Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1873-06-25
John Jones New Leaf.
ny RosELLA RICE.


pans on it., and cold ashes on its hearth, its
sooty plates awry, pot Of dishwater stand.
ing on top Of the stove aud the broom and
poker and tongs lay just where the little
riders had left them when they we're called
to prepare for school. johnny had gone
of crying, aud his whine could even then
be heard coming up the hollow, in the d..
rection Of the schoolhouse. The milk had
not been strained, and the flies were buz.
zing about it as they sat on the edges Of
the two brimming pals, slipping aud rub
bing their hands together in a satisfied way
The baby was teething, and cross, and the
one pair Of hands that could have brought
order out Of this disorder we're busy trying
to soothc il.
Is it any wonder that teirs we're in the
mothers eyes, as she cuddled her baby to
her bosom, and walked across the floor try.
ing to still its cries?
" Oh, dear, what a life what a life g"
said she f; try to be patient, and make
the best Of il, but il does seem so hard. 4"
Just as the babe 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 hatchat yesterday ?"
" 1t was out on the rock, behind John
ny's wagon, last night said She speaking
low, aud gently laying the baby down in
bed that bad not been made up yet
" Seems to me you're good while git
tin your chores done you haven't the
knack Of gittin' along like Mrs. Lsavon-
dyke-her work is done up long ago, an
she's busy in the gardin'. Tell you, she's
anice gardin', don't look much like our'n I;
you don't put the time on our'n that she
does in her'n"
" Oh, john said the little woman, slip
ping back her sleeves and tying on big
apron, and trying to keep her face turned
away to hide the gathering tears, with
four children, and the baby sick, and three
cows TO milk, aud calves to feed, and hands
to cook for, and all the other work to do,
ouly wonder that get half my chores done
10 whole day
"Well, I'm sure | don't see how it is"
said he; "my mother had ten living chill.
dren, AID she managed to get along frst-rate,
and do all our own weaving, besides taking
in weaving for the nei,hhors You have
more room than she had. and YOU don't
have to carry water forty rods, like she
did-.bere il is. RIGHT at the foot Of the
hin and Won never have 70 ont vorr ovn
Gre.wood unless it is in the midst Of bar.
vest, and | think you shouldn't complain.
II there is anything hate to hear, it is a
,rowling whining wiGe Now have 10
be out Of doors ali the time no matter how
the ann shines or how cold the wind blows
while Won arc in the shade and conf,rtahlo
IF vou only knew il All Won have an
easv fine Of il Won women If Won only
knew it so cheer nm married Won for
helnmate don't Won know The Girls
will be bio enough in tbree or four years
10 helm YOU. and then Won can take times
easier, and maybe by that time the bottom
farm will be paid for. and Wen he able To
ride in a corriace like the Leovondvke do
oUow long since Won brought in This
water ~ said he as he took a drink from
tho Tin dinner and Gna;n, il no, frosb ho
snuirted Il ont coollv r;oht on The aoor
among some mans that had slinned down off
a sboIf
As be took the b,tchet and started ont
to the wagon 10 ix the bav.ricoing on il
he said Lame if Won can az We'll as not
s'posin, vou have somo Of them new beons
that grow in that fnr lot for dinner -
avail I'M trv - said sbe honeIesslv ,s
cha slinned bor sboos ofr so ,bot she MN,
stem softly and with moro comfort ALIVE
worL;n, won,o, tnoy ,,h,, ,osL !, ia ~
mt disordered kitchen into reatnesa %.
necialIv when little children have becn
about F;rs, sbo stroinnd Tho Mill sav;no
ont a on,rt with which ~ ,n;v the broad
for the veast was set the night before and
had beon bpbbling t,ro hours. sbe mixed
| II and sot Il in t5e warn, sunsbinc then
started fro and made ceed of skim mill
and mool car ,be noisr frol;csomo colves
That ram in ,be door vayd Then she swent
and ,icLod ~, nIaythin,s artor tho chiI.
dren bung nm their coats md aprops and
set ,bcir eld sboos ovov and moved tbo;r
sleds and wagons and boons from about the
doors
While the dishwater was heating she
hurr;ed nm stoirs and mode rho heds then
washod tbe dishes and wont down collar
and sL;mmed tbo Mill Tbero was creom
cnonob r,r chnrn;nc and tho churn ,vos
sc,lded and ,then Ieft win n nail of cold
vator s,,nJ;n, in !, 90 os 70 bo r,esb and
ro,d, Ry RI ,;,,e ,Lo h,hv VIC ond
cr;oj ond ;ho ,ir,d I;,ua ,ootLor ,,as com.
neued 10 s;t AVN md tale Kim in her
sbeI,er;n, arms
Tn baIS an b,ur or 60 ho w,s re,dv 70
si, down On tho eoor On On on;I, and she
| Ioc, lin, lon,, onor,,h % oorr, ,hroo or ro,r
na;ls oc ,bo L;,rred n,;IL 70 ,ho two
poiisG,l a, ,;mo and she wor, NJ op n sho rnn
SLe aIwovs ced Tho n;as wbcn she ,sLeJ
her hnsha1d once 10 norrv ,he nil 10 ,ho
nea on h;s NAV on, 10 H. ,vorr o saia
ir,Tho, halon,'s = ,ro,,an,s nort 49,
vhoso name e IN, cor comn,;ss;one, shomlS
No, ho asLod 70 oIon Tho ,ias ase,ho,,s I;,,ie
M ,oo s,oon" 80 '' r'e
I, was No ,,iai,, ioh 70 rsed ,h,se ni,s
,ba non had hooo yn,.do an, or son,d "a
honsd loos ond 10 onon;n, ~ roraL ,rb;.h
,ho nairg bod 70 ho lif,eJ hefora ,bev conId
ha S orr,n,;od r ,s.s % XII, ~ ,ha,;, ;ns, conc
avon Viii hor nooL and was opIv w;Je
ononoh 90 adn,i, mo all w;,h ,ho R.il Ia.
| W Wv i''' W. NV >