Year: 1859

needle that was apt to put him out so, when
was doing any figuring.


Il am glad" be said to himself, as he bega


to look down the road at sunset, "that Mill
cent don't go visitin' all the time as some VT


men do; there, she is just coming


How tired you look" said he as she cam


up; why didn't you speak about it, and L
have harnessed up and come after you'


Il am not very tired" she answered; bu
! her looks helied her indeed her husband d.


clared she looked tired for day or two after.
What was his amazemeut to see her go ava


the next Tuesday in the same manner as be
! fore.


! To bis great dissatisfaction, everything seem
ed that day to partake of his wifc's propensit
for going from home. A man don't want col.
food in hay time, said he, as he sat down to din
ner. In the same grumbIing mood, he recount
ed the misbaps Of the morning, which seemed t.
have been much after the manner set forth in
certain legend of olden times; for he embel
Iished his rascality by allusion to
'eTbe sleeps in the meadow
The COWS are III the corn"


Adding that they wouldn't have been there, i
Mrs. Heath had been to home, because she'c
have seen them before they got in, and halloed
She would have seen the oxen too, before they
got across the river. and saved him the trouble
of getting them back. But after tracing al
these untoward events to her absence he said
to himself consolingly, Il guess she won't GO
any more, she always was home body


Mrs. Heath did go again though, and again
and the day she went for the fourth time, her
husband took counsel with himself as to what
he should do to stop her gadding." Seated on
the door step in the shade of the old trees, he
spent an hour or two in devising ways aud
measures, talking aloud all the time, and hav-
ing the satisfaction of hearing nobody dispute
him.


at is hard to think of her getting to be a
visitin woman said he, 'and its clear it amt
right. Keep her at home, I've read in the BIZ
bic, old Richards Bible knowledge was some
what confused quotation varied slightly from
the scriptural phrase, keepers at home" but it
Says TOO he added, with the true, sincere man,
that husbands must set great store ny their their
wives and treat them well. / won't scold
Millicent, I'll harness up and go for her to
night, and coming home I'll talk it all over
with her, and tell her how bad it makes me
feel, and if that went do, Ill--5omethipg
else"


In accordance with his praiscworthy resolu-
ton, he might have been seen, about sunset,
hitching his horse at Mr. Browns door for
strangely enough, Mrs. Heath's visits had all
been made at the same place. Going up to
the door, he stopped in amazement at seeing
his wife in the kitchen, just taking off great
6a,-
sleeves which had been rolled up for washing.
He listened and heard her say, as she took some
money from Mrs. Brown at won't be so that
[ can do your washing again"


at has been great favor to have you do it
while have been poorly" said Mrs Brown,
and I'm glad to pay you for it. This makes
four times, and here's two. dollars 'Iis just
as well that you can't come again, for think l
shall be well enouh to do it myself"


1.-TWO dollars, just the price of the newspa-
per- exclaimed Mr. Heath, as the truth flashed
across him. Rather a silent ride they had
home till at last he said &:


g I never was so ashamed in my life -


"Of what ," asked his wife.


"Why, to have you go out washin'; amt
so poor as that comes to-"


~Well, I don't know replied his wife, when
a man is too poor to take newspaper his
wife ought not to feel above going out wash
ing"


Nothing more was said on the subject at
that time, though some i'll feeling fingered in
the hearts of each. The making up was no
mawkish scene of kissing, embracing and cry
ing, such as romance writers build their use
less fabricks with, but as Mrs. Heath was fin
ishing her household duties for the night, she
said, quietly:


IS l don't think l did quite right, Richard. "


I don't think 1 did either, responded the
husband; and SO the spark was quenched which
might have become seathing fame blighting
all the domestic peace under their humble roof


AT last the long voyage is ended, and the
sailors talk only of home now. They talk of
those they are to meet, of their wives and
children to whom their thoughts have so often
wandered during these three years absence
They wonder if the young sailor, Alfred Heath,
who lies so sick will ever see home again, and
with their rough tones subdued almost to gen
tleness, they speak of his anxiety to see his
mother.


He is so hopelessly i'll that his heart is now
where the worn spirit ever turns in its hour of
bitterest sorrow, or its approach to the unseen
end-to God and his mother. Family as his
heart beats, it still throbs with earnest desire
fer life Dim as his keen eye has become, he
faneies it would brighten once more at the
sight Of his mother, and his failing mind be-
come cleared could he lean on her breast


With folded hands the young sailor prays;
his words are confused and indistinct to those
who listen, but all clear and earnest to the
Great listener above. And when the ship had
reached her distant port, and mingling voices
are all around the sick sailor, his comrades bear
him comfortably to hone-a miserable home
but better to him than the rocking vessel in
the midst of the sounding sea- Now, if l
could see mother" he murmured to the stran-
gers around him.


She is sitting by the uncovered window,
patiently reading the shipping journal, and
thinking meanwhile, of her absent boy; think
ing it was time for him to return, and hoping
that he will never go to sea again. How quick
the word catches her eye Arrived, ship Ban
ner, Love!


And it was week ago; he should have been
home by this time; he will come tonight, she
said joyfully, as she went to communicate the
good news to her husband.


They watched for him in vain that night and
then Mrs. Heath suggested what no mother ever
failed to suggest when the long absence of a
child was unaccounted for-he must be sick
when night after night passed, and they neither
saw nor heard anything of Alfred, her anxiety
would let her rest no longer.


ave will go for him, or at least where We
may hear of him." said Mr.. Heath, who now
as anxious as his wife, readily assented.


Their simple preparations for the journey
were soon made, and with heavy hearts they
proceeded in search of their son, with httl'
hopes of gaining anything more satisfactor.
| 4l,,., ,loEn;to nfaI1irapoa of his death