Year: 1877

"a difference of tastes in Jokes is a
great strain on the affections. ."-Georqe
Eliot.


IL was always fond of joke,n said
Uncle Moses Fuller to the friends who
had assembled to commemorate the gold
en- wedding of his good wife, Aunt Fatty.
and himself. "But jokes have their prop
er times and places, and that reminds me
of little story that will relate to you,
young people, while mother is in the
other room taking down the old china.


"Some of you are married now, and
some of you are likely to be at no distant
day if there is any truth in heresay-and
none of you will object to receiving a mild
lesson from an old man.


II was always fond Of a Joke as l
was saying. but | never .joked' my wife
but once. That was after we had been
married about week, and had got nicely
to housekeeping. The old minister who
had married us and who had known us
all our lives, and his wife, came to make
us call. and Patty urged them to stay to
tea. They accepted the invitatian so cor
daily given with evident pleasure.


''As they were our first visitors, Patty
wanted to put her best foot forward, of
course so she made hot biscuit for sup
per. | remember as il 1t were only yes
terday, how pretty she looked in her blue
homemade gown, and clean. freshly
checked apron, as she was stepping around
in her shy, quiet, womanly way, making
the biscuit. looking at and turning them
in the tin baker before the open Fireplace,
setting the table and pleasantly talking
with her guests at the same time; for we
had no parlor then.


81 felt quite proud of her, assure you,
when we drew our chairs around the neat
ly spread and bountifully loaded table, and
just at that moment thought more, fear,
of Parson and Mrs. Bancroft's opinion OF
Patty's cooking and housekeeping than
did OF the grace he was saying. Both of
our guests praised the light, short, proper
ly Drowned biscuit, and Patty's girlish face
flushed with genuine pleasure as she shyly
glanced up at my face for her husbands
approval.


But did not speak, and presently she
asked timidly: Il hope you like them,
Moses, for they are the first biscuits have
made since-since-' Since you became
Mrs. Fuller said the parsons wife, con-
siderately helping out her speech.


'Oh. yes" replied aippantly, think
ing it would not do to praise my wife be-
fore company, and not relishing the poss-
bilily of losing an opportunity to get off
one of my Jokes, Il like them to be sure
but | should hate to have anybody throw
one OF them at my head, for the conse-
quences might be serious Patty's couu-
tenance changed as if she had received
blow; and wite-like she tried to throw off
her ill-concealed modification at my
thoughtless speech. AlthouglrI could find
no fault with the way she performed her
duties as hostess, | noticed she ate very
little of the supper.


Mr.. and MIS-. bancroft started for their
home just before dark, and as was tuck
lug them up in their comfortable old chaise
l thought what happy, contented old
couple they were. When | handed the
parson the reins, after everything was
ready, and they bade Patty goodnight
and she had gone back through the gate
into the yard, he leaned down toward me,
and. putting his trembling hand on nv
shoulder, said My son, bear in mind that
pure, FURNISHED gold even may be
scratched and defaced by rough usage


81 felt like brute all the time / was
getting the cows and milking and doing
the chores. When | carried into the
Kitchen the brimming pals of milk, Patty
was washing and polishing and putting
away that very china she is now taking
down, and could see in the gathering
twilight that she had been crying. |
kissed her impulsively with my heart in nv
throat, and catching the empty water-pail
started for the well. didn't make any
promises to anybody but myself.


1.-The moon was shining high in the
heavens, and as ran down the bucket,
saw it reflected in the clear water at the
bottom of the round, deep well. | felt as
If it might be Patty's love going down,
down, far beyond my reach, slipping
away from me forever. As drew up the
brimming, mossy bucket. the brilliant har-
vest moon was reflected upon that, too, in
broken flashes of light, shining up Curl
ously from the dark depths OF the well.
hurriedly drew up the smooth pole, feel
ing that was regaining what came near
losing.


IL set the overlooking bucket down up
on the soft green grass, and let it be until
the perturbed water became still and
smooth like mirror. Then looking into
1t l saw the moon peaceful and calm once
more. | emptied the bucket into my pail,
and as did so, said aloud: will never
grieve her tender. loving heart by my pc
cuiar kind OF joking again.


And ! have kept my word. We were
married fifty years ago to-day, and al
though | have had my jokes with other
people-jokes that they say are .'rather
cutting, though Uncle Moses don't mean
anything II have never joked my wife.
She has proved to be unalloyed gold. and
thanks to the good old parsons advice, it
has not been defaced or had its luster
dimmed by rough usage. l have never
happened TO see the moon reflected in the
old well without the memory of those su-
premely unhappy moments coming back
to me. Life is short at the best, young
people, and you cannot be too careful
about wounding the sensibili,es of those