The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1875-08-12
AN INSUBORDINATE 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. Giles, sneak
ing to herself, habit in which she fire.
quently indulged. "Now, 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 l could accomplish :"
and picking un her basket, she went into
the house. The prospect within was not
very cheering; the washtub to clear away
and the Ginner 70 place upon the table.
Jnst as she began to lay the table, Mr..
Giles appeared at the door and Sid:
= Put on an extra plate; that man will
take dinner with us -
Dinner was soon ready and as soon dis
patched, for ceremony was one of the un-
known things in the Giles family. Mr..
Giles and the stranger retired to the sit
ting room to discuss the merits of a new
reaper and mower, while Mrs. Giles re-
mained 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 say
ing: ''If you have any thing new that
will make work easier and do more of it,
I'm your mani I'm i'm favor of all ma
chinerv that will tighten work for man.
Why, bless you, just look around my
farm; it's run mostly by machinery"
profitable certainly," replied he to
an interrogation from the stranger.
"Money in the bank" he added, never
emitting an occasion of mentioning
small deposit he had i'm the city bank.
TIE stranger was gone at last, and Mrs.
Giles sat down with weary limbs and ach-
ing shoulder to finish a suit of clothes she
was making for her Oldest son, lad of
fifteen. Slowly and YEARLY the needle
went in and out; stitch afte- stitch was
taken but TO little purpose; it did seem as
If she would never come TO the last. But
if stitches progressed slowly, her thoughts
flew East enough. The last words of her
husband fingered in her mind, and again
and again they required TO her.
"fes, men can have their burdens light
ened, but poor women may drudge. Every
wear Giles has added something new to
his farming implements, while | have to
plod along with hardly sufficient utensils
TO cook decent dinner; an old stove with
out a boiler or whole grlddle and cracked
door. No wonder | can't bake loaf o
bread decently. Then here | have 10 sit
and stitch for week on this suit when two
hours on a machine would complete it"
1t Is needless to record all OF Mrs. Giles
thoughts and words as she sat stitching
the hours away. A dim consciousness OF
her wrongs and faint determination to
assert her rights. was entering her mlnd.
She had so long given up her opinions. SET
aside her needs and ostered the selnshnesS
of her husband, that il was hard to break
through the meshes of habit which his
stern will had woven around her. Inc
afternoon wore away and Mrs. Giles laid
aside the unfinished garment to prepare
the evening meal.
The next morning at breakfast she re-
marked to her husband that an agent tor
sewing machine had called the day pre-
vious and wished her to try one Of his ma.
chimes.
al told him." she said, he might leave
one when he came next week.
Mr.. Giles lsid down his kni'e and fork
and sat with utter amaZement depicted on
his countenance. Z" A sewing machine y
he gasped, when he had recovered himself
"He needn't leave any of his new-'anglec
humbugs here; have no use for them"
"But have"
YOU" interrupted he; "dont see
what use you have for machine. You
could never learn to use it; or il you did
what have you to sew? Only my clothes
and the boys. Women, nowadays, are
getting mighty independent, wanting ma
chimes TO do their work; too lazy to do II
themselves. Suppose they want to gao
about and gossip about their neighbors.'
why. Philip"
"WOman's work is nothing" continued
Mr. Giles, not needing the interruption.
MY mother had not as many con-
veniences for doing her work as you have,
vet she always had her meals regular and
well cooked, and that is more than / can
say for you. No, ! don't want any sew
ing machine about my house. God made
as good sewing machine as want wher
he made woman"
With this ultimatum he left the table
and taking his hat, mounted his horse anC
rode away TO look at the new reaper
which he contemplated buying.
One by one the members of the family
finished their breakfast and passed out
leaving Mrs. Giles alone. She sat witt
her head resting upon her hand; hel
thoughts wandered back to the days when
in the freshness of her youth, she gave hel
hearts deepest and best affections TO Philip
Giles. Blinded by her great love for hin
she saw not the extreme seltishness no
coarseness of his nature. She implicitly
believed all his promises and needed no
the warning OF her friends.
j seemed a long time since then 81
many shadows had darkened their path
way; darker yet seemed TO grow life
rugged journey. She saw her six son
growing up around her, amidst rough an'
evil influences, without the ability q
counteract them. Mrs. Giles remained
long time bowed over that breakfast table
praying with a sense of helplessness and
feeling of need, such as she had never bt
fora axnariapcad laud ran af the doc
startled her. On opening il she foun'
Mr.. Harris had called to pay off not
which had long been due; note MI
Giles had often declared he should neve
be able TO collect. "The poor wretch,
he insisted, Twill never De able TO saw
enough TO pay his honest debts, while hi
wife spends all his earnings on such foo
ish things as washing machines"
Mrs. Giles informed Mr.. Harris Of he
husbands absence, but said she would al
tend 20 the business. When all was salts
fsctorily settled and Mr.. Harris had gone
Mrs. Giles sat for some time looking at th
roll of money in her hand.
At length q new thought came into he
mind. Carefully placing the bills in he
pocket. she went into the kitchen an
hurriedly finished the mornings wor
and then, dressing herself, she wake
down TO the station, which was but
quarter of mile distant. She was ju;
in time for the morning train Ter the city
ten miles away.
noon when She returned home. Mr.. Gil'
was still absent: Leonard, the eldest sol
stoed in the ward with the team.
"Heigho, mother" said he, was Ju
ooing to look for you. / thought II WI
20 "a Cor Won alvvavs 70 have to walk.