Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1873-09-25

WINS Ill Spl luS, WuCA SudW UcIIlcS DegdU
to ripen, and the air was sweet with the
breath of flowers, were devoted every sea-
son to visiting her. always put off my
could get along SO much better when we
were gone, and it was so nice to get out
Of the clutter. / liked to spend the hot.
test part of the summer there. too. The
perfume of new mown hay is always
where one does not have to paw for it.
Mrs. Butterworth had other CITY friends,
who, like myself, used 10 go out into the
country and rest. You don't know how
refreshing it was to us. We used to tell
her so when we could get sight of her
face, for as we were always planning pic
mic excursions, sailing parties, or ramb.
ling through the fine old orchard and
garden, while she, dear soul, YVES busy
baking and brewing, from long before we
were up, till long after we were in bed, of
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. l used to say to
her, eff ever l live in the country l mean
to enjoy life. One can live so easy here.
Nothing to buy, for everything grows
one has plenty of cream and butter,
chickens are coaxing to be fried, eggs lie
all around loose and everything grows
spontaneously"
Mrs. Butterworth smiled dreary smile
and said: "If it is ever your lot to live
in the country you will see things in
different light, and you will find that all
these things require a great deal of care
rINrIIp aynrufhinr hat IL tab q,
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 l 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
resort from the cares and trials incident
to city life?
George" l said, as he came in to sup
per, al have hit upon plan. Let us go
out and live on Mrs. Butterworth's farm
this summer. It's for rent, she told me
so this morning."
"What an idea! Live upon farm! l
guess So"
"Why not9 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 nothing-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 I'll make my
own butter too, every pound of it."
al 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. I think it
might be a 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 sometiu es imagined
she used to begrudge the Gear children
the luxury of plucking her roses and tu-
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 day."
To the farm we went. II was a 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 mammoth UNI
brella over us. How it did drizzle, driz-
ZlC. VIC WtIC an IiStuy "Si ooahSN ~
the time we reached the farm; but George
tried to cheer us with visions of 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, 1--WE will
have a fire soon. Where are the
matchess'
Where were the matches, sure enough!
Nobody knew; and after hunting long
and Intellectually, George went to 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 bedstead.
A damp mattress was thrown upon IT,
and damp pillow, sheets and cover fol
lowed. How / wished myself back