Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1874-11-05
What Came of Making Pickles.

Nv ell, Love, my poor child, s2ld
a dignified old gentleman, Il have
looked your matters all over, and l
must sey see nothing but starvation
before you and your family"
''Well, father replied bright lit
tie woman of twenty five years, in a
trembling voice, 1--we not the least
idea of starving, nor of letting my
family starve-not if God spares my
health"
''You were always a brave child,
Love, but this is q terrible crisis. 1t
would be cruel in any one to taunt
you know. but remember that told
you and George that it was very i'm
prudent for a man to marry till he had
something ahead for an emergency"
II remember, father, that you
thought I should be wiser to marry a
man with house and store, for whom
l did not care, than to marry George,
with two thousand a year. But If I
had the choice to make over again to-
day, l should do just as I did then. I
wouldn't change places with any wo-
man on earth, even now
'You are faithful wife and a brave
llLLle woman, Love, but
"But what, father -
"You can't live on in this way,
child"
"But I will live, father, and live
we'll, too, and take care of George and
the babies"
"How?" Ay, that was the word
that had heen wringing in the heart of
this brave little woman ever since the
day that her husband failed at his desk,
and was brought home apparently dy
ing. She knew that she could rear the
pillars of her domestic structure her
self, but how?
"Well, Love, will do what l can
for you," said the old gentleman, and
-and-if it it were only for you and
the babies, l should say at once come
home, and be as welcome there as you
were years ago; but you know the
house is so small that we haven room
in it.
Love smiled a sad smile, and then
said, perhaps little provokingly,
-Four Of us would occupy no more
chambers than three; the babies are
too little to be away from us at night.
But if your house were twice as large,
father, could not take my husbands
little home away from him, now that
he is sick. shall have to decide soon,
and let you know my plans
The respectable old gentleman rose
up, and'with his handkerchief polished
his already shining beaver. Kissed
Love, patted the heads of the babies,
and turned to so, saying, Keep up a
good heart child, and remember that
the ravens fed Elijah
well, l don't want them to feed me :;
1 prefer to feed myself replied the
spunky little woman, who felt that it
was rather hard in her father to dis
courage her, and then exhort her to
keep up a good heart
She loved the old man, although he
was stiff and narrow in his views, and
never forgot any slight offered his
judgment. She followed him to the
door, and said, Good bye, father
give my love to MOTHER although the
real mother, who would have found
room enough in her heart and home
for them all, had been for years in the
grave.
1t was twilight, and as the old gen
tleman was going down the steps q
young man came up.
'Ah, good evening, good evening,
said tue stout, good-natured hotel
keeper to both, and then added tC
Love, Here l am on the old borrow
ing business. My wife says she cans
please the lawyers in court time since
| aud cho oboOooI ioI o15
ey. Old Squire Watts called out tht
minute he sat down to supper, Come
Bruce, borrow some of that neighbars
pickles for us Them pickles are {
standin' joke among them. Why can
nobody in town make pickles and cat
sup and chow chow like yourn? NJ,
wife's cook that can't be beat OF
bread and meats and pastry and cakes
but she ought to prentice herself tc
you on some things
| Love, who had known Bruce all he
life, smiled, aud said:
i will give you q jar with all m
heart, Mr.. Bruce, and that won't hal
pay your wife for the nice things sh
has. sent in to poor George. l hav
my cucumbers all ready now to make
next years pickles, and yet have tw,
or three jars left
Suppose we make bargain, Mrs
Burt. I'll buy two barrels at the bes
Boston price, if you'll make them fo
me, and chow chow and catsup, too
Love laughed, and the hotel keepe
went down with her to get the jar
The old man went down the stree;
whispering, with sigh, The Lor
knows what's going to feed that fam
lily; can't do it, for my wife says
can't; and she knows everything most
and Love is terribly obstlnate.'
Well, the hotel keeper ran hack til
next moment with his pickle jar, a
happy as some men would have bee
to find nugget of gold that size, fc
he had a rival who kept the old tavar
i and he wanted to keep all the lawyer
who came there to hold court as hi
customers.
Love had long talk with her hu
band that night The next day an oil
school friend, who had always bee
like sister, came to stop with IL
sick man and look after the babies, an
she went to Boston, ten miles away,
an early train, with a noat little ba
ket in her hands. Ifany one had bee
) near enough, when she put her lit
basket on the platform of the dep
with such spirit, he might have heal
her whisper:
See if my family starves while L
alive and in my health
D The day was lovely, and everybot
on the cars and on the street locke
cheerful and happy. OF course, the
were sick, and lame, and blind, al
deaf people, and beggars plenty in t
world, but Heaven was keeping the
Z out of her sight that day, and bringil
before her only happy grown folks al
merry little ones.
Tho ntrnntr lnn1-nd ur IL -. -. i 4