The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1874-09-14

Looking out Of the window the other
morning / saw q woman drive to the
gate, with a trim little establishment in
excellent order. I had never set eyes
on her before. / was sure OF that,
though she looked up at the window
with o bright aud CHEEKY smile, as
though she had known me all her days.
Springing out Of the high wagon like q
girl OF sixteen, though shewas evident
" three times that age, she hftehed her
horse and blanketed il as II she were
used 10 Il, and was ushered into the
parlor. She had come to inquire about
some lots upon our farm, and assure
you she talked business, ii evidently
being no new thing to her. I found
she was from neighboring town, five
miles distant, where her husband is o
prosperous architect and builder. AT
tor she had obtained the information
for which she came, We fell into con-
yersation such 90 our sex will indulge In:
"Haye you much Of q family% 1
inquired.
aEleyen children" she replied. i
opened my eyes in astonishment, ex-
pecting to hear the usual answer in
these days. "Three, two boys and q
girl, or vicc verSa. "Haye you nsyer
stany children ?" said ]. "None,"
she replied, "aud none are married /;
they are oil living at home" "What
family to look afterl" I exclaimed.
"oh, / shouldn't mind our own family
at oil, !" seid she, "but we have always
boarded three or four carpenters, me-
cessRry in my husband's business.
Then we have q farm, and o good many
COWS to see to and butter TO make, and
as my husband Is always busy in other
ways, the oversight Of the fern de.
wolves mostly on me"
at hope you are more fortunate than
the rest Of us, in having good domestica
To help you with all this work, ! said.
The good woman Strengthened herself
up and gave o decisive reply. 81 never
keep any," she said ; "they never suit
me" "Your children must help you
a good deal, then 2" eyes; but they
have their lessons TO learn. Their eld-
est sister, who has as good IN educa.
ton as money could give her, teaches
them entirely at home. We have q
room in our house fitted up especially
for this purpose. They are more thor
oughly taught by her, with the deep
interest she feels in them, than il they
went 10 school elsewhere; and being
able 10 recite their lessons in the early
part OF the day, they spend fewer hours
over books, which Is better for their
health, and this enables them 10 give
me more assistance than they other.
wise could do" What sensible wo-
man, thought ], for you know what q
iavorite idea home learning 10 with me,
when It is at all practicable. So I drew
my chair pearer to her and said, "You
don't do your own sewing, do your"
Never sent out stitch in my life,
dresses or anything else, even when we
had not o sewing-machine, and I don't
know what excuse / could have for II
now with good machine" "Do you
make your husbands and all your boys
shirts?" I asked. every one Of
them. My eldest son is something Of a
dandy, as young men will be, and be
bought some shirts awhile ago. Oh
sucha ct as they were I spent more
time ripping and fixing them than
would have cut and made o good hall
Dozen"
"Do you ever have time TO go out
side your house2" I inquired.
=" Oh, yes," she replied, with o smile;
/" / am here this morning, you see, TO
inquire about the land, and day before
yesterday l went TO the State Fair with
some butter, which took premium
"You must sit up very late nights"
I said.
"oh no, not very; We always finish
up our work by 8 o'clock evenings in-
less something very special Is going on,
for we arc quite o musical family. We
have q piano. My daughters are good
players, and father and mother, boyt
and girls, all count upon q good sing,
often, before going to bed, and thit
causes US 10 sit up rather later, I have
sometimes thought, than was good fol
us, considering we have to be up with
the lark in the mornings. You know
she added, "that music is very fascin.
ating to those who love t." Are you
always WE'LL" asked. "My health Ia
perfect. I have o good natural consti'
tuition, and have no time TO be debili'
tated and nervous" Here this paragon
arose TO go. I followed her to The
gate, saw her unhitch her Horse and
drive of, while I returned 10 the house
with these reflections Eleven chill
dren, boarders, farm, no servants, nc
sewing put out, all teaching done In
the house, premium for butter at the
State fair, and the fine arts | Think oi
II, o ye daughters who have q family
OF three children, three servants, hire
all your sewing done, and have head.
ache, dyspepsia and general debility
thrown In.
AS for me, went upstairs after this
interview, rnrolled some shirts I was
Just going to send out TO be made, and
oiling up my machine, went TO work oil
them. or course I hate II. OF course
IL will tire me to death, but IL ID 80 nice
to be smart like this good woman. i
have made some inquiries about her
since she was here, and find her story
was not exaggerated. She Is n living
example Of what perfect system and
industry will accomplish. She was
once o teacher, well educated and sensi.
ble. She married her husband when
he was not worth o cent, aud now they
live in o fifteen Thousand dollar house,
own good farm, aud TO the good man.
agement and thrift Of the wife is at.
tributed much Of the husbands sue.
cess. They and their children have the
name Of being one Of the happiest and
most united families anywhere about.
Rnt NV narn0on dnaa mt ygrita af,Nh