Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1858-06-30
From the Southern Magazine
EASY W A 4 r E N.
BY w1rLlAx T. cOoesHALL.
ICOnelu1edI

L0etN~A1-~@
RAYMOND Warren did not hear ehanticleer
salute the morning, as it dawned alter the night
of his grievous disappointment 1t was spring
time, and the birds were singing merrily, but be
heard them not; yet he heard his wife, who
had risen before the sun, call him:
Mr.. Warren, here I've been for an hour in
the cold. The woods all burned. It's time
had some cut. If you want any breakfast, you
had better get up"
Was Raymond dreamingl Was this a TOice
Of Teproach that came to him in his sleeP,with
recollections Of the wife that had gone before
him TO the spirit lard Not so-it was a voice
from thhe wife tat dwelt with him in this sphere
of existence, that came to remind him Of duties
not discharged, upon the performance Of which
depended the satisfaction Of those desires which
had intruded visions Of feasts upon his hours
Of rest All this he felt, still he did not offer to
leave his couch
RAYMOND Warren" again said the voice,
you left me yesterday without wood, to helPa
neiehbor get wood for his wife, and you went
to bed last night without your supper. You'll
not get bite TO eat in this house till you bring
me wood to cook with"
There's plenty Of chips" said Raymond,
in palliation, rising on his elbow as be spoke.
s.Set up, then, and bring them into the house,
said the resolute wife. " / didn't know you
when We were married, but know you now.
know what killed your first wife. You want
to make slave of me- III attend 70 my duties;
but if you don't do your chores, the cattle may
starve, and you'll never get bite to eat IN this
house unless you take it uncOoked, if you don't
cut wood yourself sr get somebody TO do It for
you"
\ not many minutes before be was at the wood
uiIe. Diligently did be work until be had
cut an armful, and like dutifnl husband,
for the first time in his life, he carried 1t into
the kitchen. Az ,a
His wife made no allusion to what had passed
between them, and Raymond, although burning
with curiosity 10 know where she had learned
what she had revealed to him, dared not COM
mence conversation in relation TO it. The
/ train of ills it might revive was fearful to the
easy mans mind His breakfast over, forget
/ fol of its lesson, careless Raymond wandered
away from home, his necessary morning labOts
in his farm-yard unattended TO, and his wood
nile upvisited. He returned home at noon,
strong in the faith that he should sit down to
a good dinner, because he was one of those
men who think that wife should always give
her husband a good dinner, whether she have
zny thing to cook OF not Mrs Warren had
enough 10 cook, but nothing to cook with
however. much to Raymond's satisfaction, when
he entered his house he found the table spread
a. q he knew he should soon be invited to take
. seat near it.
When the invitation came, he hastened TO bis
accustomed seat, lifted the cover from q dish
that he supposed contained meat; and, truly
there was meat, but Just as It came from the
butchers. Raymond was not a csnnibal ht
looked at his wife inquiringly I; she appeared tC
I = n, uar.yaI -
the cover Of another dish there were potatOe.
Just as they had been dug from the earth. Al
The dishes that usually contained victuals were
were covered. Raymond grew suspicious, aDC
he lifted the covers hastily. There was breaC
as IT had come from the tray there were tur
nips that had never been under the influence O
ire 4 there were apples handsomely sliced fol
sauce, and there were numerous other edibles
but none of them could Raymond eat H,
turned for consolation to cup Of tea his wifi
had deposited near his plate. There were te:
leaves floating in the cup, but the tea looked re
markably pale nevertheless, Raymond, BY fore
of habit, blew it vigorously TO prepare it for hi
palate. But when be pot it 70 his lips, b.
found that be had wasted his breath for thl
tedier was as cold as when it came from tn
spring.
Raymond was not hasty man. He push
ed back his char deliberately, and though
aloud
"In the name Of Heaven, what does thi
mean I"
Mrs. Warren, whose eountenance during TIN
scene had worn q sober aspect, now smilei
pleasantly and answered
"a The vietuals were all on the stove at tn
usual time 4"
FITS strange they were not cooked" saii
Raymond.
"a not at ALL" replied Mrs. Warren " ther
was no wood to cook them with"
In an instant Easy Warren then saw what
"moral there was in his novel dinner, an,
Eith keen appetite, he went to work on tn
vood-pile. He took his dinner and supper 70
gether that day, and he remembered that Mrs
Warren said:
!" Now, Raymond, whenever you leave nj
without wood. you must eat vietuals that hav,
been cooked on a cold stove"
Many women would have stOrmed and scoldeS
but MIS-. Warren knew there was better wa
to correct her easy husbands carelessDess o.
shifilessness, as the reader pleases
4 0ne day there was no -four in the house, anC
Raymond was about to go with some neighbOu
to town meeting vhea his wife hid his bes
coat, and reminded him Of the empty -four bar
rel Another day. his corn was to be gathered
when a neighbor desired him to assist him witt
MS horses and wagon. It was a neighbor wh,
often received favors, but seldom rendered them
yet Easy Warren could not refuse him. Blu
when he went to hitch his hogses before hii
wagon, he found that one Of the wheels va
missing OF course the neighbor was disap
pointed In the afternoon, when Raymond ex
pressed q wish to draw his corn, his wife tOlC
him where he could find the lost wagon. wheel
Thus was Easy Warrsn's household managed
until he began to realize practically what tn
error Of his life had been. People said. " War
rens farm looks much better than it did som,
years ago." Ms. Wauen never interfered witl
Raymond's business, excePt when be negleete'
il, and then she never found fault or scolded
but took occasion 70 show his neglect 70 him I
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