The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1876-03-17

said she; Tiny man couldn't get hand
in harvest, so ! had to turn in and rake
and bind. That was how l got so
scratched and rough. The grain was
broken and laid down, and he had to cut
it with a cradle, while l took up after
him. let the children tend baby in
fence corner, but would look to him
every time we crossed the field"
"Who got the dinners ?' l asked.
"Oh, I'd quit in time TO run to the
house and cook the meals. washed at
night after they were all a-bed, and
ironed the clothes just as had time"
"You should keep a hired girl" I
said; sometime this boasted strength
will be gone, and you'll be broken
down, ailing, complaining, prematurely
who will have no sweet, brave mother
to lean on, and look up to, and love"
"When the farm is paid for, hope to
take times easier,n she replied, looking
up cheerfully.
30, brave little wife," I said, rising to
go, and laying my hand on her hard,
| plump shoulder; "you, the young
mother of seven children, cannot afford
to go out and do mans work, and fiat
ter yourself that it is only your duty.
Duty never leads wife to sacrifice her.
self needlessly, when money is to be
made. Just husband your store of vi
tality-take care of yourself, and read,
and think, and talk, make yourself
worthy to be the mother and ompanion
of your precious children-let them and
theirs be your work"
| She followed US wistfully out to the
gate, and even beyond, and there was a
questioning and light in her luminous
brown eyes, and her rosy cheeks were
roster when she bade US goodnight and
turned to the house with the little
nursing asleep in her arms.
do hope that that woman will learn
to be tricky enough to take care of her
self, and to be jealous of her just dues,
and of her blessed dover of health and
strength and beauty.
There's Aunt Becky Stump, Tucker
Stump's mothers sister, seventy years
old, who does all kinds of work, and does
it well, too. She is a remarkably
healthy old lady, but not one of her
daughters-Virginia Octavia, or Portia,
is healthy. All have weak backs, and
neuralgia, and bronchitis, and are as
nervous as all possessed; then they are
debilitated, and broken down with all
sorts of female weaknesses.
have always looked upon that rare
old parent stem, and then on her poor,
pale, fiabby, wOrn-Out-at-the-cor fruit,
and wondered why it was. l Icharged it
to this age of progression; but the other
day, at Vanleer's quilting bee, asked
old Aunt Mercy Stump why it was that
Becky's girls were so worthless, and
their mother so robust, and she solved
the mystery quickly enough.
"Why," said she, "while Becky was
raising her family she worked indoors
and out, carried wood and water, wove
and spun, sheared sheep, picked geese,
rolled logs, held the plow, raked and
bound, and dug potatoes, and all such
work. She worked so hard that she had
no stamina to spare to the little life
growing within her own, she grudged it
in her greedy, working way, and so
they are like plants grown in dark
cellar. She was worked to the utmost
every day, over-tasked and over
burdened, and this is the fearful pen
alty.n And these daughters are the
heads of families, to whom they have
no vitality to give; they, too, will be-
come heads, and can only give to others
such as they possess.
No wonder, if the ban of curses falls
upon the head of poor, ignorant old
Grandma Stump, the Stump of all
Stumps. Home Magazine.