"don't Tell Betsey Jane."

" And for your lifo don't teil Betsey Jane ! " Mr. Nwodomus üarling, having uttered this caution in a low, earnest tone of voicc, alightod froni a Concord wagon in front of his own farm-house door, and there stood fora few minutos in a brown study, watching the figure of his brotheriu-law and lawyer, as ho drove back tuw;ml the vülage of AV , whenco ho had just como. " Don't teil Betscy Jane ! " Now, Betscy Jane was Mr. Nicodenius Harding's wife - a stirring, noblo soul, who made more butter md oheese, and took more eggs and fowls to the city markets, in the ccmise of the season, than any other woman for miles around. Streng, healthy and hearty, sliu "made the housework fly," to uso her own energetic expression ; and if Mr. Nicodemus Harding owned his farm that day, and was wvll-to-do, in fact, a rich man to boot, it was owing in no small muasure to the skil!, evergy, eoenomy and general go-ahead-atiyeness of his Botsey Jane. Wliat was it then, tliat the ungrateful man was not about to teil Betsey Jaue ? "It would never do, nevor," thought Nicodemug to himself, shaking his head. " She'd be wanting a new carpet, or a new silk gown, or the house paintod over, or some such nonscnso. No, the woman ïs the weaker vessel, and it won't do to trust one too for. Their heads won't stand it." Si ilr. Nicodcmus passod through the housend out toward the barn, with the pre-occupied air of a hen that has an egg to lay and don't know where to hide it from the e_ves of mankind to the best advantage. The kitchen was empty and silcnt as hc went through it. But, oh, if he could have seen the buxora, good looking female who stole silently out of tho pantry, and silently followed him on his way to the barn. Mrs. Harding came back in about twouty minutes or so, her face red with suppressed laughter. " Don't teil Betscy Jane,'" she said, giggling into hei-gingham apron. " You are a Tery smart man, Nieodemus ; and my brothrr, Tira Vose, is another, and a Lawyer into the bargain. 'Don't teil Beteer Jane,' isdeed! Two wretchcs! You deserve all you'U get pretty soon." Bötsey Jano said no more, but bided her time. A week passed away, and Tim's wagon drove up again to the door and was off to the village once more. Betsey Jane liad asked in vain to go. Nicodcmus was bound on business - "business whieli a woman could not understand," he loftily explained to her. Bo, aftel watching her lord and master out of sight, Betsey Jane tramt about hor business that a woman could understand, with a merry twinkle in her bright, black eyes. At 4 p. m. Nicodcmus returued home again, looking quito as impoitant as boforc. Ho tip-tocd along through the house, Betsey Jane watching him from the corner of her eye all the while. Ho passed out into the shed. A fragrant smcll of smoke came forward to moet ïim - an odor of burning eoni cobs and jradually cuiing ham. Nicodomns turncd doadly palo, and run 'rantically forward to fiml a Ure smoullering in the ash housOj and a largo ham or two, cóverod by blankets, lianging lacidly thero. The yell he gave brought ietsoj Jane from the house instanter,, to ind Nioodemus groreling before the ash ïole door, weeping and wailing and tearng his hair, and ntteiing yell after yell of anguish and despnir. " Why, bless me ! " What's the matter ? Are you in a fit ? Lot mo run for the camphor ! " shrieked Betsev Jane. " Uamphor ! Bnng aisemc . Bnng prussic acid ! Bring poisob of tOlBe kind - (ison ! - pison ! - pison ! " yelled NicoIcnius, tVantionlly. " Woman, you've ruined me! TwelvP fhousand in Government bonda did I put in that ash hole ÊOI aafety just a week ago, and you'v gone and Durned them up to cook that cursrd bacon ! Pison! 3'ison ! And let me go oüt of tliis dreary world!" "Oh! So that wns wliat you wcro not agoing to teil Botsey June ! Ain't you ashumed of yourself, Nicodemus Harding?" NioódeBmS could not nnsiver. IIo lay prostrato in the ashes and ltowled. "Gatup - and don't bc a fooi!" Baii Botsey Jane, ainiably. " J heard you am bnitlicr Tim oonspirinp; that day at tli door, and I watohed you to the ash hole and soon found what you hid fcheri " Woman is the flreaJter vessel, 110 doubt, but sho don't generally put twclve thousand dollars where the first match that comes handy can burn it up ! Here are your bonds - Nicodcmus - lor ten thousiind. I have kept two - for honesty." Poor Nicodcmus ! He gathered himself up out oi' the aahes, and took his bonds - waal WM tíii oí ilion. thinks it pnys best, on tho whole, now, to teil Botsoy Jone !