Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1874-06-19

went to bed, leaving her with naught but
her own thoughts for company. They
were unpleasant and unwholesome com
panionship, yet she could not drive them
away. She thought of the work that
must be done tomorrow. There was the
churning. She must not let the cream
stand another day, for she would suffer
from her husbands reproaches if he did
not get the highest market price for his
butter. She would have great deal of
baking to do, for Mr.. Thompson had en-
gagged three or four men to work for him
few days. 81 shall have no time to sew
tomorrow" thought she. "There's no
other way; l must make them tonight"
She lit candle and sat down to her
evenings task. Slowly the needle crept
in and out through the coarse, blue cloth,
but the harassing thoughts came swiftly
and reveled in her brain until it seemed
as though she would go wild. She
thought of what her mother had often
said to her when she was excepting COM
pany' with James Thompson: "James has
such queer ideas of womanhood, l fear he
will make your life unhappy. He seems
to think wife should be strongly fenced
within the bounds of her husbands law,
or she will become an enemy TO his pros
perity and happiness. When | hear a
them to time if he had such and such
women to deal with, l think it is sure
sign that he will be either brute or
coward-a brute if he marry gentle,
sensitive creature-a coward if he marry
vixen"
Mrs. Thompson remembered how she
regarded all such sentiments of his as
uttered only in jest, and she went from
her fathers house, where she had never
suffered from an unkind word, trusting
him perfectly. But her mother had been
right In her estimate of the man. How
she yearDed for her advice and sympathy
nowi. But she must bear her burden
silently, for her mother had long been
beyond the reach of earthly care and sor-
row. But oh, how could she go on in this
way, without the love of her children,
without any influence over them She
thought there was something about her
| self that incurred their dislike, not think.
| ing that their conduct was the result of
the training they had received or their
lack of training on her part OF course
! the children cared for her. and would
know it if she were TO leave them forever.
But Mrs. Thompson did not think of this.
She looked upon her life as useless. She
told herself that she could not help it if it
were wrong; she longed for the time 20
come when her weary hands would be
crossed forest in the grave.
| The clock struck eleven ere the last
stitch was taken, and Mrs Thompson
crept wearily TO bed, thinking that she
must go right to sleep in order TO become
sufficiently rested for the next days work.
Mr.. Thompson spent the evening merrily
at Benson's, playing cards with the boys.
There's nothing like being right up
and down with women folks" said he to
himself with selEsatisfaction, as he saw
the trousers hanging across the back of q
chair. Thinking that his wife was asleep
he said not a word, but went TO bed and
was soon sleeping soundly. But Mrs.
Thompson had become too excited to
easily forget her troubles in unconscious
ness. And when at last, long after mid
night, sleep came to her, in her dreams
she lived over again the trials of the day,
only the bitter pain seemed to have been
d-ss@l essS L1IVlII'IiS <~-ss --.<---r-~--
not up at her usual hour And when Mr.,
4 Thompson and the boys came in with the
i milk there was no sign of breakfast. The
stove was cold. Mrs. Thompson was not
in sight. Mr.. Thompson went to the
bedroom door and saw that his wife had
not yet arisen The thought did
/ not occur to him that she might be sick (;
but he remembered that it was late when
she went to bed and he thought she had
oversight herself.
"Ain't you going to get us any break
fast to-dayP" he asked.
Mrs Thompson started up at the sound
of his voice and replied meekly, in
strange contrast with her wild looks
Yes, it will be ready in few minutes y
Then she sank back on her pillow and
murmured that she must get 10 sleep OF
she could not go through with the work
tomorrow.
Then it was evident to Mr.. Thompson
that her work was "through with" fol
many days to come. The milk was lef
, unstrained and unskimmed; the pig:
went unfed there were no preparations
, for breakfast; but Mr.. Thompson sent fol
/ Mrs. Blond to come while he went for {
/ doctor.
! In her delirium Mrs. Thompson CAV,
/ expression to the melancholy thought
e that were making her life so miserable
r She would cry piteously that no one caret
9 for her--that she could not go on in thi
r way. She would pray wildly to God t
do something to make things different
n She would call her children by name an,
@ entreat them to tell her why they did no
!. love her. -..
One pleasant day the childrens were al
s out on the sunny side of an old buildin
r used for various purposes. They wer
4 not at play. They found no enioymer
e in their usual sports. The father sal
+. nothing about their going to school, an
v they went or stayed at home, just as the
( pleased. They missed the nice dinner
,t that their mother prepared for them, tC
D. Mrs. Blond did not get time to attend
o all their wants. Arthur stood with h
Q hands in his pockets, leaning against II
le building. Lewis sat looking thoughtful
10 ly down upon the ground; presently /
,r looked up into his brothers. face an
q said, in hushed and wistful voice:
As "Arthur, did you hear what moth
,e Eyes" he replied, and turned abo
r. and leaned his side against The wal,
8. though the subject were an unWelcon
sl one.
nj I" She thinks we don't care anythiI
nd for her." persisted Lewis.
-"I. know one thing" said Arthu
[r. speaking with anseffort, Z" If mother ey
he does get we'll shall use her bette
he whether father does or not" and !
he walked away, ashamed OF the tears tn
II. would come. :,
,ir Theother children soon followed, B
ot Mr.. Thompson remained ineide thee
"a building, where no stood by his pen
'I fine Suffotks, not TO estimate the namt
IS, of pounds of pork he could sell in
ge autumn, but because he could not
> himself to work, and he wander
,is about aimlessly when not attending to
ee chores or waiting upon his sick wife.
Of eff mother ever does get well | sh
lis use her better, whether father does
lis not" rs
'eT Mr.. Thompson started like a guilty
,sl as he heard these words, for they were
he confirmation of something that had bt
1as slowly forcing itself upon his mind sll
he he had listened TO his wife's rawlings. .
am had treated her in such manner Z
he even his children saw that he dld
,er treat her well, He thought that he
All. never intended to be unkind,
his he could not deny, even 20 INNS
nly that he had been thoughtiess