Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1871-06-28
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To-Day, FRANK r. 0skeu DlbLle, III very
"What do you want to know that for ~
was his answer.
"For my own satisfaction; certainly
should feel an interest in all of your af-
fairs.N
"Well, l think the shop has cleared
twenty dollars HHts
"How much do you count you own SER
vices worth Y'
"Not less than five dollars Q day.
"Ifow many hours do you labor"
"Ten is the legal time nowadays. /
don't generally work that many. But
what are all these questions 10" "
''Becallse, Frank, we are husband and
Wife We expect to live the rest of our
lives together, and if there is harmony in
our marriage relation, there must be justice
and right. You may call me daily to APP
preciate anything you can do. You have
earned five dollars to-day; and the shop
has cleared twenty. Yet to save you one
dollar, i worked ten hourson your coat,
and six on your breakfast, dinner and sup
per- and making your home pleasant and
comfortable.
To save you that dollar, I have had to
hurry all day, to put all my work out OF
my line, and to really neglect our darling
boy, who should be our first care, and the
last thing under any circumstances, to be
set aside"
~ had not thought of that"
II know YOU had not, Frank, so l shall
freely forgive you, but | must insist that
hereafter / may be allowed to be my own
Judge of what work 1 had best do, and shall
not expect to be threatened, nor hear my
self accused of not being willing to do my
duty.u
Frank felt the force of her words and sat
silent.
cone thing more, Frank. i want to say
while | am about it, that / don't want to
hear you talking about supporting your
wife. / will not be supported while / am
able to support myself. l find on looking
over my books, that the profits of my Ia
Dor amount to five dollars week, and the
board Of yourself, myself, and the baby be-
side. Then | do all your extra work and
my own. All this saving has gone into
your capital to be invested, and to help
you make your twenty dollars aday. Out
of this comes the five dollars you call the
worth of your days, work, while ! must
labor with weary limbs and aching head
and eyes to save you one dollar, in mend
ing an old coat, which when done, would
not sell for the amount of your ten hours
work.
"You are making out a pretty strong
case against me- Lizzie"
mo, Frank. not case against you ; |
could not do that but | am stating facts.
One thing more. / have been at work
three hours since supper, and you have
been entirely idle, not even rocking the
cradle, which | have been obliged to do
half dozen times
Lizzie, don't say another word, and I'll
never do so again." said Frank, springing
from his chair, to jog the cradle. where
the baby was nesting. you shall never
mend another coat"
ayes, but / WILL answered Lizzie, ad-
vancing to the cradle, only don't tell me
ten hours work can be done in five minu-
ties, nor ask me to let the baby squall
again"
She lifted Walter from the cradle. They
stopped to kiss his fair, rosy check but
made mistake, and kissed each other,
while Frank whispered
Good bless you, Lizzie, | never though of
all this before. l won't do it again.
Six years have passed by, and Frank has
kept his word.