Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1875-12-30
GRAND RAPIDS WIS, THURSDAY, DEC. 80, 1879.


much Of my sewing for you to do. .
L don't complain of house work
nor of doing your sewing; but [ do
think the burden of little Johnny has
fallen on ME.
''It strikes me" said he, with pro-
voking complacency of tone, "that
if you earned his living you would
have less to say about the barden fall
ing on you.
I John" said I. ''answer me hon
estly.-Dc you work any harder or any
longer now than you did before he was
born 20
Il don't know as | do," said he.
''I always worked hard enough.
"Well, and so do L. But now as
to Johnny | presume you will allow
yourself half owner of him, as the
law allows you entire control over
him. How much do you do for
him 20
Il maintain him do my part. :"
s'No, John, you are wrong; you
don't do your part. From the first
you never have. Did not weary
months 90 by in which you bore no
part whatever of the burden"
well, that is curious complaining !;
what would you have me do -
"You might have got a servant, In
stead of letting all the house-work fall
on me or you might have kept a
horse, so that [ could ride out and en-
Joy the fine weather; but that is all
passed now"
Il should say it costs me enough
for the doctor, nurse, &c, without talk
ing about keeping horse. ,
True, it costs enough; but L am
talking about keeping horse"
True. it costs enough but | am
talking about the division Of the bur
dem Was the part you bore in pay
ment of those bills equal to any part
of the matter? Would you have taken
my place for that money if it were to
be paid you instead of those who car
) ed for you [ think not. -
Didn't [ have all his clothes tc
buy -
"No, sir. I went without clothes Of
any sort for a season, and the money
: saved from my wardrobe supplied al
that was necessary: and [ might ado
that all his other clothes have beer
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 samf
way. How thankful I ought to bt
for SO calculating a wife -
Now, in these two years, said |,
continuing in the face of his sneer,
'<all Of the care and confinement con-
sequent on attending the child having
! fallen on me, | have managed some
way to accomplish my house-work and
: sewing as [ used. | can hardly think
how it has been done. [ can hardly
think how 1T has been done. Did i
: : ever occur to you to think how many
times [ have been to church since h(
" was born !"
4 "You wouldn't expect man tC
take care Of baby, would you? That
isn't man S work -
!. "Isn't it 2" said [ bitterly 'ther
: [ wonldn't have baby. l have
been to church just four times. anC
then some visitor has stayed will
!, Johnny How many times have yo'
got up in che night to soothe him whel
:. he has been sick or fretful?"
\ CHOW do you suppose [ could worl
by day if / didn't get my night
= sleep?'
,, = "Just the same way I do when m,
night is broken. exactly =
" "Well, Sarah. what is the drift o
all this talk, anyway? For | don
see the use Of prolonging it.
l. "Well, then, it is my original state
u ment. that as [ did my part of tn
family labor and took all care Of John
!" ny, and you are man in prosporou
: circumstances, [ am entitled to as mucI
J money for that as if [ was employe,
u u and paid by the month for the sam
. work, and [ have right to spen'
g . money for things that don't suit yo'
\ IT please 20 90 SO.
\ John said no more. I saw by tn
look of his eyes that he was quit
!. angry; and so was [. That was th
first time in our married life that W
failed to kiss each other good night
\ i Indeed, felt guilty, though [ hardl
y = know why, but it was late before l tel
- to sleep.
% The next morning all was serene
. No traces remained of the evening
70 storm, but nothing more was sal
" about the obnoxious subscription.
v Next day | met Mrs. West, and SD
70 thanked me very heartily for doubln
IN my money.
st Dear John! He didn't mean to b
le unkind, but he had never stopped t
think about such things. When hl
: next settlement came and he slipped
I |, i -o,1 Es'Iha