Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1870-05-18
Farmer Grimes Second Wife.

Poor Mrs Grimes she can't live out
the day
The words were sadly spoken by more than
one neighbor, casting mournfn glances toward
that upper window where the blinds were
shut
Poor Mrs. Grimes Just as she had got
settled so comfortably in her new house, too. !"
Yes, It was poor Mrs Grimes everywhere !;
withered woman, old at forty. She was
dying in the pretty room where she had hoped
to enjoy so much. Her husband sat near
her silently battling with his grief, for he
had loved that patient wife for twenty years.
The sharp pinched features, now gray
with the shadow Of death, had been beautiful
once-the dull eyes had sparkled with the
fire OF JOY and health. Children had been
carried in those wasted arms, aud from thence
taken all too soon to the grave. Two sons
stood in the chamber with solemn faces. un.
willing to let mother 60. Old aud faded,
wriukled and suffering though she was, they
held her heart by the strong cords of love.
Twenty years before Mrs. Grimes was in
stalled by a happy husband, mistress of his
house. 1t was not his own farm whose broad
acres he cultivated, consequently he determ-
ned to work hard, to be diligent, frugal and
saving, so that in the time to come he might
have some place to call his own.
In this pleasant scheme the young wife en-
tered with all her heart; she was healthy and
strong, knew how TO work and was not afraid
OF her labor So she put forth all her strength,
and her thrift and toll told. Every year the
farmer laid by money towards his purchase.
Peoble wondered why the Grimcses would 90
to meeting in that rickety old wagon, and
why Mrs Grimes wore the same faded mus.
lin that she had worn at least ten years. But
she knew why, and though her form began to
bend, though her hands had grown coarse,
aud misshapen, and she suffered pains and
ills she never felt before, it did not once oc-
cur to her that these were the effects of hard
and wearing labor,
Time to read Why, the good woman
would almost have laughed in the face of one
who asked the question. Look at her work
and then imagine, if you could, that she
had any time. She had not even leisure to
eat her meals properly; what with cooking
huge mossos Of pork aud beef, cabbage and
potatoes, filling tub after tub with apple sauce
HHNlus dli tuc Nuccst uuu pieuu anu Duttcr
for the household, and the hired men, how
could she eat her meals as she should?
Strange to say, she never regretted all this
outlay Of strength, all this waste Of human
life Ever before her was the prospect Of
that pleasant farm, cleared, planted and paid
for. She wanted no help except when her
children were born and even then she gave
the wearied frame no time for reposo, but
stitched aud monded propped up by pillows,
before nerve or muscle were able to perform
their proper functions. Thus it was that she
grew old and shrruken before her time, grew
into machine Of flesh and blood that never
slackened in the huge toll it had taken upon
itself to bear Tho husband became accus-
toned to the pale face and so often had he
listened to her oft-repeated declaration that
she would not have help, that at last he gave
up all thought of it. She never took rides
in the sweet country roads, she had no time
TO tend and love flowers, she never visited, she
had always something to do
One day tho farmer came in early in the
afternoon. 1t was an unusual hour for him
and his wife said so, looking up from huge
pile Of mcnding.
Well,' and he flushed aud smiled, us he
seated himself in one of the uncomfortable
kitchen chairs, " I've bought Jerry's place
at last, aud paid for il, every cent"