come home the next spring for a visit.

This, thought Nig, will be my time of release.
I shall go back with him.

From early dawn until after all were retired,
was she toiling, overworked, disheartened, long-
ing for relief.

Exposure from heat to cold, or the reverse,
often destroyed her health for short intervals.
She wore no shoes until after frost, and snow
even, appeared; and bared her feet again before
the last vestige of winter disappeared. These
sudden changes she was so illy guarded against,
nearly conquered her physical system. Any
word of complaint was severely repulsed or cru-
elly punished.

She was told she had much more than she
deserved. So that manual labor was not in
reality her only burden; but such an incessant
torrent of scolding and boxing and threatening,
was enough to deter one of maturer years from
remaining within sound of the strife.

It is impossible to give an impression of the
manifest enjoyment of Mrs. B. in these kitchen
scenes. It was her favorite exercise to enter
the apartment noisily, vociferate orders, give