Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1875-02-05
WILT MRS. GLLES DID.

! ing up her Mondays wash the last piece
/ had found its place upon the liuc.
"Done at last" said Mrs. Giles, speaking
10 herself, habit in which she frequently
induged. Now, If dinner was out of the
way, might have time to finish Leonard :
suit, this afternoon I've lad it around so
long. II I only had sewing machine,
how much / could accomplish and pick
ing up her basket she went into the house.
The prospect within was not ye:y cheer
ing, the wash.tub TO clear away, and the
dinner 10 place upon the table. Just as
she had begun 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 aud 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 sitting
room, TO discuss the merits Of new reap
er and mower, 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. The stranger was about taking his
leave. Mr.. Giles was saying:
"If you have anything new and better,
anything that will make work easier, and
do more of 1t, I'm your man! am in ia
vor Of all machinery that will Tighten work
for man. Why, bless you, just look around
my farm. II is run mostly by machine
ry."
"Protilable7 certainly" replied he to an
interrogation from the stranger. "More
than pay expenses. Money in the bank,
he added, never omitting an occasion of
mentioning small deposit he had in the
city bank. The stranger was gone at last
and Mrs. Giles sat down with weary limbs
and aching shoulder, TO finish suit of
clothes she was making for her oldest son,
lad OF fifteen. Slowly aud wearily the
needle went in and out; stitch aller stitch
was taken, but To little purpose; 1t did
seem as IL she never would come 10 the
last But il stitches progressed slowly,
her thoughts flew fast enough. The last
woros Of her husband fingered in her
mind, and again and again they rocurred
to her.
YES, said she at last, break ing forth in
to solIloquy, her usual habit when much
disturbed in mind Eyes, men can have
their burdens lightened, but poor women
may drudge. Every year Giles has added
some thing new TO his farming implements,
while have to plod along, with hardly
sufficient utensils to cook decent dinner !;
an old stove, without boiler or whole
griddle, and cracked door. No wonder l
can't bake loaf of bread dccently. Then
here have TO sit and stitch for n 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 the
hours away. A dim consciousness of her
wrongs and a faint determination to assert
her rights, was entering her mind. She
had so long given up her opinions, set
aside her needs, and fostered the selfish
ness of her husband, that il was hard to
break through the meshes of habit which
his stern will had woven around her. The
afternoon wore away. and Mrs. Giles lard
aside the unfinished glrmcnt to prepare
the evening meal.
The next morning at break fast she re-
marked 10 her husband that an agent for a
SNNihe Ntlltb luc hhN lIGNi-
Gus, and wished her to try one of his ma
chimes.
II told him" she said, "he might leave
one when he came next week"
Mr.. Giles laid down his knife and fork
aud sat with utter amazement depicted on
his countenance. "a sewing machne?'
he gasped when lie had recovered himself
"He needn't leave any Of his newt tangled
humbugs here; have no use for them
"But have" interrupted his wife.
"You," interrupted he, don't see what
use you have for machine. You could
never learn to use it, or, if you did, what
have you to sew! Only my clothes and
the boys. Women now a-days are getting
mighty Independent, wanting machines tC
do their work too lazy TO do it them
selves. Suppose they want time to gao
about and gossip about their neighbors."
"Why Phillip"
"Woman's work is nothing" continued
Mr.. Giles, not needing the interruption
"My mother had not as many convenience
for doing her work as you have, yet she al
ways had her meals regular, and well cook
ed, and that Is more than l can say fo
you. No, don't want any sewing ma
chine about my house. God made as goot
a sewing machine as want, when he mad
woman"
With this ullimatum he left The table
and taking his hat, he mounted his hors
and rode away to look at the new reape
which he contemplated buying.
| M l.. bn Of In
finished tLelr breakfast aud passed out
leaving Mrs. Giles alone. She sat with he
head resting upon her hand her thought
wandered back TO the days when in th
freshness of her youth she gave her heart
deepest and best affections to Phillip Giles
Blinded by her great love for him, she sa,
not the extreme seltishness and coarsenes
Of his nature. She implicitly believed al
his promises, and needed not the warnin
OF her friends.
II seemed long time since then, so ma
ny shadows had darkened their pathway
+ darker yet seemed to grow life's rugge
journey. She saw her six sons GROWN
uP around her, amidst rough and evil il
fluences, without the ability to who'll
counteract them. Mrs. Giles remained
long time bowed over that kitchen tabl,
praying with sense of helplessness and
feeling of need, such as she had never be
fore experienced. A loud rap at the doc
, started her. On opening ii she found NJ
, Harris had called TO pay off a note whic
had long been due Jfote Mr.. Giles ha
often declared he should never be able
collect. "The poor WRETCH" he insisted
twill never be able TO save enough to pa
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