Wyandot County Republican. [volume] (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1869-1903, 1869-11-12
Who Earned that Money?
BY HARRIET BEECHER STOWE.

John Simmons began with moth
ing but pair of poor hands. Hir-
ring himself out as common labor
er, he laid up gradually small sums
of money. In time, he was enabled
to pay in part the price of farm,
the remainder being held upon mort
gage-the interest to be paid yesr-
ly, and the principal in installments,
till the whole was liquidated.
John took to wife Mary Evans,
one of the prettiest girls in the par
ish, and they two commenced
housekeeping together. Mary
brought to the establishment beds
and bedding, household linnen,
crockery and china, the fruit Of her
industry, or the wedding gifts of
her parents. Both understood that
a life OF toll was before them; both
were young and hopeful, bred up to
constant industry and economy, and
their tolls seemed light to hem
John was renowned in his vicinity
as the man who could do the long
est and hardest days work, and
Mary soon became celebrated among
the housewives for her skill and -pru
dence in her household management.
Her butter was known as bringing
an extra price; her cheese had a
remarkable flavor and fneness. She
had a wonderful adroitness and skill
in the cutting, shaping, and making
Of household garments, and her hus-
band was wont to boast that since
his marriage his clothes had cost
him only one-half what they did
before. AS to her own dress, such
was her skill in altering and mend
ing, such her carefulness in wearing
that her personal expenses seemed
scarcely perceptible item.
John and Mary became parents
of numerous family. Six fine
boys and three blooming daughters
were successfully added to their
household. The care of rearing all
these infants was entirely born by
Mary without.a servant Of any kind,
any dimunition of her household Ia
borers, except for the first fortnight
after the birth of the first child, when
a good woman of the neighborhood
came in to look after things while
Mary was getting back her strength.
But after the first fortnight Mary
went back to her work with the ad-
ded care of the infant. AS her chill
dren grew up, she trained them to
be her helpers. The eldest daugh-
ter early became proficient in house,
hold industries, and when only
twelve years of age was competent
to take her mothers place in the
family at the birth Of little broth
er. These boys when they were lit
tie, were likewise trained to house
hold labor. and helped their mother
in the house till they were large
enough to make their services valu-
able in the fields.
In time, this family became per-
feet little industrial association, ev-
cry member of which was working
toward one end-namely the pay
ment of the yearly interest on the
mortgage, and the gaining of sur
plus wherewith to pay the princi-
pal.
But so large family has many
expenses. There were sickness and
accidents to increase lahors; there
were bad crops, droughts, and all
the other disappointments Of farm
life; and sometimes the domestic
ark seemed to roll and plunge heav-
lily, like a water dogged vessel threat
ening every moment to go over
John was something of a hippochon-
driac, and at these times would talk
bitterly about family expenses, and
accuse his wife and daughters of ex-
travagance. He fell into a way
that many Of the male sex have, OF
regarding everything that is bought
for a woman as of course superfu-
ity. The pretty Sunday bonnets oil
blooming daughters, their nice, la
dy-like dresses, their little girlish
ornaments, were remarked on with
a savage reverity. II work hard
for the money that you spend or
fnery," was common saying, ac
cepted in silence by his wife and
daughters.
The fact was, that John never