The Orangeburg news. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1867-1875, 1872-08-10

land, stock, barns, and a Ilodel farm.
He had seen his mother cook, ohurn,
feed poultry and drudge all her life, and
the women he knew did the same, and
if Lima made odd mistakes she put
willing heart into her work, aud soon
conquered its difficulties. Surely, he
thought, it was an easier life to be mis-
tless of his home, with the Stanley farm
in prospect, than to toll over stupid
children in q district school. He had
neyssaseen velvet carpets and lace cur
tains, grand pianos, dainty silks, and
other surroundings that had been Lina's
from baby y-hood. He had never heard
the wonderful music the little white
hands, all rough and SCARED now, could
draw from the ivory keys Of au organ
or piano, or the clear, pure voice in
song. It was an unknown world to
John, where his wife's memory fingered
as she secured tins, strained milk and
cooked huge dishes for the farm hands.
He would have thought it wicked waste,
if not positive Insanity, to draw from
the bank his hardahed savings to in
vest them in beautifying his plain, COM
Portable home.
And Lima lashcd her consciousness
sharply, telling herself she was migrate
!ul, rcpining and wicked. Was not her
John tender, true and loving? Where
among her city friends was there
heart like his Had she not known he
was only farmer?
And SO the dear loving little woman
toiled and slavod, undertook tasks far
beyond her strength, worked early and
late, until just one year after his we'd
ding day John Reynolds, coming home
to his tea, found lying upon the kitchen
Goor little sonscless figure, with face
like death, and hands that sent chill
to his very heart.
The doctor, hcstily summoned, look ed
grave aud advised perfect quiet and
rest. A girl was hired, and John tcder.
ly nursed the invalid, but though she
grew better she grew pale and weak
Take her away awhile" said the
doctor; "try change Of ar. She is
overworked"
"But' said honest, puzzled John, she
does nothing but the housework for us
two She has no child, and our sewing
is not much
The doctor looked into his troubled
face. "You arc a good man, JOHN
Reynolds, and n strong one" he said {.
Will you let me tell you few plain
truths 2"
YES. About Lima 2"
"About Lima You remember, do
you not, the tiny antelope you admired
so much in the menagcrie we mad here
last summer 2"
"Certainly,' said Joh N, looking more
puzzled then ever.
Suppose you had bought that little
creature and yoked it with one of your
oxen to cart to do the same work %
"l'd been fool" said John; 'that
little thing couldn't work. 1t was just
made pretty to look at aud to play"
That's it, John. Now don't think
God ever made any woman to look
pretty and play, but He made some for
the rough work of this world, and some
for the dainty places, some to draw
mems souls to heaven BY gentle lowell
ness. Your wife is one OF the latter. III
you were poor man | would have held
INV tongue hut Won arn = rich CO. N:ra
your vile servant let her have books,
music, pretty things around her. let
her rest from toll, and you may keep
her BY you side. Put her back in her
old place. and you may order her tomb
stone, for she will soon need it. Dou't
pus your antelope beside your oxen
john"
81 viii not 4! Thank you! l under-
stand. Poor, loving, patient heart"
"Thats right Take her now for a
lisslo pleasure trip, and get back her
roses"
Liua clapped her hands when John
asked her if she would like to spend a
week in New York and really seemed
to draw in new life from the very idea
1t was delicious to see Johns wide
open eyes as be entered the parlcr OF
the great city hotel, and was shown into
the bedroom, whose beauties were quite
as bcwldcriug.
"Phe best room, he had told the laud-