The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1870-04-22
ONLY A CALICO DRESS.


and waS debts, and all the rest of 1t, !
u man wants all the money he can
rake and scrape, and can't afford to
spend cent on anything that can
be got along without So ] guess
you must get along without your
calico dress, Jane, till times are n lit
tie hetter"
The young wife turned and look
ed at him, an angry light in her blue
eyes.
@rll not ask again, if never have
another thing to swear in my life,
Josiah! [ might have had dresses
enough, goodness knows" she
checked herself suddenly, but in
moment added, eOnly calico dress!
And to be refused! You get your
house-work done very cheap, Josiah
A hired girl would cost you more
than many calico dresses in the
course Of the year."
With bitter smile she left the
room; and Josiah Webb, muttering
something that was not exactly
blessing, snatched his hat and dsrted
out of the house into his farm yard,
where, for half an hour or so, he CON
fided his sentiments regarding wo-
mankind in general, and his wife in
particular, to a select audience of
dozen COWS.
And then Mr.. Webb began to cool
down, and TO see some reason in
his wife's remarks and request, after
al.
sYou get your heuse-work done
very cheap, JOSIAH 1t was the
keen truth of the iemark that had
stung him so keenly.
'Well, it was cheap! To any hired
girl, capable Of doing the daily work
that Jane turned off so readily, he
must pay at least a dollar and a half
Der week. Would the work be done
then as Jane did it? Would all things
he so neat and clean and orderly
about his house rs now? Would
there be need of watching eyes and
anxious hearts to see that the hired
GIRL earned the money which was
paid? Was there such need now?
What did Jane do, by the way!
Got breakfast. washed dishes, swept
made beds, and put the house in
apple-pie order from cellar to garret,
before twelve each day. Had din
ner--a nice one, toO-smobing on |
the table at twelve exactly, herself |
presiding, neatly dressed, and with a |
pleasant smile. Set the house in
order again. Got tea at six, and
cleared up after it. Washed, ironed
baked; made shirts and sheets and
towels and table cloths; made butter
and cheese for the market; fed poul-
try; raised flowers for the autumn
show at the fair; knit stockings;
turned, patched, contrived; took care
of him in sickness, and fused with
and petted him in health. And for
all this he gave her-what? She
had asked a little advance Of wages
only q calico dress-and had been
refused!
Too bad! too bad! What If Jane
should be taken sick with the fever
that was flying about, and die and
leave him! Could he spare the
money for her coffin and her shroud?
Why, what, what could have put that
dreadful thought into his head?
Jane ill-dying-dead Good heav-
en-! How could he ever learn to live
without her? Out from among the
placid COWS dashed Farmer Webb,
and away he went with long strides
to the village store, where the covet-
ed calico dress was " ng. A pretty |
thing enough, with its snowy ground |
and delicate sprigs of rosebuds; just |
the thing to set off James rosy |
cheeks, and dark bright eyes and
ietty hair. He bought it, he paid for
itand back he went to the farmhouse
to find Jane.
She was sitting in the kitchen, in
her own favori5 chair-the mornings S
work undone, ana her head resting
on her clasped hand. He heard her
sob-he saw bright tear steal
through the slender fingers, and
down the crest clumsy fellow went
beside her, on his kness package in
hand.
aJane, what is it2 Don't cry.
Jane. You shall have anything on
earth that you want ifyou won't cry"
"0h, don't want anything!" she
sobbed. "pm ready to do without
everything, if must. But tits hard
work day after day for your good,
Josiah, and then to be told"
"That new calico dress has just
come home for you" he cried out
IN a trembling voice, wiping his own
tears away with the brown paper
parcel. -Jane, 1 didn't mean to be
cross-and Just look here.
He rent the brown paper in every
direction as he spoke, and the snowy,
1ose-sprigged calico fell over her
knees in graceful folds.
"Oh, Josiah-you dear, good,
dear Josiahv' she exclaimed. "And
you really thought of ne like this.
aud didn't mean one word Of all you
sGid! What a good-fornothing lit
tie wretch / was to doubt youp'
She smiled brightly at him through
her tears, and finging her arms
around his neck, gave him kiss
worth five thousand calico dresses, all
told.
And home was bright again, and
happy, and the new dress was made
and worn for many a pleasant day
thereafter. But Josiah Webb never
forgot the lesson it had silently
preached to him; and he is to-day a
fonder and better husband because
OF that trlfing thing-only a calico
dress.
To Protect Horses from Files.
Take two or three small bandfuls
Of walnut leaves, upon which pour
two or three quarts Of cold water.
let it infuse one night and then boil
for a quarter Of an hour. When cold
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