Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1874-09-03
A WORKING WOMAN.
Whit Gsed Health, system and
n WiliiDg Heart Can Accom-
Piish-A Model for House,
wives.

/
r'Ruth's" Letter to N. ,t.- Joariial Of
E Commerce.
Looking out Of the window the other
morning saw woman drive TO the gate,
with trim little establishment ia excel +,
lent bfder. ] had nsteE set my eyes
upon her before, l was sure of that,
though she looked up at the window with
a bright RnG cherry smile, as though she
had known mo all my DAYS. Springiug
out Of the high wagon like girl of six
teen, though she was evidently three
times that age, she hitched her horse and
blanketed II as IL she were used to it, and
was ushered into the paflor. She had
come to inquire about some lots upon our
farm, and ! assure you she talked business
it evidently being no new thing to her.
| found she was from a neighbBrins town
five miles distant, where her husband is q
prosperous architect aud builder. After
she had obtained the information for
which she came, we fell into conversation
such as our seA will indulge in.
"Have you much ola fam'ly?' 1 in.
qnired.
Eleven children" she replied. l
opened my eyes in astonishment, expec-
ting to hear the usual answer these days.
"Threc, too boys and girl" or wee ver-
sa. "Have you never lost any children
said L. "None," she replied, "and none
are married ;they are all living at home."
"What family to look afterp I ex-
claimed. ''Oh; l shouldn't mind cur
own family at ALL said she, "but we
have always boarded three or four car
penters, necessary in my husbands bus
mess. Then we have farm, and good
many cows to see to and butter to make,
and as my husband is always busy in
other ways the oversight Of the farm
devolves mostly on me-"
Il hobe you are more fortunate than the
rest Of us, in having good domestics to
help you with all this work" I said. The
good woman Strengthened herself up and
gave decisive reply. Il never keep
any," she said; "they never sdit me-"
"Your. children must help you a good
deal. then?' Eyes; but they have their
lessons to learn. Their eldest sister, who
has as go' d an education as money could
give her, teaches them entirely at home.
We have a room in our house fitted up
especially for this purpose. They are
more thorougly taught By list; with the
deep interest she feels in them, than If
they went to school elsewhere and being
able 10 rec:te 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 to give me
more assistance than they could otherwise
do" What a sensible woman thought I,
for you know what fayorite idea home
home education is with me, when it is all
practicable. So / drew my chair uB to
her and said, "You don't do your own
sewing, do your "Never sent out a
stick in my life, dresses 81 anything else.
even when we had not sewing machine,
and don't know what excuse / could
have for it now with good machine. -
Do you make sUur husbands and all your
boys' shirtsY / asked. "Every one Of
them. Ny eldest son is something Of a dan.
dy' as young men will be, and he bought
some shirts awhile age. Oh /! such ct
as they were! ! spent more time rip
ping and fixing them than would have cut
and made good half.dozen.''
DO you ever have time to 60 outside
Of homer I inquired.
"Oh, yes" she replied. with 4 smile :
liam here this morning, you see, to in.
quire about this land, and day before
yesterday | went to the State FAIR with
some butter, which took 4 prsmiam?'
"You must sit up very late at night" !"
| said.
"Oh no, not very; We always finish up
our work by 8 o'clock evening unless
something very special Is going on, for We
are quite musical family. We Lave a
plano. Ny daughters are good players,
father and mother, boys and girls, all
count upon a good sing, often, before
going to bed, and this causes us to sit up
rather later, l have sometimes thought,
than was good for us, considering we have
| to be I'D with the lark in the mornings.