wife's eyes flashed strangely
"You don't understand father. dear.
he has already admitted he was mis-
taken In his estimate Of you. for you
have done splendidly-no one can deny
that-and who could prevent the long
drought We have suffered? | know he'd
think 1t was splendid Of you to pitch
In and make the farm pay by doing
everything you could this winter"
Ben turned away. discouraged
droop to his shoulders. OF course Mary
Eta didn't know that he had gone to
her father the night before and asked
him for loan Of $500 to tide them
over the winter and spring-in fact.
until his crops would begin to pay
along in May and June. for his mar
ket garden and forcing house had
proved a very paying branch OF the
Madison farm.
He reddened resentfully as he re
membered how old Peter Lloyd's
white eyebrows had lifted incredulous
" when his son-in-law asked for the
loan. mo. Ben" Peter had said slow
": I'm not saying amt got the
money, for l have. but guess III
keep It awhile longer. II Mary Eta
was q widow. now. and needed my help
II would be different. You're strong
man. and you've done well so far 1t
would only weaken you to borrow this
money of me. Find way out your
self. You'll be the better of for II In
the end. and I wish you good luck. |.
you was sick or there was an accident
of some kind I'd be the first one on
hand to help you out. AS 1t Is. you
and Mary Eta have started out for
yourselves. and you're both capable OF
fighting It out to the end-same as the
rest Of us have to do"
Ben addison thought OF this con
versation with increasing anger as be
trudged down the frosty road that led
to Fray's planning mill. The only al
ternatiye left to him had been to seek
q Job at Fray's. where its owner had
told him there were sufficient orders
ahead to keep good workman lik"
Ben busy all winter making sashes AM
blinds for the spring building trade.
Now he was going down to tell Fray
he would take the job. There wer"
others waiting for the opportunity. but
Fray had promised Ben the FIRST
chance.
When he reached the road that turn
ed down to the mill he hesitated and
then walked slowly on. head down.
moodily thinking. At last he came to
the railroad station. where a few
loungers awaited the passing OF the
noon train. Ben looked down the shin
Ing length Of track that led to the city
beyond. There might be opportunities
for other work than that he had left
behind when he married Mary Eta
FIVE years ago. He had hated the
bench work. the long hours and the
carrying of the dinner pail. They
chafed his Madison pride Ben was
the last of his family. and all the pride
of the Madisons seemed concentrated
in this young man with the strong
broad shoulders and the bitterly droop
ing mouth. who imagined he had made
a failure Of life.
As the whistle Of the approaching
train shrieked from some distant cross
ing Ben Madison seemed to make ~
his mind to some course Of action. Hc
glanced quickly at the loungers con
gregated about the station stove and
stepped out of the station house and
walked up the track to the raised plat
form where there was little heap OF
baggage. He pulled his hat down over
his eyes and muttered under his
breath: II just can't 90 back to the
bench again. I'll get something to do
in the city and send for Mary Eta to
come. can write to her when l get
there and tell her how 1t is. She'll un'
derstand."
When he was in the train he tried tr
persuade himself that Mary Eth
would understand Just how he fell
and look on his decision in exactly th'
same manner that he did Mary Eta
had pride too. He had taken her from
q comfortable home. where as the only
daughter Of well to do farmer she had
had little hard work and many luxu
ries. All Of these things she had glad
ly given up to marry the man sh,
loved. and Ben prided himself on tho
fact that by the work Of his hands
Mary Eta had not had to DO as much
drudgery as many Of his neighbors
wives. She had help In her house
cleaning. and whenever there was ex'
ira work to be done she had woman
to do her washing and ironing and
scrubbing. And yet Mary Eta ,ook
ed very tired this fall. Indeed. there
was q faded look about her usually
blooming face that Ben did not I'M
derstand and secretly worried about
And yet his anxiety was not SO great
as his pride. BE could support bis
wife, but be would do II In his OWL
way. They would board all winter In
the city where he could get fine wages