Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1870-04-28
Seleft Story.
Only Calico Dress.
BYMARYw. STANLEY GIBSON.

"Now. do be reasonable, Jane. What
if it is but a little thing? tell you, IN
these days of heavy taxes and war debts
and and all the rest OF ii, man wants
all the money he can rake and scrape,
and can't afford to spend cent on any
thing that can be got along without. 30
1 guess you must get along wlthout
your calico dress, Jane, till times are
a little better.n
Il The Young wife turned and looked at
him, an angry light in her blue eyes.
"I'Il not ask again, if l never have
another thug to wear in my life, Josiah!
might have had dresses enough. good
ness knows" she checked herself sud-
denly, but in a moment added, "Only a
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
yearn'
With bitter smile she left the room ;
and Josiah Webb, mpttering something
that was not exactly blessing, snatch
ed his hat and darted out of tho house
into his farm yard, where, for half an
hour or so. he confided his sentiments
regarding womankind in general, and
his wife in particular. to select audi
enee of dozen cows.
And then Mr.. Webb began 20 cool
down, and to see some reason in his
Wife's remarks and request, after all.
"You get your house-work done very
cheap, Josiah ~ 1t was the keen truth
of the remark that stung him so keen
ly.
"Well, it was cheap! To any hired
GIL, capable of doing the daily work
that Jane turned OffsO readily, he must
pay at least dollar and half per week.
Would the work be done then as Jane
did it? Would all things be so neat and
clean and orderly about his house as
now? Would there be need of watch
ing eyes and anxious hearts to see tina;
the hired girl earned her 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 dinner-a nice one, toe
smoking on the table at twelve exact
ly, herself presiding, neatly dressed land
with Il 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 tow
els ani taole-eloths; made butter and
cheese for the market /; fed poultry rails
ed flowers for the autumn show at the
fair; knit stockings; turned, patched,
coctrived; took care of him in sick ness
and fused with and petted him in health
And for all this he gave Eer-what
She had asked little advance of wages
only calico dress-and had been re.
fused!
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 heaven. 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 tc
the village store, where the coveted
calico dress was lying. \ pretty thing
enough, with its snowy ground and del.
icate sprigs of rosebuds: just the thing
to set off James rosy cheek, and dark
bright eyes and jetty hair. He bought
it, he paid forit, and back he went to
the farm house to find Jane.
She was sitting in the kitchen, in hel
own favorite chair-the mornings work
undone, and her head resting on heI
CilSpSu hdhuS. lie ntdIu ueI SOO--ue
saw a bright tear steal through the
slender fingers, and dwCn the great
clumsy went beside her on his knees
package in hand.
''Jane, what is it? Don't cry, Jane
You shall have anything on earth that
you want, if you won'tc cry"
'Oh, | don't want anything, she Sob
bed" I'm ready to do without every
thing if must But it is hard to work
day after day for you good Josiah, aut
then be told"
"rhat new calico dress has Just come
home for you," he cried out in a tremb.
ling voice, wiping his own tears away
with the brown paper parcel. Jane
didn't mean to be cross-and just look
here"
He rent the brown paper in every
direction as lle spoke, and the snowy,
rose-sprigged calico fell over her knees
in graceful folds.
"Oh, Josiah-you dear, good, dear
really thought of me like this, and
didn't mean one word of all you said
What a good-for-nothing little wrech
was to doubt you !"
She smiled brightly at him through
her tears, and fiinging her arms around
his neck, gave him kiss worth five
thousand calico dresses, all told.
And home was bright again and hap
py, and the new dress was made and
worn for many pleasant day thereaf.
ter. But Josiah Webb never forgot the
lesson it had silently preached to him
and he is to-day fonder and a better
husband because of that trifling thing
only q caIicO dress