National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-10-24
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4 FORF7Fg W0N7F.T

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Looking out Of the window the other morn
ing saw a woman drive 70 the gate, with a
trim little establishment fn excellent order.
hsd never set eyes upon her before, was sI-s
! ofthat, though she looked up at the window
with bright and CHEEKY smile as though she
had known me all my days. Springing out Of
the high wagon Ike . girl Of sixteen, although
she was evidently three times that age, she
hitched her horse and blanketed It as If she
was used to 1t and was ushered into the par
Tor. She had come to inquire about some lots
upon our farm, and assure YOU she talked
business, It evidently being no new thfnr 10
her. / found she was nom q neighboring
town, i've miles distant, where her husband 4
q prosperous architect and builder. Amer she
had obtained the Information for which she
came, we fell into conversation such as our sex
viii indulge in.
ssHaye YOU much Of 3 familys'' I inquired.
''Eleven Children" she replied. opened my
eyes in astonishment, expecting TO hear the
usual answer In these days, ssfhree, two boys
and q girl, :" or Uies psTsG. Have YOU never
lost any children ?" said I. s'N0ne,H she re-
piled, ''and none are married; they are al lfF-
ing at home" ''What family to look aiter 20
! exclaimed. "Oh, I shouldn't mind our own
family at all, !" she replied, shut we have
always boarded three or four carpenters, neces-
sary IN my husbands business. Then We have
q farm and good many cows 70 see to and
butter to make, and as my husband = always
busy in other ways. the oversight Of the farm
deyolyes mostly on me-"
81 hope you are more fortunate than the rest
of US, in having good. domesties to help you
with all this work, I" said. The good woman
Strengthened herself up and gave decisive re-
ply. Il never keep any" she said; -they
never suit me-" sYOur children must helDyou
good deal, thenP' ''Yes; but they have
their lessons to learn. Their eldest sister, who
has as good an education as money could give
her, teaches them entirely at home. We have
q room in our house fitted up especially forthat
purpose. They are more thoroughly taught by
her, with the deep interest she feels in them
than If they went to school elsewhere; and be-
ing able to reeite their lessons In the earlypart
of the day, they spend fewer hours over books,
which is better for their health, and this ena-
bles them to give me more assistance than they
otherwise could do" What a sensible woman,
thought 1 for you know what favorite idea
home education is with me when It Is practiea-
Die. So drew my chair M nearer to her and
said ''You don't do your own sewing, do your
"Never sent out stitch in my life, dresses or
anything slse, zen when we had not q sewing
machine, and don't know what excuse I
could have for It now with a good machine
'Do you make your husbands and all your
boys shirtsP every one Of them. My ED
est son is something Of dandy, as young men
viii be, and he bought some shirts while ago.
Oh, such aft as they were spent more time
ripping and fixing them than would have cut
and made Dozen"
ado you ever have time to go outside your
houseP' inquired.
''Oh yes, she replied, with smile; st am
here this morning, you see, to inquire about
the land, and day before yesterday I went to
the State fair with some butter, which took q
premium"
''You must sit up very late nights, - said
"Oh, no; not very. We always finish uD
our work by o'clock evenings unless some
thing very special is going on, for We are quite
musical family. We have q piano. Ny
daughters are good players, and father and
mother, boys and girls, all counb upon good
sing, often, before going to bed, and this causes
Us to sit up rather later, have sometimes
thought, than was good for US, considering we
have to be up with the lark in the mornings.
You know" she added, "that music Is very
fascinating to those who love it."
care you always welll'' 1 asked.
MY heslth is perfect. have good nat
ural constitution, and have no time 70 be de-
bilitated and nervous"
Here this paragon arose to 20. followed
her to the gate, saw her unhiteh her horse and
drive of, while returned to the house with
these reflections: Eleven children, boarlers, &
farm, no servants, premium for butter at the
State fair, music and the fine artist Think Of
it, o We daughters who have 3 family Of three
children, three servants, hire all your sewing
done, and have dyspepsia and general debility
thrown in.
As for me, went up stairs after this inter
view, unrolled some shirts was just going to
send out to be made, and, oiling up my ma
chine, went to work at them. OF course
hate Is. OF course It win tire me to death, but
It is so nice to be smart like this good woman
have made some inquiries about her since she
was here, and find her story was not exagEer-
ated. She Is q living example of what perfect
system and industry viii accomplish. She
was once q teacher, wen educated and senst-
BILE. She married her husband when he was
not worth cent, and now they live in ffteeR
thousand-dollar house, own q good farm, and
to the good management and thrift of the wife
is attributed much Of the husbands success.
They and their children have the name of be-
ing one Of the happiest and most united FAINT
lies anywhere about. But my paragon does
not write such long letters as this, suspect.
must go back 70 my machine; it acts like 3
witch to-day.