River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1875-08-27

DONG your sewing out 1 DO think the
burden of little Johnnie has all fallen on
me-"
at strikes me" said he, with a pro-
voking complacency Of tone, 'that if you
earned his living you would have less to
say about the burden falling on YOU"
"John," said !, "answer me honestly.
Do you work any harder or any. longer
now than you did before he was born ?"
II don't know as do" said he, 81 al.
ways worked hard enough.
swell, and so do /. But now as to
Johnny. ! presume you will allow your
self half owner Of him, as the law allows
your entire control over him. How
much do you do for him :"
III maintain him. l do my part
"No, John, you are wrong; you don't
do your part. From the first you never
have. Did not weary months 60 by in
which you bore no part whatever of the
burden 7"
swell, that is curious complaining
what would you have me do q
"You might have got a servant, instead
Of letting all the homework fall on me (;
or you might have kept horse, so that
could ride out and enjoy the fine weather /;
but that is all past now"
"lshould say that it cost me enough for
the doctor, nurse, &C., without talking
about keeping a horse"
''True, it cost enough but am talking
about the division Of the burden. Was
the part you bore in payment Of those bills
equal to my part in the materl Would
you have taken my place for that money
if it were to have been paid you instead
orthose who cared for you! Think not. T"
Didn't have all his clothes to buy ~
"No, sir. | went without new clothes
of any sort Cor a season and the money
saved from my wardrobe supplied all that
was needed; and | might add that all his
other clothes have been got in the same
way"
"Well, really had no idea how much
of a martyr you were. Next you will be
clothing me IN the same way. How thank
full ought to be for so calculating a wife T.
snow, in these two years." said |, con-
tinuing in the face of his sneer. "all of the
care and confinement consequent on at
tending the child have fallen on me. !
have managed some way to accomplish
my housework and sewing as used.
can hardly think how it has been done
Did it ever occur to you to think how
many times | have been to church since
he was born ?"
"You wouldn't expect a man to take
care Of a baby, would you! That isn't a
mans work"
"Isn't ~" said /, bitterly; 'then
wouldn't have a baby. have been to
church just four times and then some Wis.
tor has staid with Johnny. How many
times did you get up in the night to
soothe him when he has been sick and
fretfull"
"How do you suppose" said he, Il
could work by day if didn' get my night
sleep"
"Just the same way that | do when my
night is broken, exactly"
"Well, Sarah, what is the drift of all
this talk, anyway! for don't see any
use in prolonging it.
"Well, then, it is my acknowledgement
that as | did my part OF the fam.
lily labor and took all the care of John.
ny, and you are a man in prosperous cir
cumstances, am entitled to as much mon
ely for that as if we're employed and paid
by the month for the same work, and |
have a right to spend money for things
that don't suit you if please to do so
and may add said with sudden We
hemenee. "that it is mean and c)ntempti-
bic in you TO try to oppose or forbid my
doing So
John said no more. | saw by the look
in his eyes that he was quite angry: and
so was L. That was the first time in our
married life that we failed to Kiss each
other good night. Indeed, felt guilty,
though | hardly know why, but it was
late before fell asleep.
The next morning all was serene. No
trace remained Of the evenings storm,
but nothing more was said about the OBJ
noxious subscriptions. Next day met
Mrs. West, and she thanked mo very
heartily for doubling my money.
Dear joni! He didn't mean to be I'M
kind, but he had never stopped to think
about such things. When his next set.
Element came and he slipped $50 bill in
to my hand and said. "That is for your
private purse" ! really thought he was
:he best husband in the world.