The Wingham Times, 1885-06-19, Page 2TU TlIVIER, FRIDAY JUNE 19
Now. Davy, honest and truee ahet
A WAYFARING COUPLE, _ wag fgr
yeu joltiu.'
your sake.
'But what hev you got turned el
for Davy, They ain't out of work,
are they:
'No there's work enough. It's
some of Lem Wheelook's doing's He
has.always had a spite, against Inc
and I'll be hanged if 1 know whys'.
'What did they say was the reason
they turned you oft'
Didn't give me rio reason. The
boss just called me iato his officio, and
told me they ivoulehe't need my
services any more, and paid me what
they owed me, which was just $10.
don't know what Wheelock's been
tollin' him, and I don't care. I ain't
going to whine and tease him for
work. I've got a littlejeeling if I
air,'t one o! the upner crust.'
'That's so Davy, I'd see him down
east firet.'
'The worst of it is, Minty, I dOn't
know how we are. going to live, or
where get work. Yt's a mean
kind of a boa I've got you
'Now don't you go talking like that
Davy. Get up and wash and eat your
supper. The biscuits are getting
spoiled. .
The poor fellow cot up, threw his
(trine about Ms wife's waist and ieaneci
his head on her shoulder. She was as
tall as he.
'0, Minty I didn't know hut whet.
you a ould go back ou me, and Mame
me for liming such bed luck. •Somo
women do.'
ain't some women,. but I will oe
•
if you go suspecting me of such a
thing again.'
Well, inabey we can weather le. I
gress 1 cau fled work pretty soon,
and youal have enough to eat aid
wear, so J guess we will manaue to
geif alooga
'I'd laugh if we couldn't.'
A little later people passing lee
emiOl looe iu toed see the two at sap -
I per ji•st as visual, David's calico el& t
sleeves at ane mai of the little white
i covered teeileoplying dee eously, and
blintfe bine &aped aims at the
other.
After tea they were standing oat
its fate erd when Minty cailetit a
glenpse of Lee) Wheelock, the fore.
hean, coming. She WA8 standing close
to her huabaud, ellea:nig to las aroi,
when he got up in front of the hone,
jusa when he had his eyes fixed full
on her she even leaned her head
against David's shoulder.. She knew
why she did, though her husband did
not, she knew also why this, foreman
had turned him off, net this was her
method of stabbing him for it.
it was an effectual ono too. Lem
Wheelock, who -was a handsome
young man with a thin black beard,
who threw his shoulders, ' well back
when he walked, turned pale, gave a
stiff nod and went by quickly.
'Confound him,' growled David.
Minty sald nothing for a minute—
then ehe we on with the talk which
he had interrupted,
They formed a plen for the, future
which they it. at once about Carrying
out.
Three days later, early in the morn
ing Minty and David started forth ou
a hundred mile tramp.
Coming through tier little dewy
garden. Minty stopped and picked au
euormous boquet of zinnias and marl -
'golds and balsams. Then she quicket
/
pulled up the finest ones bee the
roots.
'Theme she said, 'the new folks
shan't have ray flowerak
'Why, Minty,' ivied David aglintie
'1 don't care. 1'd pull up that
ineple tree' ir I could earry it,'
'I'd look kinder queer starting out,
on a hundred mile tramp with a tree
on iny shoulaer,‘ said Davit' with a
chuekle.
Minty could not help laughing.
geeide her basket ef flowers she car.
tied a basket of eatable. In the -
pocket of, her blue dress, she carried
or cheap treftenrere—her little amok
o jewelry, and lier tree keepsake/3
A long row of Itttle cheap houses
stretched on each side of the narrow,
dusty street. There was not a tree in
the whole length of it exeett in &out
of David May's house, A. slim young
maple, carefully boxed in `around the
trunk, stood close to his gate.
These poor little houses were all
alike, they had been built expressly
for the operatives in the Saunders
cotton mine, There was a little
square of ground fenced in before each
tottage. Araminta May, David's
wife, had hers all planted with lbw-
ers. They were coarse and gaudy
rather than delicate, her taste ran
that way. The flower preen wag
divided into little fantastic beds edged
with cobble stones, and the narrow
footpath leading through the midst of
it to the door had on: each side, a
fence of bent willow boughs.
Some morning glory vines, were
climbing up on strings towards the
front windows, Araminta's greatest
ambition was to have them thickly
screened.
