The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1875-12-09
How Mrs. McGoechen Did Her
Work.
From the Brunswick (Me.) Brunswioker.I |


One morning, about two weeks ago
Mrs. McGoochen beamed balmy across
the breakfast table on her husband, aud
informed h IN that she had concluded to
discharge the hired girl and do her own
work. This announcement startled MIR.
McG0ochen almost as much as ii she
had declared her determination TO COM
mit suicide. He had long known tnat
hired heip was heavy drain upon his
meager salary, but his wife had educated
him to regard it as Indispensable, and
he had maze up his m.nd to endure it
forever. That she should voluntarily Of
fer to dispense with the service OF u girl
was something tor which he was not
prepared. Looking at her with an ek-
preston in which hope and doubt pain
luliy mingled, he said:
"Y0u--why-you can't do 1t, Eliza"
''Can't do IL, indeedl I'd like TO know
what's the reasony Lots of women in
this town do great deal more, and
tnink nothing OF it. Our iamly's small
just you and me ana Henry Ward, and
II can't do the work lor us three, I'D
better go to:a hospital and be done with
it,"
"What put you into the notion?n asked
her husband, hardly yet recovered from
his surprise.
"Weil, Peter" she replied, speaking
in a tender, selt-repoving tone, "I'll tell
you. Pve been thinking lately now hard
pyou have to work, and how littleI have
done 10 assist you, in comparison with
what mlghr and ou sht TO do, and it APP
pears to Inc that should try to reduce
our ex penses as much as possible, aud
the best way L know Of iS TO do my own
nouseWork. We are poor, just making u
beginning in life, and i4s my duty to
help yUu!'
With voice almost choked with emo
tion at this unexpected evidence Of his
wlie's devotion aud energy, he teeDly
essayed 10 break her res0iution, saying
tuat ne didn't want hei to be Slave to
nim, that she was TOO delicale Tor the
,ask sne contemplated, that all he asked
OF her,was Continued love and sympa-
thy.
'.Oh, that's all romance" interrupted
Mrs. McGoochen. "lIs hign time my
love and sympathy were assuming a
practical iurm. I'll discourage the girl
Luis very day. But there IS one cOndi-
tlOn. Peter"
NAME IL, my noble wife,"
g, hat new carpet you Thought we were
unable 10 get. Now, il l do ny work it
viii save at least 500 year, aud you
Can certa.niy afford Lne carpet"
'Oi course, my love, II you are salts
tied ou are not undertaking more Than
you can perform"
Sue WIS satlshed, ana, as 10 was set
tied, Mack lusged the carpet home at
noon, and found the girl gone. His wife
was goue 100, but she rerurned shortly,
navitg only been around telliHg the
ne .gnvors that sue is now doing her oW u
wOiK. Dinner was late, but then 1T was
tue frsL meal by ner fair fingers, and he
could make allowance for the novelty oil
the position in which she found herself
placed.
Acting on her suggestion, Mack
brought nome new rocking chair when
he came TO supper. They We're saving a
hundred dollars u year, and could well
afford such'little tuings. When his wi e
returned from her visit to the rest of the
'neignbors, whom she had been inform
ing that she was now doing her wn
work, she was delighted with the new
chair, and declared tnat they must have
a lutt set of furniture to match.it.
"fou know, Peter, that 1 Will more
than save the cost OF ii Lii the course Of a
year, and will feel so proud uo know
that my labor secured it.
This was said SO beseechingly, and
she hung SO lovingly on his neck the
while, that Mack couldn't resist the ap-
peal. The furniture was sent down the
next day.
About three days after Mrs. Nc
Goochen coaxed Peter into buying her
u SILK dress, and the next day she
wheedled him out of a set OF jewelry. 1t
was the same old plea-she was tighten.
Ing The expenses so much by doing her
own work that she felt that she was en-.
titled 10 something extra. 1t would
amount TO no more, she reasoned, than
Inc hire OF q girl, and Peter could we'll
afford to give 1t TO her.
Mack began to get uneasy. Was there.
alter all, any saving in doing without d
uired girl2 Wouldn't that sort OIL econ-
omy bankrupt him in less than year |?
ne got q piece OF paper and figured:
Expenses one week without holp:
Chrpet ..............-......$ 20
furhlturc ...,.,......s. ..s..........-........... bu
Drvss anu JeWeliy s,......,............,., ~
Igtal. .....;.. ....................Sls0
Cost OF help one week. ................. ..... z
Balance in favor OF domestic. 80. .. .sias
nj nntA lol.a