The Weekly Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, O. [Ohio]) 1861-1???, 1862-05-28

the young men did not see the deep flush of pai
that passed over her weary features,
"Will you bring in pitcher of water please,
she said pleasantly, not seeming to have heard tn
question.
There il is again when was batch ha
nothing to do but hand my coat over TO a tailor
pay him dollar, and it was done in jiffy and NJ
grumbling. No water to fetch when fellow is tir
| cd either'
| Lizzie was tired, sad and nervous want of sleep
and the exhaustion incident to nursing her beauti
full boy - now so near sick the hurrying to ge
time for the mending. not to speak Of the disap
pointment of putting aside all her own plans, thu
throwing her baking and ironing into one day, 70
both must be done on the morrow, or the clethe
would mildew, and they do without bread - all thi
was too much. Lizzie could not endure his badi
mage, though helf playful, for she knew aud knew
well, that if some such thoughts were not in hi
mind, they would not have found their way to hi
| lips.
She hastily set the biscuits upon the table. AM
| saying simply supports ready" stepped into tn
| bedroom and burst into tears. You may call he
| foolish, | do not. You might as well ask th
withered leaves not to fall, when the Autumn gall
| sweeps through them; as we'll ask the flowers no
to suffer the morning dews to exhale in the sun
shine, as to ask tender, loving, sensitive wife t.
withhold her tears when she knows she is wrong
ed - she may look cheerful - an hour after brigh
as the sky when the cloud has passed, but sh,
must feel and it is only when her beautiful patur,
is destroyed, when as is often the case the yer,
traits of character which won husbands love il
the beginning oblitesated when love turns t.
hate, that she can from him bear the slight or ex
action with unmoved indifference.
LizzieS tears did not flow long her heart gaineC
its natural relief, and after pretending she was get
ting Walter to sleep (Which she actually did) sh,
she bathed her eyes ard came out, washed hei
dishes, and sat down again to the coat.
Frank sat watching her flying fingers for an houl
or two, as he laughed and talked with his friends
thinking to himself that every turn would be the
last. AT nine O'Clock she set the last stitch. New
facngs had been put in, and new poekeS, the holes
under the arms neatly patched and darned, new
cuffs, new buttons, and new Innings all round. As
she finished she looked mp with still shade of sad
ness upon her brow:
There, Frank, have mendcd your coat thor
"Quite job, wasn't ii it took longer than
thought" said he deprecatngly.
=" How much clear cash have you made to-day
Frank !" asked Lizzie in an earnest tone
"What do you want to know for ?" was his an
swer.
For my own satisfaction. Certainly | should
feel an interest in all your affairs"
swell, think the shop has cleared twenty doll
lars"
How much do you count your services worth ?"
Not less than five dollars a day."
'' How many hours do you labor?"
"Ten is legal time nowadays don't generally
work that many. But what's all these questions
for ?"
Because, Frank, we are husband and wife. We
expect to live the rest of our lives together and if
there Is harmony in our marriage relation there
must be justice and right. You call upon me daily
to appreciate your labors and remind me of the
comfort and support you are giving me, and feel
can appreciate anything you do You have earn
ed five dollars to-day. And the shop has cleared
twenty. Yet to save you one dollar have worked
hours on your coat, and six in getting your
break asst, dinner and supper and making your home
pleasant and comfortable. To save YOU that dollar
have had to hurry all day, to put my work out of
line, and to really neglect our darling boy, who
should be our first care, and the last thing that
should under any circumstances be set aside.
know you had thought nothing about all this,
Frank; so shall freely forgive you, but must in
sst that hereafter must be my own Judge of what
work had best do, and shall not expect to be
tbrna baor ,r ho
willing to do my duty"
Frank felt the force OF her words and sat silent.
One thing more, Frank, want to say while |
am about it. l don't want you to talk about sup
porting your wife. will not be supported while
am able to support myself. ! find, on looking over
our books, that the profits of my labor amount to
five dollars week, and the board of yourself and
the baby besides. Then l do all your extra work
and my own. All this saving has gone into your
capital to be inEested, and to help you make your
twenty dollars day. Out Of this eopl the five
dollars you call the worth of your days labor
while must work with really weary limbs and
aching head and eyes, to save dollar the mend
.n0 Of an old coat, which when done wouldnot sell
for the amount of your ten hpuro' work"
'You make out pretty strong case against me,
Lizzie"
"No, Frank, not case against you; l could not
do that but am stating facts One thing more.
have been at work three hours since supper while
you have been idle, not even rocking the cradle,
which have been obliged to do half dozen
tines"
I" Lizzie don't say another word, and I'll never do
so again." cried Frank, springing from his chair,
to jog the cradle where the sweet boy was nesting
"you shell never mend another coat"
"Ies, but will, answered Lizzie advancing to
the cradle, "only don't tell me ten hours work can
be done in five minutes, nor ask me to let the baby
'squall again"
She lifted Walter from the cradle. They stoop-
ed to kiss his fair, rosy check, but mistake
and kissed each other, while Frank whispered -
God bless you, Lizzie / Iever thought of all
this before. Iwon't do it again"
Six years have gone by, and Frank has kept his
word.