River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1872-11-08
"Youll do nothing of the sort, child

sOMbs AL W IsWAAA w. ssesAeN'A
while. And 1 reckon we don't need
two houses for four of us. Extra fires,
and cookin' and the like. just bring
Minerva right home, and if she's dis
posed to do her part, we'll git along ia
mously, and lay up money, too"
"But, father"
Don't sbut father me over. any
such ridiculous projects as yours and
hern.a Iwor't listen
The old man turned and walked rap
idly away.
The young man stood thoughtfully,
for at least five minutes, beside the
gate, looking at the new house where
his parents had lived for three years,
and at the old, where his boyhood had
passed so swiftly, and where he had
expected to make home tor his young
wife and himself.
He had lain awake nights, planning
this and that addition to its convent.
ence and beauty, and Minnie's words
were ringing in his ears all the while !:
"No matter how humble our home
may be, we will make it 'the dearest
spot on eartk'-the dearest and the
sweetest.
81 hate to disappoint her, the dar-
ling" he soliloquized; "but it does
seem foolish, as father says, to have
two houses for four of us, when our
interests are one, two. At any rate, [
can't offend him, and must reconcile
her in some way"
So Minnie's fate was fixed for her,
and when the June roses were in bios
som, her husband took her to live with
him and the old folks in the new house
on the hill.
Poor little Minnie! She had been
reared so tenderly, had been loved and
petted always. Her voice had led the
choir in the village of her birth for five
years pnor to her marriage, and no
fingers ever walked such melody from
the old church organ as did hers.
She had listened quietly to avowals
of love made by the students OF Glad
stone College, from which the seniors
down to the prosecuted freshmen
quietly, and with the deepest of her
heart unstirred-until young Morley
entered the list of aspirants for the
hosor of her hand, and was crowned
victor in the June that quickly follow
ed. Nobody wondered at her choice.
The favored student was young, hand
some, and of good address and though
rumor had accredited to him larger
expectations" than were ever to be
realized, he was able to support wife
in much more than comfort-and his
little wife loved him so.
There is no reason why they may
not be as happy as two chip-birds," The
country folks said. "No reason at all,
!, for they're just suited to each other
unless the old folks
"Ano what of the old people, Hal
ly? Mrs. Blake inquired, when her
husband was repeating the gossip OF
the neighbors.
"Nothlng-only they're SO hard,
cold and selfish"
"And to be hard, cold and selfish is
nothing only?' Why, Hally!"
Mrs. Blake sat down on her hus-
bands knee, put one arm around his
neck, and kissed him till the sad look
in his eyes gave place to one of tender
JOY.
"Now tell me all about them," she
said. "I'm as tired as harvester,
and just in mood to be humored."
81 wish you wouldn't work so hard,
City,"
Mr.. Blake shock his handsome head
ominously. "
"You'll be an old woman before
your time; and I've mind to put pen,
ink and paper under lock and key fol
three months at least.
"And-let me see in three months
1 could plot new book famously, with
a pencil, on the white wall of the best
room It's no use, Hally, to burden
the wings of genius. 1t will soar
spite of all the letters, till" she put
her bright face close to her husbands,
and added, in low whisper" the new
farm is paid for" -.
"And that will be in October. Won't
we have rest-spell then, you and I,
little poet?"
eyes; and take toaOerto the moon,
maybe. But now want to know about
the Mor]eys. Tell me everything you
know-there's good fellow"
81 can do that in an incredibly short
space of time, for l know I've the best
wife in the universe, and that I'm the
{" Hush hush! Did you see the
bride! Do you think they'll love her,
Hally?"
"Yes, 1 saw her; and yes, 1 think
they'll love her IN their aUdy. But thei,
estimate of her worth will be either
high or low. according to the much or
little of household labor she can per-
form, and their love for her-such as it
is-will ebb or flow with the increase
or decrease of her physical fitness for
the hardest kind of drudgery."
But they keep help. don't they?"
"The old lady had little chore
| oirl Int m, told che xyoe J;saLo,n.o 4