The weekly Oskaloosa herald. [volume] (Oskaloosa, Iowa) 1855-1885, 1873-10-09

lessons. Now, you we're washing
dishes and baking bread, and Lou
and En- were helping you, while Ned
was off somewhere
Il can't take things easy, as does
Johns wife, sobbed Mrs. Robert.
Il wish could, but I can't; SO there
is no use trying
sYes you can. I'll pick out a
strong, willing girl to-day, and just
let her take hold of the work, and
you play lady, and see if you won't
get on BETTER
Mr.. Robert Kibbell hired a girl
and brought her home with him. He
entered into an agreement with her
to give her extra wages if she suited
his wife. Bridget only came in time.
Mrs. Robert commenced her usual
routine Of showing how every
thing was to be done, and nearly ex-
hausted the new helps stock of pa
tience. Sure, an it's hard to live
with such mistress, but I'll try an
phase the gintleman, an the money
will be somethin' to send to me ould
MOTHER muttered Bridget as Mrs.
Robert at last left the kitchen for up
stairs.
Dear me, how tired I am she
said as she sank on a chair. sAnd
the beds are not made. What q
clumsy thing Robert has brought
home. / don't believe can put up
with her for a week. I'd call her to
make up the beds and dust the rooms
only ] know I'd have to do them ov-
er again. Betsy, next door, often
does up the rooms. Well, l must
make up the beds, though I never
felt so completely tired out before
Poor foolish woman! Can you not
simply make the beds for once but
no, you must turn those heavy mat
tresses, though they were turned
yesterday. How very, very heavy
it seems, do not make such violent
effort to raise it. Lie down and rest
while you may. Bridget will think
nothing of turning the mattress.
Something seemed to whisper
these words to Mrs. Robert as she
exerted herself to turn the mattress
of her own bedstead. AS the mat
tress yielded to her efforts and turn
ed over, something else gave way,
and flow of blood issued from her
lips and stained the mattress as it
sank into its place.
An hour after when Emma and
Louisa came home from school, they
found their mother lying on the bed,
longing for help but unable to sum
mon it.
Clumsy Bridget had it all her own
way. She was not perfect by any
means, but somehow she did very
well, while the mistress lay 80 ill
and helpless.
Some weeks after she was sitting
up, when Mrs. John Kibbell came in.
Il have been thinking over that
sermon on Mary and MARTHA said
Mrs. Robert in faint voice. you
took the right meaning out of it. l
see it all now. have brought this
illness on myself, and all this trouble
on Robert and the children. ! have
thought too much of my own way of
doing things, and have had too little
faith in others
There is often virtue in being
still, and there is SO much required
of a woman now. When our moth
ers and grandmothers were young
married women, plain people like US
lived in plain way. The women
could do their own work, and look
tired at night, and retire early if they
pleased. New our husbands provide
the means to hire help, and in the
afternoon they expect to find US
| dressed like ladies and at leisure to
60 out with them, or entertain them
at home. We must yield to circum.
stances. We cannot work hard all
day and be fresh at night. We are
supposed, too, to be intellectual. We
must advance with the times, read
the papers and some of the new pub
lications, or our own will think we
know nothing
you are right. Mary did choose
the better part, which shall not be
taken from her. ! wish l had been
less like Martha
Mrs. Robert Kibbell again never
took the part of Martha. For many
months she was compelled to wait
and suffer, till death ended her anx.
ieties. Many good woman frets
herself into her grave in like man.
ner. w oRKED Our would, indeed,
be the m ost suitable inscription on
many thousands of tombstones.