The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1866-02-15
UNcLEJACOB'6 WIFE

\
morning, when the letters came in, near
ly an hour late, for, contrary te the Gus
! tom Of many country places, we had an
| eight o'clock delivery.
"Postman says, sir, that the roads are
frozen so slippery that he had to leave
| his horse at farm house, and walk over
with the bag" said James apologetically,
As ne laid the letters by my fathers
plate.
There's ALWAYS something wrong,
said my father with shrug. when | am
expecting important letters
| '.Give the man glass of beer, said
my mother, as James left the room,
The girls smiled TO each other at the
lofty sound, important letters. though.
| to be sure, the prices of oats, wheat
straw, and potatoes we're very important
matters in our fathers eyes. We, how
| ever, cared little whether sheep ruled At
heavy rates. pigs were lively, or turnips
dull, for it did not seem to make much
matter to us whether the markets were
up or down, my father never ms king
money in either case 1t is not wonder
ful, therefore, that we should have lost
our interest in farming details.
My mother used to take these little
mis- fortunes very quietly. Your faith
| ef Will never make MS
she would say with as pleasant face as
| possible. - He isn't the man to do it,
even by accident; but as long as he gets
enough out of the farm to let US live
comfortably and want for nothing, /
think we ought to be content, and then,
you know, there 10 Uncle Jacob TO fall
back on.
:" If my father would just pitch that
| scientific nonsense of his on one side he
would soon make the farm pay wish
| chemistry had never been invented, was
| Toms irreverent opinion; and as far as
regards my fathers application OF sci
ence to the working of our farm. Tom was
| practically right. My mother supported
my fathers views with all her might, but
! rs Tom said " Nv mother would be
| ready to see snow in August, if my
father saw it And this was as it should
be. and she and my father had the full
| comfort Of their unanimity.
Tom, my dear said nv mother one
day, when he was trying to persuade
her to give her voice against one Of his
fathers newest notions. Il would not
oppose your fathers opinion for almost
any consideration. We should save
twenty pounds, you think, on the five
acre field, il we were to
"Yes, certainly; quite twenty pounds
interrupted Tom.
8 But your father would not be pleased
and / would pay twenty pounds any day
(if I had it, } rather than have him vs1-
ed
THE day will come, mother, when
you will not be able to offer it, its quick
work going down hill. One comfort ia,
however, il the worst comes to worst, We
have Uncle jacob to fall back on some
day
But we have wandered from the break
fast table. My father glanced through =
couple of letters, which did not seem to
please him much.
Read that from Jacob said my
mother, pointing TO one.
How do you know its from Jacob,
asked my father, always a little jealous
if he thought his letters were in any way
scrutinizsd, even to the reading of a
post IN ark.
II see his writing across the table
said my mother msekly. Here she
touched another weak spot of my faith
sr's, he was the slightest bit snvious Of
her better sight.
1T will wait he said, and he Clipped
At his egg. But the touch of spleen
WAS but momentary, and he presently
He is coming here he said, without
looking up.
.He will be welcome said my moth
er. and my father read on. He always
read light through q letter without en-
tightening US. Suddenly his face chang
ed. He turned pale, absolutely white, he
whose complexion was like that of one
OF his own ruddy apples, his hand
shook, too, and he threw down the let
ter.
VIVA. is it: Is he dead 2 asked my
mother in her fright, forgetting that she
was looking at his writing.
Worse than dead!' said my father.
What has he done? we three girls
exclaimed in a breath. : Ia it very bad?'
for nv father face was picture.
Pshaw. said my father. and his col
or csme back SIS he spoke; he's going
to be married.
Married.,
:. Married =
Married 7
We all pronounced the dreadful word.
and then there was silence, and we thos
much and said little. The matter, iii
fact. was beyond speech.
There go your fortunes, girls" said
Tom, breaking silence, with a look that
reminded me of his old mischievous
school boy days.
Hold your tongue, sir thundered
my father.
4 must say, l think it inconsiderase of
Jacob, highly inconsiderate,' said nv
mother, but something in ner voice plead
ed for Uncle Jacob As she spoke. she
was such an unreasonable sort OF wo-
man, nv mother, in her hsbis of leaning
to mercy's side
'Inconsiderase Disgraceful = said my
father.
Yes. my dear Charles. very disgrace
full 7 said my mother, but l csught the
same tone of appeal in her voice.
Shameful, Ridiculous, Unheard off,
NY father was given to the piling OF
epithets. Pitisbie in 3 man of his ager
He is old to marry said my mother
'Old Only think of it / am six
ty-seven, and he is not two years young