Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1862-01-02
FIVE MINUTES WORK.

I1eIe, Lizzie, wish you would put :
few stitches into my coal-it's a getting
too shabby"
SIT is SO, Frank, but, really, l think yo,
had best take If 10 the tailor"
'.Fake it 10 tie ,ail-rl BY George, hut
that's a huge idea. Why, there's not five
minutes work to be done, and the tailor
would charge dollar"
81 suppose he would; bu, l don't sc,
how can d" it to-day. Walter is freifu
and you know l,e kept me awake nearly Al!
night"
Little imp! it does seem TO me there
never was so cross a Young one"
"Oh, no, Frauk, he's not cross, but he.
teerllris."
"Always some excuse. Well, you mus,
mend my coat, anyhow"
an try and fiud time"
"Trv. Just let him squall; twill dc
him gnod-sirengilien his lungs"
"l'Iien, YOU kn..w, lis iro,lin. day"
"Wcll, how many mo.c excuses? Ill
put it on rips and all, if You are going to
make such Il fuss"
"Oh, no, Frank; did not mean 10 make
fuss; but lis a long job, and one am
not mncil used to; and with my dinner 10
get, and baby, aud ironing, do net se..,
YET, how | tan dc il. But LII DO my
BEST"
Such was the conversation that passed
between a young husband and wife Of
eighteen mouths standing.
frank Barton WIS what the world calls
Il real driver. He made anything that
went through his hands inure 10 bis bene-
fiji. Every bhy liked him because he was
frank, and witiIal SO honest aud upright in
all his dealings with his customers. He
was well educated for Il business man, lived
in society, had made up his mind that he
Could support wife, and, according to
his reckoning, could have something To
boot. Yes, to be sure he could. There
WIS six dollars week for board, one dol
lar "a d. zen for washing, and then quarters
and dimes for taking his lady acquaintan-
ces 10 ride, TO the theater, 10 ice-cream sa-
looms, balls, operas, etc.
"By George" he exclaimed, as he cast
up his yearly account, "illat's huge. Its
enuugh 10 ireak fellow. A thousand
year. 1t won't do. Ill marry and settle
down."
so he applied TO Lizzie Forsyth, the
best and kndest girl among his acquain,-
ces, TO h Up him along in his good resolves,
aud WAS soon in possession of that admi-
able burden, "to be supln'rlcd'-a wife.
Liszie was good, sensible girl, and
vas soon ined of boarding. A snu.
house was rented, aid The work of sup
porting Il wife began in earnest. The five
rooms cost two hundred a year, and prclti
ly furnished. Lizzie preferred Il, d., her
own work and washing, and, being expert
To make a dollar extra. Then, as it was a
little lonesome for Frank. lie br,uch; hulllc
several day buarIer>, at four dollars week.
Sill, with all this, he wuul,! tell lis ac-
quahiances how much less it would cost
hlm TO live. How he supported Il wife
he never seemed to reaiiz.. for rluliient
tina, she il was " ho saved all these xpen
>rs, and u at if he lad not carried d .llar,
her busy hands would have paid The reul
and kept him from starving.
So the matter stood when he asked her
10 mrnd his Coat. Lizz;.. drew deep >i-l,
after h. was c"nr, aid hurried her dishes
rs last as l"'>>ilr.
Tire c,'at Wa, of broa,!cl"ih, ami was
his wedding ga'mrnl; but II WAS well
nigh wearing ouI, broken und-r the arms,
ila cord and lining in rags, tn. slrerc H.
nings broken loose, bullous WON uif-in
fihe, there was near y, if not quite days
work. She sat dcwn 10 Tie coat with
hearty good will, determined 10 do her
best. Her needle flew, but every moment
II bad 10 BE- laid down la see To dinner, or
hu>i, The baby. The hours wore away.
I'd, lhonsii she did all she possibly could
the job Was still unfinished al sun-down.
walter cried iucrs.anlly. He louk-d
pale, and his eyes were dim. She remem-
br'cd Franks words, "ie, him sq,lall, y and
did let him cry a half hour or more. 0,
how it Worried her Ia hear her darlIng cry.
The Tears swan in her eyes as she thought
of her liaid days work, aud of the wanl
OF appreciation OF her labor. She knew
lha, she WAS making the '.aul coat lo''k
an,aisl as well as new He would never
think Of the toll she had put upon il.
Aud what if he DON'T" she mentally
.jaculalcd; 81 shall in my own s,iril know
a nave done, and that is enough" Still
she WAS longing with sickeniny heart, To
have her labrr recognized, 10 hear him
now aud then speak as if her work was Of
sume avail. "There is not more than five
minutes work, and the taller would charge
NE d"llar," kept ringing in her ear.
But Lizzie was strong y-hearle !, as well
rs loving a:.d dutilul. She shook off her
dl>carienI, put on smiling face, took up
the baby and sung her preitiesl lullaby,
carried him around, with his little hand ON
her shoulder while she filled the tea-kel
tie and set The table, now and then sitting
him in the cradle, aud cl,irping TO him, as
she did these things that required both OF
ner hands. Thus she worried through sup
per getting, aud with much managing had
all things ready by the time Frauk came
i'll with his companions.
ANY coat done, Lizzie!"
"N", not quite"
That's woman for We, boys. Ohe
half Of them would let husband 60 out
at the elbows week before they would
turn aside from any plan Of theirs. Amt
:n.,..