Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1872-06-14

"Yes," said she, at last breaking forth |
into soliloquy, her usual habit when much |
| disturbed in mind. "Yes, men can have |
their burdens ligbtened, but poor women
may drudge Every year, Giles has added |
something new to his farming implements, |
while I have to plod along with hardly |
sufficient utensils to cook decent dinner |
an old stove, without boiler or whole |
griddle, and cracked door. No wonder |
cannot bake loaf of bread decently. Then |
here have TO sit, and stitch for week on
this suit, when two hours on a machine |
would complete it,"
1t is needless to record all of Mrs. Giles's |
thoughts and words, as she sat stitching the
hours away. A dim consciousness of her |
wrongs, and faint determination to assert |
her rights, was entering her mind. She
had so long given up her opinions, set
aside her needs, and fostered the selfish
ness of her husband, that it was hard to
break through the meshes of habit which
his stern will had woven around her. The
afternoon wore away, and Mrs. Giles laid
aside the unfinished garment TO prepare
the evening meal.
| The next morning, at breakfast, she re-
marked to her husband that an agent for a
sewing machine had called the day pre-
vious, and wished her TO try one of his ma
chimes.
81 told him." she said "he might leave
one when he came next week."
Mr.. Giles laid down his knife and fork,
and sat with utter amazement depicted on
his countenance. "a sewing machine"
| he easped, when he had recovered himself.
"ITe needn't leave any of his new-fangled
| humbugs here. I've no use for them"
"Dut have" interrupted his wife.
"You," interrupted he, "don't sec what
you have for machine. You could never
learn TO use it, or, if you did, what have
you TO sew? Only my clothes and the boys.
Women nowadays are getting mighty in
dependent, wanting machines TO do their
work too lazy to do it themselves. Sup
pose they want time 10 gad about and gos-
sip about their neighbors."
"Why, Philip-'
"Woman's work is nothing" continued
Mr.. Giles, not needing the Interruption
"My mother had not as many convenien-
ces for doing her work as you have, yet
she always had her meals regular, and
well-cooked, and that is more than l can
say for you. No, don't want any sewing
machine about my house. God made as
good a sewing machine as / want, when he
made woman
With this ultimatuin, he left the table,
and took his hat, he mounted his horse and
rode away to look at the new reaper, which
he contemplated buying.
ba r,aunIarg of hn family
finished their breakfast, and passed out,
leaving Mrs. Giles alone. She sat with her
head resting upon her hand; her thoughts
wandered back to the days when in the
freshness of her youth she gave her hearts
deepest and best affections to Philip Giles.
Blinded by her great love for him, she saw
not the extreme seltishness nor coarseness
of his nature. She implicitly believed all
his promises, and needed not the warning
other friends.
1t seemed long time since then, 50
many shadows had darkened her pathway;
darker yet seemed to grow ile's rugged
journey. She saw her six sons growing up
around her, amidst rough and evil infu-
ences, without the ability to counteract
them. Mrs. Giles remained a long time
bowed over that break fast table, praying
with a sense of helplessness and n feeling
of need, such as she had never before ex-
perenced. a loud rap at the door startled
her. On opening it, she found Mr. Harris
had called to pay OFF note which had long
been due; a note Mr.. Giles had often de-
cared he should never be able to collect.
"The poor wretch" he insisted, Twill
never ne able to save enough to pay his
honest debts, while his wife spends all his
earnings on such foolish things as washing
machines"
Mrs. Giles informed Mr.. Harris of her
husbands absence, but said she would at
tend to the business. When all was satis-
iactorily settled, and Mr.. Harris had gone,
Mrs. Giles sat for some time looking at the
roll of money in her hand. At length, a
new thought came into her mind. Care
fully placing the bills in her pocket, she
went into the kitchen and hurriedly Tin
ished the mornings work, and then, dres-
sing herself she walked down to the sta
ton, which was but quarter of a mile dis
tant. She was just in time for the morning
train for the city, ten miles away.
1t was nearly 4 o'clock in the afternoon
when she returned home. Mr.. Giles was
still absent Leonard the eldest son. stood
in tbe ward with the team.
..Heiobo motbcr" said he 81 was inst
coirg to ,ool, for Won tbopobt II wostoo
bad for vou al,vavs IN walk -
"weIi NV son - She renlied ..vou wou,d
not have found me . I'VE been to the citv -
UThe citv coo.whi,tokor y and Leonard
uavp n nrOlonppd whistle
.,yos ;, said Mrs. Giles oetiipg into tbo
wagon. "and now I wish YOU TO 90 to the
station with me. and bring home NV pur-
chases."
roonorl ,,onntad hasida bor soyiro. .