Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1873-09-25

! were up, I'LL long after we were Ill Deu, Vi
course we could not see her as much as
we wished. Housework seemed to be her
forte. 1t did astonish one to see how at
tached to it she was. | used to say to
her, 'If ever live in the country mean
to enjoy life. One can live so easy here.
Nothing to buy, for everything grows
here. Cows are waiting to be MIXED :;
one has plenty of cream and butter,
chickens are coaXlng to be fried, eggs lie
all around loose and everything grows
spontaneously"
Mrs. Butterworth smiled dreary smile
and said: of it is ever your lot to live
in the country you will see things in a
different light, and you will find that all
these things require great deal OF care.
True, everything grows; bat it takes a
great deal preparation before the ground
is ready for the seed, and then it is work,
and care all the way along. Hoeing,
wedding, pruning and finally gathering,
in fact it is all work, until ready for
the table,
To return to my story. Now all my an
ticipations of rest, country shade, eggs
and early vegetables had vanished, and
looking out of my window, l saw nothing
but the wooden sidewalks and dusty
streets | have no doubt that my disap-
pointment had as much to do with my
unamiable mood as the loss of my butter,
though | did not express it, | felt as if,
somehow, had been abused What right
had she to change her location, and leave
me and my precious children destitute OF
a resort from the cares and trials incident
| to city life?
per, 81 have hit upon plan. Let us 90
| II Knit far
| this summer It's for rent, she told me
so this morning"
what an idea! Live upon farm! l
guess So"
"Why not? Rent our house to Mrs.
| Livingstone She has no children, and
will take good care of the rooms. Just
say you will to please me- We can live
cheaper, you know. Why, we can live
for ing-absolutely nothing! Be
Sides" | continued, you can come in
on in the cars in the morning, and go
out in the evening. So you will suffer
no inconvenience. And III make my
own butter too, every pound of it."
q don't know anything about farm
| ing" said George, "but | suppose it's
easy to learn, and could get good man
| to come and do the work. | think it
| might be good idea"
So we began to plan. We would have
the flower beds enlarged, for Mrs B. had
scarce enough to keep her visitors in
bouquets, and | had sometin-e s imagined
she used to begrudge the Gear children
the luxury of plucking her roses and tn
lips, and tearing them to pieces, though
she must have known how much it
amused them. Yes, we would have it all
to ourselves now, and the little dears
should enjoy it too, and no thanks to any
body.
After the children had all gone to bed,
for our house was never quiet till that
time came, we sat down and talked away
into the small hours, and then retired our
selves
Morning came at last, and George
sprang out of bed, shouting, "Hurrah for
the country, with its pigs and chickens,
and luscious fruits swimming in bowls of
cream. Hurrah for the country, | say!
Homemade butter and dollar a day"
To the farm we went. 1t was rainy
day when we moved but as our house
was let we had to 90 when the time
was up. | did not know much about
packing, and did not begin that business
till morning, so it was late in the day be-
fore we got started, and the coming fami-
ly was moving in long before we left. A
ludicrous picture we made, when once
slowed away on the top of pile of bed
ding, baby in my lap, the other two beside
me, and George holding a mammoth um-
brella over us. How it did drizzIe, driz-
zle We were all pretty we'll soaked by
the time we reached the farm; but George
tried to cheer us with visions Of a warm
fire, for had he not taken the precaution
to pay boy he met on the street the day
before, to have the fires made before we
arrived, and the teakettle which was sent
out with some provisions the day before,
boiling? Alas, what was our dismay to
find not only no fire, but that all the cook
ed eatables had disappeared. The house
was as cold as barn and damp enough
to give any one the blues. Everything
was drippingly, drizzlingly wet.
Never mind" said George, Eve will
have fire soon. Where are the
matches?''
Where were the matches, sure enough!
Nobody knew; and after hunting long
and Intellectually, George went to a neigh
boris to borrow some. In half an hour
he was back again, but as everything was
damp it was long time before the fire
consented to burn; but at length the house
grew warm, and fishing out some tea
bread and prunells we had brought with
us, we made quite comfortable supper
and then prepared to set up a bedstead,
A damp mattress was thrown upon it,
and damp pillow, sheets and cover fol-
lowed. How | wished myself back
again in my own little cottage.
In the morning what confusion was be-
fore me! Baby was sick, the two older
children hoarse, and | felt as if / had
been beaten My flesh was sore, and not
a joint in my body was in tune. Maggie,
my heretofore trusty girl declared the
country was no place for her, so she left
me on the first train for the city Now
here was situation. George tried all
day to find girl for me, but failed, and
we decided to go to work the best we
could, for neither of us could say to the
other, Il told you So" though | felt like
a culprit all the time
"Ho, hum! A bad beginning makes a
good ending, so let Us go to work." and
at work we went and ere long the house
looked quite presentable, and we were
thankful that nothing worse than bad
colds and sore limbs followed our NOV
ing.
George had provided a score of milk
pans, and when the milk was strained
away, l prided myself on their bright
looks; and began to see in prospect the
golden balls of butter slowed away in
jars for winter use. 1t was not long ere
found it was no childs play to lift the
| heavy pans up and down from the
Shelves and it was something [ could not
mt off