The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1873-12-20
JOHN JONES' NEW LEAF.
A story for Rural Husba ntls.

IL WdS a NlCdl AitShSA tAAS "oAAS
we're dirty and smoky, the breakfast
dishes stood on the table in the mid
die of the floor, the cooking stove
was open, with kettles and pans on it,
and cold ashes on its hearth, its sooty
plates away, a pot of dish-water stand
ing on top of the stove, and the broom
and poker and tOngs lay just where
the little riders had left them when
called to prepare for school. Johnny
had gone off crying, and his whine
could even then be heard coming up
the hollow from the direction of the
school house. The milk had not been
strained, and the flies were buzzine
about it as they sat on the edges Of
the two brimming pals, slipping and
rubbing their hands together in sat
isfactory way. The baby was teething
and cross, and the one pair of hands
that could have brought order out of
this disorder were busy trying to
soothe it.
Is it any wonder that tears were in
the mothers eyes, as she cuddled her
baby to her bosom, and walked across
the floor and tried to still its cries?
''Oh dear! what life-what life!"
said she; II try to be patient and
make the best of it, but it does seem
SO hard
Just then the baby was growing
quiet, and its little blue hands had
fallen listlessly upon its bosom, a
shadow fell across the doorway, and
the husband entered, saying:
Jane, can you tell me what the
children did with the hatchet, yester-
day."
Johnny wagon, last night" she re-
piled, speaking low, and gently laying
the baby down in a bed that she had
net had the time to make up yet.
Seems to me you're good while
gettin' your chores done; you haven,
the knack Of gettin' along, like Mrs
Leavondyke-her work is done uI
long ago, an she's busy in the garden
Tell you, she's nice garden--don'
look much like our'n; you don't put
the time on our'n that she does in
her'n:"
"Oh, John" said the little woman
slipping up her sleeves and tying or
her apron, and trying to keep her face
turned away to hide the glitterine
tears, with four children and the
baby sick, and three COWS to milk, ant
the calves to feed, and the hands tt
cook for, and all the other work to do
| I only wonder that | get half IN.
chores done in the whole day.
"Well, I'm sure | don't see how i
is" said he, my mother had ten liy
ing children, and she managed to ge
along first-rate, and do all her owl
weaving, besides taking in .weavin,
for the neighbors. You have NOR,
room than she had, and you don
have to carry water for forty rods
like she had-here it is, right at tn
foot Of the hill; and you never hav
cut your own frewood, either, unles
it is in the midst of harvest. and
think you shouldn't complain. /
there is anything l hate to hear, it i
growing, whining wife. Now,
have to be out of doors all the time
no matter how hot the sun shines, o
how the wind blows, while you are i
the shade and comfortable-if yo
only knew it. All! You have an eas
time Of it, you women, if you onl
knew it, so cheer up. [ married yo
for helpmate, don t you know. Th
girls win be big enough in three Q
four years to help you, and then yo
can take times easier; and maybe b
that time the bottom farm will be pal
for, and we'll be able to ride in cal
riage, like the Levondykes."
"How long since you brought
this water?" he added, as he took
drink from the dipper. Finding it NJ
cool he squirted it out coolly right Q
to the floor among some pans that ha
slipped down from shelf.
As he took the hatchet and starte
to fix the hay rigging on the wagol
he said:
"Jane. if you can as we'll as no
'sposin' you have some Of them ne
beans that grow in that ere lot fl
dinner.
"Well, I'll try said she hopelessl
and she slipped her shoes off so tn
she might step swiftly and with mo-
comfort. All working women kno
what task it is to put disordere
kitchen into neatness, especially whe
little children have been about. Firs
she strained the milk. taking out
quart to mix the bread with, for IL
yeast was set the night before, an
had been bubbling two hours; 81
mixed it and set it in the warm sui
shine, then started fire and mae
feed Of skim milk and meal for IL
noisy frolicsome calves that run in Il
dOOryard. Then she SWept and picEe
up playthings after the children, hui
up their coats and aprons, and 8
their old shoes away, and moved the
sleds and wagons and hoops fro
ahout the donrs.