Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1873-07-03
By KENNETH DUNN.

By KENNETH DUNN.
aH.Na it all! there is Nd use in helping
those who will not help themselves" ex-
claimed Uncle John.
Now. Hang it ALL" was an uncommon
exnression for John West to use. If, in
;,s Mace. he had substituted "Indeed"
NV men would have been more ready to
trsnscribe his thought. But this vulgar,
meaningless sentence did escape his lips,
and having expressed himself thus, he
seemed relieved.
Uncle John had favorite nephew, and
this nephew had a wife. Uncle John was
rich. and owned several fine farms. On
Young Johns wedding day the uncle
brought no gift of gold or silver or plated
ware-"nothing; not so much as you
could wind around your finger" the bride
said that night when, far from home, the
newly.made husband and wife discussed
the events of that eyentful day. But when
John returned from his wedding tour,
Uncle John paid them visit, and said
quietly, as he was ready to leave:-"What
are YOU going to do now, JOhnf'
81 think of taking Joel Benson's farm,
on shares, for year at least"
"You caa do better than that; here is
YOUR wedding gift" and placing some
papers in his hands, he hastily left.
The papers were:-First, the deed of a
valuable farm; with, second, mortgage
upon it awaiting, Of course, young Johns
approval and signature) of just half its
vaiue-said mortgage to be paid in small
annual installments. The land was fine !;
the house nearly new, and all the out
buildings in excellent condition.
The tears sprang to Johns eyes as he
read it; he was sensitive to the very
hearts core.
"Oh, won't that be grand!" exclaimed
his wife, when he showed it to her; snow
you can buy that new carriage and a
silver-mounted harness shall want to
20 a great deal. He will never expect you
to pay anything more than the interest,
and give the rest to you by.and-by; any
way, when he dies"
dNeverr' exclaimed John, looking at
her in amazement; "he has given me
enough already. Be the times good or
bad, shall pay the interest, and the in
stallments as they are due"
You see, he had little of the old John
in him. The sequel would seem to show
that the bride had said under the breath,
1--WE will see'
1t was just two years from this time
that Uncle John used that inelegant ex-
preston; and he said more than that; he
said: "Such woman as that deserves no
better home than Kansas dug Out."
The truth was, Mrs. John was not very
young, but she ac0s very selfish and de-
signing. She courted John so assiduous-
ly and yet SO delicately; and he-he had
nothing but good head and strong hands /;
and his heart well, he had never tried
his head yet, and the fair-skinned, golden
haired woman, he felt sure, loved him.
She was poor, too; together they might
make a home. She had always been
obliged to work; of course, she would be
willing to work with and for him.
Poor John! "But he deserves his fate,"
you say. What, when his failing was his
perfect faith in wOmanhOod?
1t was Uncle Johns faith too. Once a
clear-eyed, sunny-browed little girl had
called him "Dear john" but ere he had
ever pressed husbands kiss upon the
June lips, the angels called her. In those
early days he thought all women were
like his lost darling; but as years passed,
he came to know that she had been one
OF the few lent to earth, to show all woman
kind what they might become. 1t was
the memory of her sweet, selfsacrificing
AiIC tudt uoOC JOuu w Cct, eAOuSA 0SSAAAA6
lonely man, so strong.
For the reason that young Johns wife
had worked hard and lived economically
all her young fife, was to her sufficient
reason, now thaushc was the wife of the
favorite nepheV1bf rich bachelor uncle,
that she should alive like other folks"
meaning by this, like people of wealth; ;
never seeming to realize that happiness is
of the heart--never stopping to think that
a large share of the gains from the farm
must be returned to it in one shape or
another, and that farm life means to most
home, and its comforts and pleasures.
How few realize that work greater
than that Of any artist is given American
farmers wives and daughters to do; to
show to the world what home may be-
a place where work and culture shall
dwell together The house was very
pleasant, and loUing hands might, with
simple means, have made of it beauti-
full picture. John proposed to furnish
only the kitchen, dining-room (Which
they would use for sitting-room) and
their own room opening from it; but Mrs
John had set her heart On having her par
Tor furnished ION the Benson farm they
would have lived in tenant house, small
but comfortable, and there would have
been no parlor to furnish; but it has been
proven many times that only well-bal-
anced mind can bear sudden prosperity
But John was firm.
"Wait, Celia" he said, "until we get
ahead little; then you shall furnish the
house from top to bottom to suit your
SELF" and Celia knew that he meant 1t,
for John had not misery trait about
him. Well, If she could not furnish the
parlor, she would furnish one OF the
chambers.
"What will it cost." John asked.
About hundred dollars"
"Well," said John slowly, with cloud
upon his brow, and pain which he would
give no breathing space oppressed him;
but the pain, put into words, would have
been, docs this woman truly love me?'
John owned good span Of horses and
heavy light wagon before he was mar
ried; he bought yoke Of oxen early in