The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1876-06-28

hold duties that onlyta crowded
housewife can UNDERSTAND and feel,
yet can never, never enuEnerate? WHO
has done all this for YOU aud the
children that have come TO you dur
ing all these years? How many hun
dreds. aye, thousands of dollars, has
this same Mary saved you, justified
John Jones? Who begsq at the foot
of the bill with you Jbhn, in her
early girlbood. and wh& has helpes
you carry her burdens up the hill all
these long years? who hss grown old
and worn in your service! who has
drudged at the base, that you might
mount, friend Jones? sr7-
You shall "pay no debts of her con-
tracting!r Well John, if you are at
all what l imagine yoa must be to
order that notice printed, you will
not pay her debts, tor q dozen chances
to one, you cannot pay your own
Put down that black pipe; eject that
tobacco quid; take your fzet from the
mantel; your hands FROM your pock-
cts, and go to work a9d pay your
own debts, aud the interest. Exert
| yourself to make that honie what you
promised her it should besin the days
when you wooed her. Make your
self something near whatyour youth
promised-a man wortbysof love and
wlfely devotion. Give up these USE
less habits that annoyAa wife so,
John, a1d take an interest in home
matters. Praise little Mary's at
tempts at embroidery; give Johnny
and Freddy an encouraging pat oc-
casionally; pity Minnie's doll that has
come to such sorrow under your foot
Let Agnes know that sheis daugh-
ter to be proud of with her womanly
ways; be a companion for your eld-
est, impulsive Ralph, and help make
him the MAJ nature promises, if you
will but. assist her with. your exam
pie.
Give up your idle lounging hours
in store aud Office, take upon yourself
the little home Offices itswas once a
pleasure for you to perform. Bring
a tie for Agnes sometimes; book
for Freddie and Johnnie; bright bit
OF ribbon for darling little Minnie,
and an occasional game for the amuse-
ment OF YOU all during thelong even
ings. Don't forget the anniversaries
and birthdays. Some iittle triiiing
gift that isn't much in itself, but tells
much of what lies below docs deal
toward cementing the home ties, and
keep the love Goals ia glow Re-
plenish the homely wood box aud
yawning coal hod; look after the
water pail, and have care for the
washing days. 1t is the little neg
lects, the little over-lookiBgs that tire
the wife-that wear into her thoughts;
it's the rust of petty fnrgetiulness
that eats into her burdened soul, till
after a time, she sees no outlook, aad
wanders away: and the John Joneses
insert the notices. Can't you do all
this, and call her back to your side, |
JohnY
Isle was TO olame!" Well, may
baps she was, John, but call her back |
to your side, and keep her there by a
constant watcbfulness for the little
items of home.
ats hard?n Try it, and see, John.
Mix the lover with the husband, aad |
my word for it, poor, doubling fellow,
the task will grow easy, and your
selves happier. Besides, it is your
bounden duty to make your home
home that your children can safely
initiate when they set apart for them
selves
And / don't say, Mary, that you
did just right to give John an ex-
cuse for that advertisement, think
you must have helped it there some.
To be sure, you had grown tired of
non-remunerative labors; of neglect;
of continually delving 10 one spot; of
hearing the cers whistle and seeing
them 60 out INTO the distance, while
you kneaded bread aid mepped floors
from January to December.
Twas hard to her from the literary
world, and accumulating debts forbid
you to expend money for the intellee-
tual growth of you and the childreH.
Twas hard to be denied 80 many
helpful luxuries because the money
was lacking, when so many dollars
were whipped away in curling smoke
Twas hard to we'll the list of Han
nah JoLes," but couldn't you, for the
sake of your children, have staid by
him and them, and got them to help
you bring him back again to what be
once was?
Haven't you sometimes fretted at
he unpleasant reality of your situa-
ion; scolded the children; envied {
four rich neighbor, complained of
,mall rooms and poor furniture. hard
work and poor clothes? Haven't you
shown by act, if not by word, that +,
you were sorry you had promised to I
walk by his side through the shadow, &
Is well as the sunshine? Have you s
always tried to be bis comforter when {
,e was cast down? have you cared I
or the husbands tastes and prefer
,nces as carefully and cheerfully as c
v ben he was your lover? I
All Mary, your head bows like mis- Z
aiken Johns. Pm sorry for you both, c
,ut it isn't too la.e for you to atone '
or your error. a
Go back, Mary-go back to John +
nd the children. The neighbors Q
viii look askance at you as they think C
# that notice, but, never mind that. t
There's long eternity before you l.
md John, and there are no neigbbors t
here, Mary. 60 back to him and the s
hiIdren, and when the old provoca- f
ions rise, stop and think. Think r
ver tie old times when be was a shy g
over, and you bashfal grief your a
your first days Of house t
eeping, when John praised the bis q
uit and said the cake was as good u
s his mothers. THAT compliment t
overs q vast sres!) a
Think of the first cradle and its o
inv bunch of flannel; of johns ex- a
re- care of you then, and of the long u
ours you spent together watching C
ssor cnnoso.oacS and 90 nva nvop m