The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1871-09-02

"There's woman for ye, boys. One
half of them would let husband 60 out
at the elbows week before they would
turn aside from any plan of their own. All
the ironing completed, I'll be bound,
Lizzie.'
Lizzie was taking her biscuit out of the
oven, and the young men did not see the
deep flush of pain that flashed over her
weary features.
CIVIL you bring in pitcher of water,
please ?" she said pleasantly.
"There it is again; when was bach 1
had nothing to do but hand my coat over to
the tailor, pay him dollar, and twas done
in jiffy, and not any grumbling. No
water to fetch when fellows tired,
either.''
Lizzie was nervous, was tired with house.
hold work and care. She could not endure
his badinage, although half playful. She
hastily set them on the table, and saying
simply "supper is ready" stepped in the
bed room and then burst into tears. Her
tears did not flow long, though she was
deeply and wrongfully hurt in her feelings.
Her heart gained in its natural relief, and
after pretending that she was getting
Walter asleep (Which she actually did she
bathed her eyes and came out, washed her
dishes, and sat down again to the coat.
Frank sat watching her flying fingers for
an hour or two, as he laughed and talked
to his friend, 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, 1 have mended your
coat thoroughly. I guess it will last
another year now.''
"Quite job, wasn't it? longer than I
thought" said he, deprecatingly.
GLOW much clear cash have you made
to-day, Frank ?' asked Lizzie, in very
earnest tone.
"What do you want to know that for ?"
was his answer.
"For my own satisfaction; certainly /
should feel an interest in all of your affairs"
"Well, I think the shop has cleared
twenty dollars
How much do you count your own SER
vices worth 90
"Not less than five dollars day."
| elbow many hours do you labor7'
"Ten is the legal time nowadays. l
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 rest of our
lives together, and if there is harmony in
our marriage relation, there must be JUS
tice and right. You may call me daily to
appreciate anything you can do. You have
earned five dollars to-day, and the shop has
cleared twenty. Yet to save you one dol
lar, worked ten hours on your coat, and
six on your breakfast, dinner and supper,
and making your home pleasant and COM
Portable. To save you that dollar, have
had to hurry all day, to put all of 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 circum-
stances, to be set aside"
81 had not thought of that
81 know you had not, Frank, so 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
myself accused of not being willing to do
my duty"
Frank felt the force of her words and sat
silent.
Gone thing more, Frank. want to
say while am about it, that l don't want
to hear you talking about supporting your
wife. will not be supported while am
able to support myself. 1 find on looking
over my books, that the profits of my labor
amount to five dollars week, and the
board of yourself, myself, and the baby
beside. Then do all your extra work and
my own. All this saving has gone into
capital to be invested, and to help you
make your twenty dollars a day. Out of
this comes the five dollars you call the
worth of your days work, while I 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 pretty strong
case against me, Lizzie.''
"No, Frank, not a case against you;
could not do that; but I 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, spring
ing from his chair to jog the cradle, where
the boy was nesting. "You shall never
mend another coat.''
eyes, but l will,' answered Lizzie,
advancing to the cradle, "only don't tell
me ten hours work can be done in five
minutes, nor ask me to let the baby squall
again"
She lifted Walter from the cradle. They
stopped to kiss his fair, rosy cheek, but
made mistake, and kissed each other,
while Frank whispered:
"God bless you, Lizzie, never thought
of all this before. 1 won't do it again"
Six years have passed by, and Frank has
kept his word.
| COMPULSORY EDUCATIoN.-At the last
| TT
an act was passed compelling the attend
ance of children at school. Every parent
isrequired to send his child, when between
the ages of eight and fourteen years, to some
public school within two miles of his resi-