Tirzah's Chimney.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 8049, 14 February 1906, Page 4

Tirzah's Chimney.

Five years bofore when Solomon Green had asked Tirzah Hitchcock to become the second Mrs. Green, she had tartly refused (he honor. " I ain't much of a beauty," she had told him," but no warmed-over affection for me, thank you Solomon Green." Solomon had reasoned all in vain. " Why, Tirzah," he pleaded, " it ain't no ways natural fur wimmen to live alone. Every mornin' your chimbly is the fnrst tiling I look at, an' if I wasn't to see the smoke a-couiin'out of it I'd be scared to death thinkin 1 you was robbed, or killed or sunthin'. What's the use in us keepin' up two houses when one wou d do jest as well ?" Since that time the two had hardly exchanged a dozen words. Solomon had not married, neither hud Tirzah, and now on the night before her fortieth birthday she sat looking around her orderly little home with the most desolate feeling at her heart she had known for years. To morrow would be her birthday. Mechanically she had gone through a few preparations for that rather dubious festival. The smallest hen from her tlock was curled up ready for roasting inside the same pan in which her hens had been roasted for the last fifteen years. A green-apple pie sat on the pantry shelf beside a sour-cream spice cake, while a plate of mealy tarts was waiting patiently the tilling of grape jelly to be tneirs on the morrow.

Never before, at that season of the year, had Tirzah's bens been laying so well. Her cow bad never been known to give so large a yield of milk. There wore three new kittens in the basket behind the kitchen stovo and her canary bird was the loudest singer in all the village. But for all this Tirzah was not satisfied.

She had heard that day that the widowed cousin, who usually kept house for Solouiun Green, had unexpectedly married. Of course; this was nothing to Tirzah, but still—here she sniffed two or three times, and then, without a particle of explanation to the astonished cat, who had come forth demanding her allowance of milk, sat down in her seated rocker and burst out crying.

For five minutes she cried, and then she dropped her apron and looked guiltily about. A thought intruded itself upon her which she considered in the light of a secret crime. Over and over again, despite-herself, she rehearsed Solomon's proposal: each word as it had been spoken, until, suddenly, like the handwriting upon the wall, there stood forth theso words: " Every morning your chimbly is the first thing I look at—" Had he meant it? Did he still turn his eyes with the coming of morning light down the little hill which lay between them ? Did her lonely chimney still claim his thoughtful care ?

Five minutes later the dark plot was formed and Miss Tirzah was hurrying about her preparations for the.-nigbt with cheeks that burned with fires she had thought long since gone out forever.

The following morning more astonished creatures there could not be than were the kittens, cat, cow, hens, and canary of Miss Tirzah Hitchcock. Something certainly had gone wrong.

• Six o'clock came, and the stable door was not opened by the brisk mistress. Half-past (i, and still no lire in the kitchen stove. Seven o'clock, and no breakfast yet for the mistress and her indignant dependents. Loud and angry rose the protest of Urindle from her snug stall, while the old cat and canary did their best to stir things up inside.

Meanwhile, bidden by the parlor curtains, crouched Miss Tirzah, wrapped in a huge red and green shawl, her heart fluttering between shame and dread, while her eyes watched with fevered anxiety the house just up the hill.

Oh! how pitifully foolish now looked her deep-laid scheme when faced in the broad light of day. Of course, he had forgotten, years ago, to watch her chimney. What was it to him now whether she had a lire or not? She would go this very minute and build it. She

Why, what was that ? Some one was coming out of Solomon's front door. Some one—why, it was Solomon himself, creeping forth as if he had just been engaged in stealing his own spoons and was now making oil with them to a place of hiding. Where was he going ? The heart of Tirzah stood still for one long and nerve-destroying second, then it went on again with such a hammering and commotion beneath the red and green shawl that a less plucky woman would have fled for the camphor bottle ou the instant. Solomon was coining down the hill straight toward her tiny home. Coming, it is true, not as the conquerors come, with bold and martialtread, but alter a timid, slinky fashion of a man who has had his last timid advances in that direction scorned.

When it was certain p.st all shadow of a doubt that he was coming into the house, Tirzah, the crafty creature, betook heiself to the cane-seated rocker, where, draped to the chin in the big shawl, she waited with palpitating heart for the timid knock which at length sounded on the door. " Come in," she then culled feebly, at which the door was opened cautiously, inch by inch, until the entire figure of the middleaged lover was disclosed to view.

At the sight of Tirzah, bundled up and in the armchair, all of his hesitation vanished.

" Why, Tirzah, arc you took sick ?" came in the loud, cheery voice which had not sounded in the room for five years past, " An' it's cold enough iu here to freeze the hair oil a dog's back. Let me fix you a lire."

In a few moments a cheerful lire was roaring up the chimney. To bo sure, there were more chips on the floor than Miss Tirzah would have scattered in a twelve-month, and the eat was' spitting out her indignation in a remote corner over an injury done her sleek tail by the heavy hoot of Miss Tirzah's new fireman.

Tirzah, however, noticed neither the chips for the anger of her cat. Not redder than her cheeks was the blazing fire, for Solomon had taken courage and was sitting beside her, inquiring kindly when she " was took," and if be shouldn't go and "fetch the doctor ?"

I' You see, Tirzah," he said with a guilty laugh, " I allers look at your ohimbly the fust thing in the mornin'—l've kinder got into the habit. I know you don't like it, but —he-why, Tirzah, woman, whatever ails ye?"

'.' Solomon," cried Tirzah, and she almost screamed it in her excitement, •' I—l do like it. I—oh—Solomon-f didn't build a lire a purpose." And Solomon . He rose then and there and kissed her!—