Weekly Calaveras chronicle., 1868-02-08
EASY WARREN.
RAYMOND Warren was a "piee"

public man once remark, ga very ex-
tensive Office with numerous duties
never discharged Raymond used to
sit in the chimney corner late, very late
on Winters night, because he was too
shiftless to get ready for bed. But
after while the fire burned low-the
glow on the embers faded, and it grew
cold in the chimney corner then Ray
monl became chilly, and would sneak
to rest, where his wife perhaps had been
for several hours, endeavoring to re-
cover from the severe fatigue of day
work, into which had been crowded the
greater portion Of her husbands legiti-
mate duties Raymond owned large
farm, left him by his father. 1t was
good land, but the fences were not in
repair, and everybody's cattle roamed
through its fields, and Raymond's crops
were not sufficient to yield the family a
decent support. The farm had once
been well stocked, but for want off prop
er attention the cattle became poor-the
sheep were never folded, even in the
most rigorous weather, and many of
them died The wool was never prop
eriy sheared and washed, and when
taken to marAet, it would not bring the
market price. Had it not been for
Raymond's wife, who was business
woman, the family must often have suf-
fered for the common necessaries of
life.
Raymond's chores we're rarely at
tended to by himself; but was a
neighbor sick, no man was more willing
to work in his place. He was relied
upon as the man who would always neg
lect his own interests, to look after those
of Others He could never set himself
at his own farm work, but he was con-
sidcred an excellent hand, when to
oblige neighbor, he took a job in his
field.
1t was a bleak morning in mid-winter
Raymond Warren's wife was in the
barnyard foddering the cattle i; Ray
mond was in bed. The Ii ht of brisk
fire which his wife had built shone d.
rectly in his face. 1t awakened him,
the room was warm and Raymond was
persuaded by its inviting appearance.
He sat down by the fire place in his
shirt sleeves and waited for his wife to
come and get him some breakfast AS
he warmed bis feet he felt that he had
reason to congratulate himself on his
happy situation, and he said to him
self,
"Tain't every mans got such wife,
as 1 have. Here she's made q good
FIRE, and IN bet all the chores are
done.'
The chores were done, and Raymond
had scarcely finished his soliloquy, when
the useful wife fastened to the fire
place to warm her hands, which had be-
come thoroughly chilled by the cold
handle of the pitchfork, with which she
had been throwing hay and straw to the
cattle.
1t might be supposed that these &C.
currences took place early in the morn
NY hut 81 IL WIS teH U CiJCh NhCn
Raymond Warren left his bed. His
wife had been sewing for two hours be-
fore she prepared her breakfast. Then
she urged Raymond for an hour longer
to get up. He made fair promises, but
left them all unfulflled. She waited
until it was nine o'clock, and then,
knowing her husbands easy habits, and
ashamed to have the cattle unfed at
that hour of the day, she determined to
attend to their wants herself.
Raymond's first salutation to her as
she stood by the fire. was
81 wish | had some tea, Sally-but
never mind, you've put the things
away-a little warm water, with little
milk and sugar in it, will do just as
well, and while you're about it, you
may get me a little piece of bread but
just as you choose no matter about it,
anyhow. faint every mans got such
a woman for wife"
She might have answered
at is not every woman that has such
husband"
But she knew such remarks would only
make bitter feelings, and though IA
tigued with the violent exercise she had
taken, she went cheerfully and prepared
her easy, good natured husband cup
of tea, slice of toast, and then asked
him if be would not cut some wood.
"To be sure [ will,'' was his re-
Spouse.
His breakfast over, he took up his ak
and mounted the wood pile and cut half
a dozen sticks, when along came a
neighbor, who wanted Raymond to ac-
company him to the saw mill about two
miles distant, and assist in loading upon
a sled some boards which had been
sawed for him-of course Raymond
went, and his wife was compelled to
cut wood enough to keep the house
warm until the following day.
Mrs Warren was, in appearance, a
feeble woman, but she had endured
hardships which would have destroyed
the constitution of one much more ro-
bust. Day after day her strength
failed her, yet she made no complaint.
Raymond saw that she grew pale, and
was often disturbed with fears lie regard
to her, but be was too easy to mention
the subject, and the useful wife became
more and more feeble, until she was
lseized With violent cough. Raymond
was one day thoughtful enough to speak