'Folks can't look in and see us eat
then,' she said.
They could now. .Passers by might
look iirectly in on the little table set
betweeo the windows for tea. The
6 o'clock whistle had blown and the
men and girls were coming, home
from the shops. 'They straggled along
-the menin their calico shirt sleeve...,
the girls in their soiled dresses, turn.
ing into this yard and that with an
air of content.
Araminta had worked in the shop,
too, before they were married, after-
ward David would not let her. 'His
wife might do his washing and iron-
ing, and cooking,' he said, 'but she.
should not work for other people as
long as he had two handea
very cent he could spare went to
rig Minty up, as he put it.' He could
not bear to see her in a poor gown,
she dressed as punctiliously as if she
had been a fine lady before Davy came ,
home.
She 'aad not a fine taste and ad-
mired the cheaply gprgeous. Tonight
she had on a fliuisy blue musl.nwhh
a good many flowers and a great deal
of white cottou lace. She was a
handsome young woman. Sne had
•a long face, with full red lips and an
exquisite Amid complexion. She flush-
ed pink easily from forhead te throat,
but the pink was as fine eA a rose's.
She had Iaxen hair which she parted
and combed straight back. Aramin-
ta's father had beeu a country minister
on a pitiful salary. Her mother had
died firet, and then her father in his
little perish when she was but a child.
She had lived around in various
families, partly dependent, partly
working her way until she was eig,h—.
teen. Then she came to Saunders
villa to work in the enilla, and gime
alio met Devid May and was married
to him.
Araminta had not wholly escaped
the suspictoas Weal that attach them,
selves to a 114d801110 unprotected
gi'lie a hemble position. people had
said she was a pretty wild kind of a
girl, with a meeting leek hefore she
was married.,
She had watched for David anxious:
ly to itight. She had a little extra
pie mid some hot biscuits.
'I'm awful glad you come,' she said
when the stout, curly headed young
plow lamed up in the doorway.
'The biscuits are all gittiu' cool.
'What made you eo late, it ain't pay
night t'
said Dvid, kits turnin' off
night.'
'Now, David May, what do yon
snean ?'
what I say. We tumuli' oil'
pieht, and Vr. tur ied off,'
Iladroppect down on a chair with
Oat end rested his elbows on his
knees and hold his beta hi his two
hands—the attitude moat indicative
et a peraoreasympatLy with his os
aired untie
which she had for remembrances ot
her Mother and father. TIMM leek
were a Greek Testament and a tiny
pin.cashion made of a bit of her
mother's wedding diet"
David carried the few clothes whicl
they Could not do without, in a car.
pet bag. He had ten Oilers in
money. He had tried to persuade
Minty to use it to defrayler expenses
by rail, while he made the journey on
foot alone, but she would not bear of
it. She laughed at the idea of the
jouruey, hurting her, it world be tun
she said.
They were young and strong, and
walking was a pleasure. it was a
great deal better than to be cooped
up in the shop, David said, and Minty
said she was glad not to be in the
house washing dishes such a splendid
morning.
They waked about twenty nines
that day. They ate their dinner and
supper from their haehets OD the reed
side, and slept that nicht hi an isoint.
.ed barn, on a pile of esh bay.
tbe kitchen door, some of its branches
brushed the roof, The tree bad de,
terioratad ike the house, SOrDci of ft$
limbs were dead and its ripples were
not the fairlarge things which they
t had been. They, were small and
kno‘ty, Still they were eatablet and
they were just ripe now, The brim
young couple gathezed up some, and
carried them into one of the fron
rooms, They sat down on a heap o
hay, which David had brought in
from the barn, and supped off sweet
apples and crackers,
Before Minty began to eat She pul-
led her father's book and her mother's
pin cushion meted her pocket and laid
them down beside her. She looked
at David and laughed, and flushed
pink as she did so.
'What on earth are you doing that
for Mintia?'
She flushed pinker. ,3 dear. I
don't know, I just took a :notion. I
felt kinder lonesome. 1 declare,
Davy, I wish that I had some folks,
or you had. They'd be handy just
now.'
'That's so,' said David slowly. He
stopped eating, and his faoe took on a
pitiful expression. '0, MintygI did
an awful mean thing marrying you,
and you a minister's daughter and so
good looking. You'd neverhave been
whete you are now if it hadn't heen
for me.'
