The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1871-08-22

us loVlng ana uutltul. 30 she shook OF
hor discontent, and became cheerful q,
possible. Then she worried through sup
per getting, and with much management,
had all things done by the time Franz
came in with his companions.
MY coat done, Lizzie -
No, not quite.
There's woman for you, boys On,
half of them would let husband 90 ou
Of the elbows week before they wouIt
turn aside from any path of their own
All the ironing done I'll I've bound Liz
2ic.'
Lizzie was taking her biscuit out o,
the oven, and the young men did not SEE
the deep flush Of pain that fsuhcd over
her features.
will you bring iu pitcher of water :?
she said pleasantly.
There It's again when / was bach
| had nothing to do but hand my coat
over to tailor. paying him dollar, and
it was done in jify, and no grumbling.
No water to fetch when fellows tired,
either
I;a.;o --.." ana nervous. She
could not endure his badinage although
half playful. She hastily set the biscuit
on the table, and saying simply supper
is ready stepped in the bedroom and
then burst into tears Her tears did not
flow long though she was deeply and
wrongfully hurt in her feelings. Her
heart gained its natural relief, and
after pretending that she was getting
asleep (which she actually did) she bath.
ed her eyes and came out, washed her
dishes, and sat down again to the coat
Frank sat Watching her fingers for an
hour or two, as he laughed and talked
with his friends, thinking to himself that
every turn would be the last AT nine
o'clock she had set the last stitch. The
coat looked like new one all around.
AS she finished, she looked up with still
shade of sadness upon her brow.
There, Frank, have mended your
coat thoroughly. guess it will last an.
other year now
Quite job, wasn't it? Longer than
thought said he.
How much clear cash have YOU made
to-day, Frank o. asked Lizzie, in very
earnest tone.
What do you want to know that for p
was the answer.
For my own satisfaction; certainly /
should feel m interest in all Of your
affairs
We'll, think the shop has cleared
twenty dollars
How much do you count your own
services worth p
Not less than five dollars
How many hours do you labor.
Ten is the legal time nowadays. |
don't generally work that many. But
what are all these questions for.
Because, Frank, we are husband and
wife. We expect to live the remainder
Of our lives together, and if there is any
harmony in our marriage relation there
must be justice and right. You may call
% Gu fh hayc t aapRRgea qRe1eS"d vs dollars today and
the shop has cleared twenty. Yet to
save you one dollar | have worked ten
hours on your coat, six on your break
fast, dinner and supper, and making your
home pleasant and comfortable. To save
you that dollar, ] have had to hurry all
day, to put all my work out of my time,
and to really neglect our darling boy who
should be our first care, and the last thing
under any circumstances, to be set
aside.
Il had not thought of that.
81 know you had not, Frank, so |
shall freely forgive you, but must insist
that hereafter may be a judge of my
own work, and shall not expect to be
threatened, nor her myself accused Of not
being willing to do my duty
Frank felt the force Of her words and
sat silent.
'One thing more, Frank, l 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. find on
looking over my books, that the profits
Of my labor amounts to five dollars a
week, and the board of yourself, myself,
and the baby besides. Then | do all
your extry work and my own All This
saving goes into your capital to be invest
ed and to help you make your twenty
dollars day
Out of this comes the five dollars you
call the worth Of your days labor, while
| must work with weary limbs and ach.
ing head and eyes to save you one dollar
day, in mendng an old coat. which
when done. would not sell for the amount
ot your ten hours work
You are making out Il pretty strong
case against me, Lizzie
NO, 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 sew
eral times
Lizzie, don't >ay another word, and
I'll never do so again, said Frank spring
ing up to jog the cradle where the boy
was nesting.
You shall never mend another coat
Yes, but | will, answered Lizzie adj
vancing to the cradle, only don't tell me
ten hours work can be done in five min
utes, nor ask me to let the baby squall
again
She lifted Walter from the cradle.
They stopped to kiss him, but by mistake,
kissed each other; while Frank whisper.
ed:
God bless you, Lizzie, never thought
of all this before. I'll never do so again.
Six years have passed by, and Frank
has kept his word.
Love and Nitro-Glycerine.