Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1861-10-04
rHE HoME ETFE OF a WoMAN.


Brown, as she brought q chair from the ran
and Sic against the wall, abd offered It to be
'neighbor, Mr.. Jones. 10 performing this hos
piiable action, Nrs. Brown called the ghost 0
n smile to her face, and 10 the care.woru fea
tures could be seen signs of beauty an,
sweetness that time and trouble were stealth,
| from her She resumed her seat and Will,
rocking the era lie, YEARLY proceeded TO pare
quarter and core the apples in the pan besid,
her, while she discodrsed in this. wise to th,
strong. hearty looking farmer who sat oPpO
site:. -'l 'iA
mo, John Isn't in. Mr, Jones. He's gon,
to the village to hear about secession-some
thing or other. I can't keep track of il, T'r
so hurried and triei. 'Tugged with fortune
and wearied with disaIef,' as my uiother used
to say" ,-
"You mean to say you haint any patriotismi
doat care what those rascally fire eaters do
any how, suppose; little odds to you wheth-
er Major Anderson holds out or moi" Mr..
Jones said this il . wondering, gOod'natured-
way ~ -,.-.,...-f........ t.-r.
..NOw, look here, neigbbor,"" and into Mrs.
Browns pale check a faint crimson crept and
,wayered uncertainty, then stationed itself in
the unaccustomed place. Look here. neighbor,
you know thai hen OF ours-tbe speckied one,
that's so lannon's for raising chickens You
know how she worries. over EN-, and clucks
aud scratches and watches for EN-, and gets
poor and fretted like 50 she's nothing at last but
a bundle of bones and feathers-but the chick
Gus come through all right-fat and plump and
brighteyed. You know old Fuss-that's the
name John gave her-never minds what she
eats, or how heavy the rain pelts down upon
her, and isn't afraid Of any thing for the chick
ems sake. Well, somehow think I'm like the
poor old hen"
Mrs Brown dropped her knife and bent over
the cradle moment. Farmer Jones didn't no
tice the tear that fell on the baby's check
''You see, neigabor," the woman went on,
when my heart and hand are full Of thoughts
and work for John and the ehldIen-Of how
/ can manage 10 save here, and get along with
out this, and make that last beyond all reason
II don't have much time left TO think about
these politics, or anything beyond this room we
live in. But used to have thoughts OatSid:
OF this, about the countries away over the sO;l"
and the woman's eyes had a far-Of HOurnful
look in them. ain geography, remember how
liked to learn about EN-, and then Thought
NAV be Id see all those beautiful things some
DAY; you know girls have their iancies- Bat
I've giveu all that up. 'Tisn' easy 10 90 'wo1!-
gathering when spe blb's toes coming out of
his stockings, and Johns mittens needing
patch I'm afraid yon men don't make hardly
allowance enough for us, always. We're MT so
strong Us you, and then our work is diff rent
You are out in the fresh air and sunshine, but
we stay in the house and don't have much
Change. You go TO market, and haul wood aid
straw, and meet your ncighbors aud have a
pleasant word with them, but we sec the same
thin IS day after day, and get lonesome soma
times, ana wonder why We were put into such
kind Of hves as these.
Then it's trying TO a woman's narveS-thc ,
kind of work sh, has to do. 'riSn't like plow
ing and sowing aud driving horses; that's heavy
work, TO be sure, but then you're strong to do
it. Bat We have such particular, careful work.
Now, there is bread-making-yo don't know
how much worry there is about it. You must
take so mnch into the account, ;he kind Of
-four, the kind Of wood you have TO make your
fire, the yeasi; all these are changing, and you
must make allowan; es for this. You must let
the bread rise just so much, and fix the,dampcrs
just right and handle it SO careful. Why, DIR. |
D-told me that is like managing chemicals; /.
and he said men that had to walk with ehpmi- /
Gals were the most nervous kind, becaus: ihty I
were so full of thoughts and care. Then there
preserves and pickles, anil cakes and coffee |
You don't know anything about the care and !
trouble it is to get them up so nice. when you !
The coffee, creamed ts the color that suits you
You don't know how tiresome it is to feel so
much care always on you, nor how much pa |
tience and watching it takes before a turkey or |
roast is done to turn"
Mr.. Jones looked steadily at his neighbor |
while she talked. She paused q moment to re
plcnish the fire. He sat in kind of maze. with
out offering her any assistance. Finding he did |
moi speak, she continued
"And so you see, with all these things, |
don't think much about what's going on out |
side, that you and John talk about though l |
often wish could. And think, somehow, I'm i
like our old hen spoke of, for don't mind |
much about myself Issee that I'm getting to |
stoop more every year, andihere aregray hairs
on my temples, though I'm not thirty yet. The
wrinkles are so plain, too, on my forehead, !
am sorry; John thought was so pretty, years
ago. remember how straight and slim used |
10 be, and 1 had nice brown hair aud red /
cheeks. Dear me! there hasn't been bit of /
color in them for years. John is always good |
and kind, but he don't know how worried get,
most every dsy, and when speak short and |
'retful sometimes, he looks surprised and says, /
w nat Mary, is it you speaking in such voice
as that?'
Mr.. Jones looked up in wondering kind of
way. "Why, never thought OF this before"
he said. Inever thought women's work wasn't
much. any way. But see you're right
According to your strength, you have the
hardest time. We work hard, but then, as
you say, we're stronger, and have more varie-
ly =; and then at evening we rest. I'm glad
you spoke so, Mrs Brown. I'll be more con-
;idcrate toward the women. I'd advise you
10 keep hiied girl only they re such cross vex-
ing things"
mo, / don't think so" Mrs. Brown replied.
: Hired girls are abused too. They have the
same troubles that have, almost No won,
der they complain sometimes, who have cause
always. We ought to be sorry for them anil
remember their troubles. And then, John can't
nfford to keep hired girl; wouldn't let him.
No, there's no way Tor me- but to keep on
working and worrying till can't do any more,
and then they'll lay me away where lis quiet
md shall rest. But" and her eyes grew
bright. 'the children win grow up tall and
strong, and if my life goes to nourish theirs, /
suppose IT'S all the same. And got 1 sometimes
wish my life had been brighter eOe."
A L 81
It's touch was gentle as her mothers might have
been; firm, manly voice, said:
"Your life shall be bright one, Mary, God
help me make it so.'
She turned quickly, exc!aiming in her sad,