• 'Da v ill May you ails knuith •
wasn't half good enough for you
Idinty faced him passionately; she
was very white. 'Now, David May,
you were good enough for me once
for all, don't you forgot. Don't, you
dare to say you wasn't regain.'
'Why, Minty, (limit you look at me
so, darling, oause I won't if you; feel
like that, but I can't help thinking.'
Don't you think ite leave you
if you do.
'WeP, I won't think it,. Why
111iiitee So fairly frightened him,
he ilia not know what to think of her.
But sheebegaa Co eat and was talkirg
of stowable; else with her old manner
in a few minutes and he thought no
more about it.
There never was the least danger
of David May's knowing anything
which other people did not want him
to know. There was eothing of the
deteoeive element iti him. The
motives uliderfeOng people's actions
e me to him as the geological strata
beneath the rsurface of the earth., He
simply went along throne% life look
ing at the snow or the, flowees which
happened to be in sight, and thinking
nothing of the fire -or the gold beneath
thelta
glit they used theiedie,sp of
hay for a bed ; they slept soundly on
it, too. Tbe next morning they ate
more sweet apples and crackers; then '
David started for Bassets, a little
town three miles distant in search of
work. A man in Waterbury had told
him. that there was a tub factory in
13essets, and he thought of it now as a
forlorn hope.
Minty did not go with him. He
came hack about noon, bringing come
eggs and a pound or so of gait i'ork,
bought with his scanty remaining
store of money, but Lis full, young
face looked laden.
No .work in Bassets.
Minty tried to cheer him, She
kindled a fira in the wide old RI.apiece
in the kitched; she scoured an old
frying -pan, which she had foupd in
the attic,, and fried pork and eggs foe
dinner.
But
Devi() could not eat mete
Ills simple heart had taken to des-
pairing more entirely fron its himpla
city. Iia had very little imagination,
and consequently little hope, to which
he could resort. Ile sat with his bead
in his hands the rest of the day,
Minty scoi dad and vexed hut she oould
not rouse him.
Discouragenenthad developed into
obstinacy in him, of wineh he had
never before seemed capable,
The next morning he was sit*,
—chilly and feverish—and could tot
get up, Ms pitiful, Lelpless loolt a:
Minty was herdic) be aeon.
The nere mornieg i,bey were a lhtie
tired end Fat brie they were, too
young and healthy to niiud it much,
and they -ose Red want on.
Thee, dae they sopped in a village
and spent, ce ellously, a portio e . of
their -ten dollars for ;hod-- bread tied
era:tame. 'Baer weal pick plenty of
bleckbe-ries to eat with them along
the • 'ad.
• ' So tiley kept on. When they reticle
A White Diver David cou al :find no
work thee; the shops were foil,
Time was eothlrg to do but i,o go
1 further to Waterbury. So fea eheir
cou..age had ' .iot hiled them, but
when they' reached Waterbury, and
found no work thee, they arced not
look each other in the face.
. Thevleat dowie .disconsolately on a
/hone wall on the ecve, o; a pas; are, a
lithe ono” the , :liege L(/ rem. It was
getting late in the afteenoone
'We've .it to find some place or
othee to stayeno night,' sail David,
moodily.
= Misty mid note hie. She sat Asa -
tug soaielit :head. There were den
hollow s underher eyes.
They nese .wearily after a lit ale
while Phi Lept ei. At ,last ebout
eunset, they reachee a clewed 'space
and a bootie on tile east ewe of the
road. ".' o one lived la it. Its deso-
labenoes looked out of it windows as
plaiely as ace% V; here the glass in
the windows WAS not broisee out, it
relectechtbe seneet in hloichee of red
and gold. The trent door stood open
with a .d..•eary show of hcspitality.
Mikity looked in rieifnile, aiien she
and David stood CU the, old door
stone.
‘Suppole we had some folks to there
waiting for us and supper was ref:ay,'
said she. •
'Be ...lice; wouldn't it darling ?'
‘Stippose there were ce tains on
the wiedows, and there was a bed
made rip white and clean—bet there
Rae'', no rise in tab ing this way. It
kinder 000168 o . er me that% all.
