South-eastern Independent. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1871-1871, 1871-07-07
FRIENDS.

entertaining her with an account OF the
"mednness and inhOspitGltty," as she
termed it, of a mutual friend, who had re-
moved to a small suburban home IN their
vicinity.
"No, I'm certain you wouldn't; even
country life could not make you parsimo-
NOUS" replied the visitor. at does
seem, though, as if farmers were the most
p~enurious people in the world; all they
have to do is to plant and reap, and
make us city people pay them their prices
for ii.
"rve always thought 1 should enjoy
country life" replied the hostess, "we're
all SO fond of milk, and cream, and fresh
butter, and buttermilk, and berries; and
then vegetables taste so much better
when gathered fresh for the table, than
when they have been exposed for days in
the sunny windows of hucksters and gro
GERS. l am ~endeavoring to persuade Mr..
Manton to purchase a lovely little place a
few miles out, where we can enjoy those
comforts of life without paying for them.
The children and l love so TO gather ber-
ries fresh from the bush, and l do enjoy
skimming milk and taking up the rich
yellow, newly-churned butter, and then
the delicious buttermilk; it fairly makes
my mouth water to think of it. o, 1
do think country life perfectly charm
ng."
Delightful" echoed the friend, "and
I only hope Mr.. Msnton will be persuaded
TO purchase in the country, so that | can
have one nice cool place to visit in such
dry, dusty, hot weather as this" And
with this, to say the least, selfish remark,
she took her leave.
Mrs. Manton, true to her word, impor-
tuned her husband continually, to pur-
chase the suburban home in question,
until he Wearied of the subject. Never
theless she persuaded him that no air was
equal to country air, no fruit or berries or
vegetables, or milk, or cream, or butter,
equal to those obtained from ones own
premises without expense, and to cap the
climax, no life equal to country life. He
had his misgiving at times about the prac-
ticability of his schemes, as his business
was established in the city and he could
give no attention to a farm, however
small, but Mrs. Manton settled that ques-
ton by replying that she and the Children
could manage it admirably, and it would
be such a pleasure to drive him a and
forth to the city, morning and evening;
the ride alone would be the best panacea
for illness.
Thus after a time he came to regard the
matter through his wife's spectacles, and
the purchase was made toward the close
of the winter, and the first days of spring
found the family pleasantly domiciled in
their new home. Mrs. Msnton had read
Mr.. Shealy's work entitled Ten Acres
Enough For a Farm" and as she did not
wish a farm, considered five quite enough
for her purpose. Her house was in good
repair, and the garden fruit and shrubbery
had been carefully tended the previous
year by a tenant, so that she looked for
ward to a very happy summer.
With the approach of warm weather
came work enough, but a steady man who
understood the care of a garden, was en-
gagged to do all the rough work and Mrs.
ManIon and her two boys bravely kept
their word and weeded and hoed diligently
late and early. The fruit blossomed finely
and gave promise of an abundant harvest.
The season, however, happened to be a
very dry one, and many blossoms failed to
mature. Berries, particularly, felt the ef-
feet of the drought, still there was a suffi-
uient supply for the table fresh from the
vines, and hopeful Mrs. Manton reasoned
that by a little self denial there would be a
few to can and preserve for winter stores.
With the labor occasioned by the care
and cultivation of a flower and fruit gar
den, the care of milk, butter-making, the
ordinary family homework, and the time
occupied in conveying MI. Manton to and
from his place of business, Mrs. Manton
founi but HNle time for visiting. Country
life, while it brought her most of the lux
vries in which she so delighted, also
brought with it a great abundance of work,
more han she had ever expected. 1t was
difficult to keep servants, and she was
often forced TO do all her work with only
the aid of her children and q days help
occasionally. Still she did not complain;
it had bee her wish to remove in the
country and she was determined to meet
and difficulties bravely. Her
puny, delicate boys were growing strong
and athletic, and she herself enjoyed TO-
bust health. She was well aware that in
a pecuniary view farming had thus far en-
tirely failed to pay, for every pound of
butter that was churned AND every quart
of berries that were gathered, had cost as
much as they could have been purchased
for at the hucksters and grocers in the
city. She could not understand how it
was, but it was nevertheless a fact, and
she solaced herself with the reflection
that the season was an unusually dry one
and that she did not yet fully understand
managing her new situation. But she
ceased to blame farmers for being parsi-
m~onious, and learned that nothing grew
spontaneously, but required constant
lab " and care from the time the seed was
planted until fruition and harvest.
Her city friends had waiter impatiently
for an invitation to pay her and extended
visit. With the advent of June came
warm and dusty weather, which caused
the denizens of the crowded city 10 long
for the enjoyment of rambles over green
fields and walks beneath the shadows of
the woods and orchards. One Monday
morning Mrs. Linton said to her husband
at the breakfast table, My dear, 1 think
Mrs. MantOn has forgotten 10 invite US to
pass a few days with her during straw
berry time. The berries are almost gone
and / think l Will wait nc longer for a
special invitation, for I'm sure she'll be
glad to see US, so order a hack at once
and I'll take the children and spend the
week, and when Bridget has finished her
washing, she can clean house as l had in
tended she should do, when [ was to make
the visit"
Mrs. Manton's washing was done, and,
tired with her mornings work, she had
just set out a picked-up lunch for the fam
lily dinner, intending to gather strawberries
during the afternoon for preserving. A
shower had fallen a few days previous, and
developed the last growth of the berries,
promising a greater yield thus late in the
season than had been expected. The I'm
expected arrival of Mrs. Linton, her three
children (the youngest but four years old),
and a nurse girl, at this %juncture, caused
some emotion, not to say disappointment.
But CHEEKY Mrs. Manton made the best of
it, as she did of everything. at is so for
tunate," said she to herself, that l havea
girl 1 the kitchen for though not a very
good one, she is better than none, and will
enable me to,giVe some time to entertain
ing Ms. Linton. l will delay gathering
the berries until evening, and lay aside the
ironing until next week" She was really
glad to see her friend, and after making
some additional preparations for tea, seat
ed herself VEthher in the cool, airy par
lor, to have a socn1-ohat-while Mrs. in
tons children and their nurse, anxious to
make the most of the country, went out to
walk.
Just beforestea they returned, covered
with strawberry stains from head to foot,
Julia, the eldest, having her apron full Of
Az al-snae4 -arA1,o, -, - -.