The weekly Oskaloosa herald. [volume] (Oskaloosa, Iowa) 1855-1885, 1873-10-09
From the New York Observer.
WORKED OUT.

| From the New York Observer.
WORKED OUT.
81 never knew before, why Mary
was commended for sitting still and
listening to her Master, while Martha
was reproved for her anxiety in max.
ing preparations for him."
81 cannot understand it yet. They
talk so much about errors in the
translation of the Bible. If there is
an error anywhere, l think it must be
there. Martha was reproved for be.
ing industrious, and Mary praised
for dong nothing"
"Not exactly. think Mr.. Havens
explained it quite clearly. Martha
was over-anxious-what we often
call fussy now. We often do the
same thing-we make so many pre-
parations for our guests, that we are
too weary to make ourselves agreea.
bic when they come. dare say our
visitors are half the time in ignorance
of all the labor we have had. and
would form q much better opinion OF
US if we were flesher, and conse-
quently more entertaining. l, for
one, shall try to profit by our pastors
words this morning. / know John
has often said he would rather eat
bread and butter for supper, than see
me so heated and tired when he
comes home. He can't bear me to
move round and tidy up, but wants
me to sit down and listen to what he
has to say. Hereafter l shall try to
be Mary, not Martha"
"I'm afraid you will never get
your work done at that rate. Sitting
still and doing the agreeable will not
kee,J the house in order, mend and
make clothes, and get the meals"
emo; but | intend to be Martha
throughout the day while my hus-
band is at business, and Mary in the
evening when he is at home / real
ly think you ought to try the same
plan you always work harder than
L, and you look pale. 1t will be
making a practical use Of the Bible
story"
The speakers were two sisters-in
law, the wives of two brothers. The
brothers were in business together,
and lived side by side in two little
neat frame houses. They were built
exactly alike, and were kept in per.
feet state of repair. There was a
kind of rivalry between the sisters in
law in regard to housekeeping, and
it would be hard to find either dust
or cob web in either house.
Both ladies followed the example
of their mothers and grandmothers
in more primitive times, and worked
too hard. Even good things may be
carried to excess, and what may be a
virtue in one, is fault in another.
Mrs. John Kibbell was more pro.
gressive than Mrs. Robert Kibbell,
and would depart from some old
habit if convinced that the old habit
was no longer beneficial. She found
that excessive tidiness and incessant
work worried her husband !; there
fore, she determined to manage her
household affairs in such way that
his few hours at home should not be
uncomfortable.
SHOW do you manage to keep a
servant ?" asked Mrs. Robert Kib.
bell few weeks after the conversa-
ton about Mary and Martha. 81
can't keep one over a month, while
you've Betsy over year. How do
you manage it ?"
81 hardly know, except that l
humor her little by letting her
work in her own way"
81 must have everything done my
way. If girl wont do a thing as l
want it, DO it myself"
"The girl is sure to resent any
thing like that, and call it interfer-
ence."
"Yes; what do you think Jane
had the impudence to tell me ?"
"What ?''
"That l was always meddli ,g, and
that nobody could live with me. I'm
pudent thing !"
81 believe if we wish to avoid the
annoyance of having new servant
every month, we must consider their
feelings as we'll as our own. Ii q
girl feels she is Of some Importance,
and that we depend on her to do GER
tain things well, she will take pride
in doing them. If we treat her as
though she were a necessary evil,
and not capable of doing anything
right, she will be sure to work care.
lessly."
81 see you leave a great deal to
Betsy. l shouldn't think of leaving
the kitchen just before dinner, and
dressing, as you do"
Nor l sometime ago; but one day
some friends came in, and | was
obliged to sit with them until after
dinner time. AT the last moment
they decided to remain. You may
imagine how | felt. left John to
entertain, while l ran down expect
ing to find everything spoiled but
no, Betsy had everything dished in
the neatest manner, and the dishes
on the dumb waiter ready to be hoist
ed up. She ran up, drew the dishes
on the table, her face beaming with
satisfaction all the time. l saw Betsy
and servants in new light. Now
| leave many things to Betsy which
l used to feel obliged to do myself.
l have time to dress for dinner ev-
cry day, and Betsy is happy because
she is valued and trusted
you are determined to be Mary,
while / am more Martha than ever.
James gone and ] must go to the Of
fee to look for some other torment
in the shape of servant. / wish l
could do without one.'
Mrs. Robert Kibbell's wish was
granted, for two months passed and
still she was without help. She
wanted perfection, and perfection
didn't care about taking the situation.
Hard as the work was when she had
servant, it was harder when she
had none. She began to show the
wear and tear, and Mr.. Kibbell said
at last