Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1873-08-06
anisfellanu.
John Jones New Leaf.
BY ROsELLA RICE.

# was a dreary kitchen-the walls
rere dirty and smoky, the breakfast
a;.bos stood on the table in the middle Of
the floor. the cooking stove was open, with
tett,e. and pans on 1t, and cold ashes on
is hearth, its sooty plates away, pot OF
5i,bwater standing on top of the stove,
ond the broom and poker and tongs lay
inst where the little riders had them
gben they were called to prepare for
school Johnny had gone off crying, and
he whine could even then be heard COM
~, nm the hollow in the direction of the
scRco house. The milk had not been
Grained, and the flies were buzzing about
;tas tbey sat on the ed ges of the two
brimming pals, slipping and rubbing their
hands together IN a satisfied way. The
bgbv was teething, and cross, and the one
,,.;r of hands that could have brought or
der out OF this disorder were busy trying
70 soothe It.
Is it any wonder that tears were in the
rotber's eyes, as she cuddled her baby to
her bosom. and walked across the floor try
iDg 10 still its criesf
,Oh, dear, what life what a life ~
said she: Il try to be patient, and make
tbe best of it, but it does seem SO hard"
Just as the babe was growing quiet, and
is little blue hands had fallen listlessly
rpon its bosom, shadow tell across the
doorway, and the husband entered, saying,
d. Jane, can you tell me what the children
did with the hatchet yesterday p
D." 1t was out on the rock, behind
Johnny's wagon, last night" said she,
speaking low and gently laying the baby
down in a bed that had not been made up
yet.
Seems to me you're good while
gttin' your chores done ; you haven't the
knack OF gittin' along like Mrs. Leavon-
dyke-her work is done up long ago, an
shes busy in the gardin'. Tell you, she's
nice gardin', don't look much like
ourn; you don't put the time on our'n
that she does in her'n."
"Oh, john" said the little woman,
slipping back her sleeves and tying on
biz 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, only wonder that [ get half my
chores done in whole day
Well, I'm sure [ don't see how it is,
said he; my mother had ten living
children, and she managed to get along
frst-rate and do all our own weaving
besides taking in weaving for the neigh
bors. You have more room than she had,
and you don't have to carry water forty
rods. ike she did-here it is, right at the
fJot of the hill and you never have to cut
your own fire wood, unless it is in the
midst OF harvest, and [ think you shouldn't
complain. If there is anything hate to
hear, it is a growing, whining wife. Now,
no matter how the sun shines, or how
cold the wind blows, while you are in the
shade and comfortable-if you only knew
it. All you have an easy time OF it, you
women, if you only knew 1t; so cheer up.
| married you for helpmate, don't you
know. The girls will be big enough in
three or four years to help you, and then
y-u can take times easier, and maybe by
that time the bottom farm will be paid for,
we'll be able to ride in carriage like the
Le4vondyke do
How long since you brought in this
water =? said he, as he took drink from
the tin dipper, and finding it not fresh, be
sqlirted 1t out cody right on the floor
among some pans that had slipped down
of a shelf.
As he took the hatchet, and started out
to the wagon to fix the hay-rigging on it
he said, " Jane, if you can as well as not
sPosin' you have some OF them new beans
that grow in that fur lot for dinner.
Well, I'll try" said she hopeessly, a
sde slipped her shoes off so that she might
sep softly and wiCl more comfort. Al
We working women know what task /
is to put a disordered kitchen into neat
ness, especially when little children hav
been about. First she strained the milk
saving out a quart, with which to mix tn
bread, for the yeast was set the night be
fore, and had been bubbling two hours
sac mixed it and set it the warm sun
h ne. then started FIRE and made feed o
skim milk and meal for the noisy
troIicsome calves that ran In the doc
yard. Then she swept aud picked u
pIaythiDgs after the children, hung u
their coats and aprons, and set their /
Shoes away, and moved their sleds an
wagons and hoops from about the doors.
Whle the dlshwater was heating Sd
q hurried up stairs and made the beds, the
washed the dishes, and went down celia
anl SKINNED the milk. There was creau
enough for a churning, and the churn Wa
sca.ded, and then left with a pail of col
water standing in it, so as to be fresh an
ready. By this time baby woke and erlet
the tired little mother was compelled t
81 st down and take him in her shelterln
81 arms.
IN half an hour or so he was ready t
sit down on the floor on quilt, and sh
lett him long enough to carry three or fou
pals Of the skinned milk to the pigs
two pajlstul at a time, and she went G
the ruu. Sac always fed the pigs; wheI
she asked her husband once to carry tt
milk to the pen, on his way out to h
4 work, he said That belongs to
4 Voman's work man whose name
out tor commissioner should not be aske
10 sop the pigs-that's little too steep
1t was no trlflng job to feed those pig
tle pen had been made out of some oil
house logs, and the opening through whlc
q tne pals had to be lifted before they cou
De emPted was SO high up that it ju
came even with her neck, and was onl
& wide enough to admit the pail with tt
3alI Iying down, Twice, when she W
dressed up clean, had the unsteadl
posed pail tipped back and poured tt
contents upon her, from her neck ev'
Il Down to her little feet. drenched as by
n watersnout