Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1875-10-01
AN INsUBoRD1NATE WIFE.

Mrs Giles stood in the front yard, hang
ing up her Mondays wash; the last piece
had found its place upon the line.
Done at last" said Mrs G lies, speaking
TO herself, habit which she frequently in.
dulged. Nov, if dinner was out of the
way, might have time to finish Leonard's
suit this afternoon; I've had it around so
long. If only had a sewing machine, how
much could accomplish" and picking up
her basket, she went into the house. The
prospect within was not very cheering; the
washtub to clear away and the dinner to
place upon the table. Just rs she began to
lay the table, Mr. Giles appeared at the door,
and said:
"Put on an extra plate; that man will
take dinner with u.s."
Dinner was soon ready and as soon dis
patched, for ceremony was one of the
unknown things in the Giles family. Mr.
Giles and the stranger retired TO the sitting
room to discuss the merits of new mower
and reaper, while Mrs Giles remained and
cleared away the dinner table. When she
had finished and made herself ready for the
afternoon, she went into the sitting room.
Mr. Giles was saying:-"If you have any
thing newer and better, anything that will
make work easier and do more of it, I'm
your man! I'm in favor of all machinery
that will tighten work for man. Why,
bless you, just look around my farm; it's
run mostly by machinery"
"ProfitableP certainly" replied he to an
interrogation from the stranger. "MoneY in
the bank" he added, never emitting an occa-
sion to mention a small deposit he had in
the city bank,
The stranger was gone at last, and Mrs
Giles sat down with weary limbs and ach-
ing shoulder to flush suit of clothes she
was making for her Oldest son, a lad Of If
teen. Slowly and YEARLY the needle went
in and out; stitch after stitch was taken but
to little purpose; it did seem as if she would
never come to the last. But if stitches pro-
gressed slowly her thoughts flew fast enough.
The last words of her husband fingered in
her mind, and again and again they required
to her.
Eyes, men can have their burdens light
ened, but poor women may drudge. Every
year Giles has added something to his farm
ing implements, while have to plod along
with hardly sufficient utensils to cook a
decent dinner; an old stove without boiler
or whole gridde and cracked door
No wonder 1 can't bake loaf of bread
decently. Then here | have to sit anG
stitch for week on this suit when two
hours on machine would complete it,"
1t is needless to record all of Mrs Giles
thoughts and words as she sat stitching thu
l,o,,, ox,,oy A Jip, acknowledgements NJ ha,
wrongs and faint determination to asser
her rights, was entering her mind. She haC
80 long given up her opinions, set aside he
needs and fostered the sel6shness of her hus
band, that ii was hard to break through thu
meshes of habit which his stern will baC
woven around her, The afternoon wor'
away and Mrs Giles laid aside the unfinished
garment to prepare the evening meal.
The next morning ut breakfast she re
marked to her husband that an agent for
sewing machine had called the day pre-
yIous and wished her to try one of hii
machines.
II told him." she said, che might leav
one when he came next week."
Mr. Giles laid down his knife and fork an
sat with utter astonishment depicted on hi
countenance. "a sewing machine!' h
gasped, when he recovered himself "H
needn't leave any Of his newfangled hum
bugs here; / have no use for them"
"Youn interrupted he; don't see whf
use you have for machine. You coul
never learn to use it, or if you did WIFI
have you to sewP Only my clothes and tn
boys. Women, nowadays, are gettin
mighty independent, wanting machines
do their work. too lazy TO do il themselves
Suppose they want to CAD about and gossi
about their neighbors,"
"Why. Phillip
"Woman's work is nothing, continued N
Giles, not needing the interruption. IN
mother had not as many conveniences f
doing her work as you have, yet she alwal
had her meals regular and well cooked, an
that is more thanI can say of you. No, don
want any sewing machine about my hous
God made as good a sewing machine as
want when he made woman"
With this ultimatum no left the table an
taking his hat. mounted the horse and roo
away TO SEQ the new reaper he contemplate
buying. llIH
One by one the members Of the fami
finished their breakfast and passed out, lea
ing Mrs Giles alone. She sat with her hes
resting upon hor hand; her thoughts wa
dered back TO the days when, ia the fires