Maty went 1.1. &lieu laughing. She
ard David eeploreci the old house
going throegli a:l the dingy, echoing
rooms. There wee not much in theta
blit to relthish. Theta was A great
lite n. which Ilad once hhe!tered a good
away head o? celtle atijoiulng the
hone. Minty and .David found a few
old testy tools in here, a heap of -
hoe on one of the cluaty sea Tale,
and the very phi...atom. t MO OICI
suil. y. Taere it mood totteeitig on
Ls two hal spoketeee wheeie, which •
had borne 7;; over 80 wally of the
steep New Englaud hill roads in ies
(la+ . Ls seat was gone, its cove, ing
hung in rious, it looked as if it
would crumble to dust in a moment,
if drawn unt of its ?Italie like and old
eketaten if lifted out of its collie,
'My,. what an atVf01 looking per
riage.' Esaid Minty looking ni.
'Guess I'd better hitch up, and go
for a ride,' said David, and they both,.
laughed merrily at the poor joke.
Pack of the house bad stretched the.
vegetable and apple Orchards. A
great, ssvtiet apple. itee $00c1 close to
At
40h. Minty,I'M sick ; I can't get up.
What will you do
al do well enough; jest you I ay
4111 and not worry. be bet aa
by noon,'
But he was not' Minty brewed
for him a tea of green peppermint
leaves which she found near the
house ; covered him up to induce pars-
t piration, and did everything sho •
could, yet without much efface.
As the day passed he grew no b$.
ter. He did not seem violently or
alarmingly 111, but the fever, did no,,
leave him, and he steadily lost strength
and flesh. They would have been
reduced to beggary and starvation had
not Minty found a way out of the
difficulty. She took it, rightor wrong.
She felt at thtime very few scruples
about the matter ; she did later, but
she would have done the satnel thing
again, probably, under the same cir
canistances.
Two or three broad m engem awa ye
from the old house there were several
0 Avs pastured. They belong id to
some farmer. Minty went there
every night before the cows went.
home an milked one and apother.
She used an old earthen jar of a grace-
ful shape, which she bad found for a
milking pail., She' strode home with
it like a guilty thing across the fields.
She brushed through the sweet fern;
knee deep, with.the tall jar poised on
her eight hip, carrying her strong,
beautiful figure like an mete=
woman.
Minty kept thinkingievery day that
she must call on some one tar assist-
anckehave a doctor. But when the'.
next day cline David would think
that' he felt a little better, perhaps,.
and she would put it off. She hada.
fierce dislike of asking for charity..
She thonght it would be equvalens to
knocking at a alinshoese door, as, it
'probably would have been. She kept
• all signs of habitatiopeef the old house
resolutely from the few passers by.
She never looked out of the win.
dow without due caution. Her great-
est terror, was lest she should be caught
stealing the milk. She used so much
art in milking frim one cow and
another that she thought, theedemanho
tion in quantity would hardly betray
her for a time at least. But she start-
ed at every sound to and from the
the pasture.
She did not tell David Low she got.
the milk. She laughed when he asked
her and said it. ens a secret ; when he
got well he should know. He was
easily enough put off; he did not
trouble himself about that or anything,
elsehefore long. He grew weaker
and weaker. Finally one day he lay
most of the time in delirium. He
would not move himself much unless
Minty left him for a moment. Then
he would call after her :
Minty, Minty,' every seccnd until she.
came back.
Baturiaing from her milking ex- .
'pedition, she could hear him, ,before
she reached the house. His greatest
feer seemed to be lest the should leave
him.
• 'You„ won,t go off and leave me,
will yota, Minty 4' ha would say.
'Leave you, 0 Davy, I guess I
won't 1'
He asked her that question o.
and over. Tho assurances only Bathe
fied him for the moment. The deli.,
rious fear kept springing up again in
his weak brain.
The next morning Minty watched
the pale light coming hi at the window
with a new resolution. 'Something 404
has to be done to -day,' she whispered
to herself. 1Somethingeshall he. done.
She tried to talk with David, after -
the sun was up,. and he seemed to.
rouse. She at down on the floor.
beside him, and took his hand in her
lap, bending down her head and loan-
ing her oheek against it.
,13avie, dear, I've got something to.
le you, and I want you to listen just,
a 1M/flute—) •
'0, Minty; dont you,; leave me h
Don't you go and leave me 1'
'Isto ; 1 won't—I ain't going to •
Devy. ritatstwava not for more than,
(OcttoLtingo
ON 7111 Punt.),
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