The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1865-11-05
THEGATE CITY,
Farmer Seymour's Mistake.

but We have no water-what shall we do r
What can you DOR answered her hus-
band, rather gruff1y-" what can you do Z
That's more than / can tell. Water, water,
it's always water when / am in hurry to 60
to work" ess
"But, my DEAR" returned Mrs. S. mildly,
81 mentioned last evening that we should
need water this morning. You know that
you wished the washing done on Monday;
but put it of one day because / saw you
were too much engaged to fetch any,"
Engaged" said the husband. "Tm
driven half out of my senses, and then the
cry is water, or some other want. Why did Mt
you catch water yesterday? The rain ran
like q mill-race. ~
ave did our best" replied Mrs. S.; shut
the casks were too dry to hold, and
Where were all your tubs? Why did mt
you put them out?'
I'VE did; but you know we have only two,
and one of them is quite small. Our large
washing in harvest time cannot be done with
the water Of only two tubs
Was there ever man so plagued? Fair
weather, grain ripe, grass down, men and
teams all ready, and now every wheel must
stop to get water You can't wash with it, if
we'get il.
My DEAR said Mrs. S., her eyes filling
at his unkindness, I" regretted to mention
the subject: for | was sensible that you were
quite engaged but did not well know what
to do
"Well, well, if we must, we must. Here,
james, stop that team put the hogsheads into
the cart, and fetch some water"
But James had caught the spirit of his mas
ter, and stopped the team with wrathful
stroke over the eyes of the hating beasts.
There, stop will ye.' The cask was
tumbled along with rough kicks, and more
speed than any cask should have been, and
before 1t had reached the cart the slaves pade
farewell to the hoops, and fell together in a
heap.
There Mr. S. was on the point Of call
ing him some ugly name; but, like a wise
man, he bit his lips, and said only for he be-
gan to reflect upon himself, "Next time be
more CAREFUL
'Well," retorted James, quite unbecom-
ingly,-but he had had bad example that
how; It would mt hold water any more than q
basket"
$50 get barrel" said Mr.. Seymour in a
somewhat soitened tone
"A Darrell! " answered James "There
isn't barrel about fit TO put water in. Ill
take the scalding tub-but there. now, it's up
alott where body can't get it under half a
day.
Mrs. Seymour had passed into the house :
but window being open, she had heard the
conversation, and feeling sympathy, quite
natural 10 womans heart, for husband
generally kind but thoughtless, and now per
picked, she approached the window and said:
Husband, III put of the washing another
day. This will accommodate YOU the best.
and she would have added-'perhaps YOU II
by and by have cstern.r
Whether the husband coujectured wha,
was IN her thoughts or not. be determined
once more, tor the hundredth time, that he
would build one. For thirty years, ike some
others, ne mad made use of casks of one kind
and another-usually hogshead or two-to
catch water, and generally sufficient quantity
for the washing days had been obtained. But
IN the summer months, that busy period OF
the year there was often a deficiency which
had to be supplied from neighboring stream.
Ihis was comparatively hard during the dry
seasons, and sometimes impure, but it was
preferable to the water of the we'll The sub.
Ject OF a clstern had often been discussed. but
that was all the article had never been pro-
Vded' The incident related had more than
once occurred at Mr. Seymour's. Similar
incidents are common in hundreds Of families.
because they are destitute of those convent.
ences necessary to their comfort.
In those parts of the United States where
the water OF the wells is unfit for washing
perhaps not one family in four has a cistern,
and yet three out of four of such families ms
contain hive or six members might have this
important article. Often the well is some
distance from the house. The female mem.
oers oil the family bring nine-tenths of the
water used in the family. MANY "a motbe,
dates her feeble health and ultimately a bro.
ken constitution, to services of this kind.
which the expenditure of few dollars wonld
have prevented.
But look at the moral effect of what took
place at MIR. Seymours. There was unkind-
ness there; there was ill-temper, and lust tina,
i'll temper which would destroy mans peace
for whole day. Upon reflection, he mus,
have felt that the request of his wife was both
proper and necessary. True, it was most
pressing season of the year, and if ever one
had an apology for a momentary unkindness.
it might be in the hurried and perplexed cir.
cumstances of Mr. S. But an apology for
unkindness towards wife Rather let all
such Jars between those whom God has Joined
together, be prevented A mans house
should be his earthly paradise. II should be.
Of all other spots, that which be leaves with
most regret, sad to which he returns with
most delight. And. in order that it NAV be
50, 1t should be has daily study to provide
everything convenient and Comfortable for
his wife.
With every provision which no can possibly
make, hers will be life of care and toll.
she IS the sentinel who can seldom. if ever.
ieave,--seldcm if ever, be relieved. Others
may sleep; but if there be one who must
watch. 1t is she. She ought therefore. tn he
furnished with every comfort within the
means OF her husband; and If furnished to
the extent of his means,--and she is general.
~ eagle.eyed enough to discern the poiut at
~hleh has ability eudA -she is contented.
Generally, every shilling expended by the
husband for the accomm odation of his wife
IN her domestic operations is returned upon
ni'h lourfoid; II not precisely in pecunIary
auFa ~ though this is often true, il will he
IN the order, peace, and happiness of his
IaniilE Where convenienees are found in a
1amily, there are generally bright looks, han
p feelings, and industrious hands, and where her
these are found. there will be more vrtne I ana
less OF Its opposite.-Honis Monfalu. 'N' anu
"old Bumbiebee,a vas the coynouan >.
Mr. T., Of Newburyport He gained the I'll, =,
trsm tie fact of his catching humblehaa IN my
day, as he was shingling his barn. and i v ~
tempting to destroy the insect with bateba,
cut of the ends Of his thu sb md areI; ,,,er
letting the insect go unframed. TncIa r
in one of his oblivious freaks, nailed hi laa
arm so firmly between two boards Of a fenos
he was putting up that he ha3 =, = !, SAsc