disadvantage. He had a word of praise and encouragement
and approval for every housewife in the neighborhood except--his own.
Whatever went wrong, in doors or out, "'Liz'beth" was the direct or
indirect cause.

During the first five years of her married life, Elizabeth made
strenuous exertions to please her husband. She wept her sweet eyes dim
over her repeated failures. Then she found that she had been attempting
an impossible labor, and grew passively indifferent--an indifference
which lasted until death kindly released her.

Elizabeth had been a tidy housekeeper during these first years.

"You'd scrub and scour a man out 'er house an' home!" was all the praise
her husband gave her for her order and cleanliness; and to his
neighbors, to whom he was fond of paying informal visits, he would often
say--"Liz'beth's at it again--sweepin' and cleanin', so I cleared out.
Never see _her_ without out a broom in her hand. I'd a good deal rather
have a little more dirt, than so much tearin' 'round. 'Liz'beth tires
me, with her ways."

Yet, when in the indifference of despair which seized upon Elizabeth
before her death, she allowed her house to look after itself, Anson was
no better satisfied.

"I've come over to find a place to set down," he would tell his
neighbors. "'Liz'beth's let things 'cumulate, till the house is a sight
to see--she's gettin' dreadful slack, somehow. A man likes order when he
goes home to rest from all his cares."

Even when she died she displeased him by choosing a busy season for the
occasion.

"Just like 'Liz'beth, to die in hayin' time," he said. "Everything got
to stop--hay spoilin'--men idle. Women never seem to have no system
about work matters--no power of plannin' things, to make it convenient
like for men folks."

Yet after she was gone, Anson found how much help she had been to him,
how wonderful her economy had been, how light her expenditures. He knew
he could never find any one to replace her, in these respects, and as
money considerations were the main ones in his mind he believed it would
be the better economy to remain a widower, and hire his work done.

So during those most critical years of Ben's life, he had been without a
woman's guidance or care.

At eighteen he was all that arrogance, conceit, selfishness, and high
temper could render him. Yet he was a favorite with the fair sex for all
that, as he had a manly figure, and a warm, caressing way when he chose,
that won t