"
"Don't depend on me," said Jerry, now arousing himself and
sauntering to the fire; "I hardly ever feel well,"--complaining was
Jerry's especial forte, an excuse for all his laziness; yet his
appetite never failed; and when, as was sometimes the case, one of
the neighbours sent a small piece of meat, or any little article of
food to his wife, under the plea of ill health he managed to
appropriate nearly the whole of it. He was selfishness embodied, and
a serious injury to his family, as few cared to keep him up in his
laziness.
One evening, a few days later, Mrs. Cole, who had been absent
several hours, came in looking very tired, and after laying aside
her old bonnet and shawl, informed them that she had obtained a
place for Johnny. It was four miles distant, and the farmer's man
would stop for him on his way from town, the next afternoon. What a
beautiful object was farmer Watkins's homestead, lying as it did on
the sunny slope of a hill; its gray stone walls, peeping out from
between the giant trees that overshadowed it, while everything
around and about gave evidence of abundance and comfort. The thrifty
orchard; the huge barn with its overflowing granaries; the sleek,
well-fed cattle; even the low-roofed spring-house, with its
superabundance of shining pails and pans, formed an item which could
hardly be dispensed with, in the _tout ensemble_ of this pleasant
home.
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