The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1858-06-12

u
short, stern words.
lie moistencd her lips with wine, bath
ed her forehead with cologne, chafed her
fingers, and imprinted many sweet kisses
90 her cheoks-snd poor Mrs. Lee, fee
BILE as she felt, was happier at that mo-
ment than she had been for months. The
distracting fear that by short comings in
menial labor she had lost her husbands
love was gone entirely, and beautiful
peace was in her heart, and seothed by
his gentle care and dear caresses, she
sank at length into quiet sleep.
Softly he stole from her with the baby
aud George in his arms, and began the
daily toll he had ever so sternly exacted
from his wife. Rc-kindllng the fire, he
first attempted the washing and dressing
Of the little ones, aud before he had fin
ishcd that task he had ceased to wonder
entirely that their mother was occasion
ally few minutes behind with the break
fast. The greatest mystery was how she
ever got through in season; for he, by the
clock, was full hour in getting through
with Rose and George, the little girl be-
ing so daubed with molasses that he had
to plunge her into tub Of water as the
only way Of cleansing her dimped limbs,
aud the little boy, taking advantage of
his fathers back being turned, having
played with the coal hod until he looked
more like darkey child than the son of
u thin white face
BY the time those two were finished off
the baby set up her claims for little at
tention, she having been kept quiet by
Mr.. Lee giving her, not exactly the
looking glass and the hammer, but his
wife's spool-box, with its hundred and
one neat balls of cotton. A tangled mass
they were now, more difficult to unravel
than life's mysteries, and in constcrna-
tion at what he had done, he tossed the
whole mass into tho glowing fire. Then
he undertook to feed the child, and by
the time he had finished there was about
as much pap on bis and her garments, as
in her little stomach. And then come
the wearisome task of putting her to sleep.
First he trotted her, then be walked with
her, then he rocked her, and finally in
despair he tossed her into the cradle, and
told her to lie still and shut her eyes, in
stead of which she opened her mouth and
cried Justify.
'How on earth do women put babies
to sleep?" exclaimed he, as he again lift
cd it to his knees.
i tell you, pa, you must do so, hud-
ding the child to his bosom, "and then
you must rock very softly, and sing, oh
so sweet and so little, (meaning low, just
like little sick bird, and then Nellie 60
to sleep"
He tried the directions, and succeeded
ut length in lulling the baby into slum-
Der, and prayed from the bottom of his
heart that that nap might last the whole
day
Nine o clock, and no breakfast yet He
set ut work at once about cooking it, for
it was already prepared. He had always
boasted to his wife about his culinary tai
ents. He drew out some Goals aud put
down the steak. Then he put on the
griddle, and made the coffee. And now
such nice cakes as he would bake. He
had always been particular about having
hot cakes for breakfast; and his wife
could never make him believe that it was
a serious chore to stand over the stove
and bake cakes, tend to the other cook
ing, aud mind the children. But he
did believe her after the mornings expe-
rience. First, the griddle was too hot,
and half dozen black-a-m moors were flung
into the swill pail; and then it was too
cold, and dozen white livered Jumps of
raw batter followed; then, when the heat
was just right, he forgot them while ten
ding to the steak, which had dried away
to the consistency Of sole leather, aud the
cakes he had dropped on it, fried away
till they were as palatable as a mummy S
cheek. "Confound them," cried he,
.thcy won't bake this morning, any way,
and | believe I'd rather eat cold bread
than waste any more time on them And
he flung the whole into the pigs mess
and set down to his meal Helping the
children was a trying affair. "Goodness
me, how you do eat this morning." said
he: "why, can't get a chance to put
anything into my own mouth. How un-
der the sun your mother finds time to cat,
| don't see' All, Mr.. Lee, don't you
begin to think that women have some
thing to do?
The breakfast over, there was the ia
BILE to clear, the dishes to wash, the pots
and pans to scour, the floor to clean, aud
all the morning work to do. The bells
rang for twelve ere he had finished, and
then he felt it was only half done. ! be-
lieye I've got through" said he, as he
wiped his hands Of the dishwater and the
whole affair.
"No you amt pa" said Rose, "you
amt BACKED the stove, nor filled the
lamps, nor made the beds, nor milked the
COW, nor got the dinner; you be very la
Nv to what ma is.'
"Out of the mouths of babes,' mutt
tered he. 81 guess, however, that the
stove, and the lamps, and the beds will
have to wait; but the COW, she must be
MIXED
YES, and you amt SKINNED the pans,
nor churned, nor fed the piggy; you bent
half so smart as my ma.
"Well, you hush up, little chatter-box," I"
said he, as he took the pail and went to
the shed. II begin to believe woman s
work is never done,--l thank the Lord
he made me mar"
When he returned, little Rose met him
with pitiful face. MA is crying" said
she; "shc feels so bad, she most die"
He hurried to the bed room and found
much room for fear, his wife being almost
frenzied with agony. Hastily summon
ing a peighbor, he ran for physician