Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1862-02-14
The Home Life of a Woman.

"a WomanS Work Is never zone, SAID
Mrs. Brown, as she brought chair from
the rank file against the wall, aud offered
it 10 her neighbor, Mr.. Jones. In perform
ing this hospitable action, Mrs. Brown
called the ghost of q smile TO her face, aud
in the care. worn features could be seen
signs of beauty and sweetness that time
and trouble were stealing from her. She
resumed her seat and while rocking the
cradle wearily proceeded to pare, quarter
and core the apples in the pan beside her.
while she discoursed in THIS wise to the
strong, hearty-looking farmer who SAT OPP
posite.
"No John isn't in, Mr.. Jones' He's gone
to the village to hear about Secession
something or other | can't keep track Of
it, I'm 80 hurried and tired. Tugged with
fortune and wearied with disaster as my
mother used to say
you mean to say you ain any patriot
ism-don't care what those rascalty fire.
eaters do any how, suppose; Little cd Is 10
you whether Major Anderson holds our or
not" Mr.. Jones said this in wondering,
good-natured way.
snow, look here, neighb0r," aud into
Mrs. Browns pale cheek faint crimson
crept and wavered unceuoinly, then
|tLook here, neighbor, you don't know that
hen of ours-that speckled one. that J so
famous for raising chickens?-you know
how she worries about 'em. aud ylucks aud
scratches and watches Tor 'em, ahd gets
poor and fTetted like so she's nothing at
last hut bundle OF bones and felthers-
but the chickens come through all right
fat, and plump and bright-eyei. You know
=. Il hap
never minds what she eats, or how heavy
the rain pels down upon her, and isn't
afraid of any thing for the chickens sake.
Well, somehow, think am like the poor
old hen
Mrs. Brown dropped the knife and bent
over the cradle for n moment. Farmer
Jones didn't notice the tears tnat fell upon
the habys cheek.
''You see, neighbor," the woman went on,
when my heart and hand were full OF
thoughts and work for John and the chill
dren-of how l can manage 10 save here
and get along without this, aud make that
last beyond all reason-I don't have much
time left to think about these politics, OF
any thing beyond this rOou we live in. Bu
1 used to have thoughts outside of this
about the countries away over the sea- anC
the woman's eyes had fnr-off mournfl
look in them. "In geography, | remembe
how I liked to learn about EN-, and then
thought maybe I'd see all those beautifu
things some day; you know girls have theii
fancies. But I've given all that up. Tsu'
easy to go 'wool gathering when see bulbs
toes coming out of his stockings and John,
mittens needing patch. IN afraid you
men don't make hardly enough for US, al,
a { 81
then our work is different. You ure ont in
the fresh air and sunshine, but we stay in
the house and don t have much change. You
20 to market, and haul wood and straw,
and meet your neighbor' aud have a pleas
ant word with them, aud we see the same
thing day after day, and get lonesome some
times, and wonder why we were put into
such kind of lives as these.
"Then it's trying to a wOman's ueyes, the
kind of work she has to do. 'Tisn't like
ploWing, and sowing, aud driving horses
that's heavy work to be sure, hut thel
you're strong to do it. But we have suct
particular careful work. Now, there il
bread-making-yo don't know how mucl
worry there is about it. You must take :,
much into the account the kind Of hour, tn
kind Of wood you have 10 make your FIRE
the yeast: all these are changing and yo
must make allowances for this. You mus
let the bread rise just so much, and fix tn
dampers just right, and handle il so care
ful. Why, Doctor D. told me that it
just like managing chemicals; and be sal
men that had to work with chemicals wer
the most nervous kind, because they wer
always so full Of thoughts aud care. The
there's preserves and pickles, and cake
and coffee. You don know any thin
about the care and trouble it is to g
them up so nice, when you sit down to el
the light, crisp pastry, and drink the co
fee, ereamed to the color that suits yO
You don't know how tiresome il is to feel
much care always on you, nor how muC
patience and watching it takes, before
sturkey to roast is done to a turn
Mr.. Jones looked steadily at bis neighbo
while she talked. She paused a moment
Teplenish the fire. Tie sat in a kind of MAJ
without offering her any assistance Fin
ing he did not speak, she continued;
sand so you see, with all these things,
don't think much about what is going
outside, that you and John talk abo,
though ] often wish could. And | thin
somehow, Pn like our old hen, | spoke
for don't mind much about myself. | s
that Pm getting to stoop more every da
and there are gray hairs on my tempt
though Pm not thirty yet. The wrinkl
are so plain, too, on my forehead.
sorry; John thought | was pretty yes