Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1876-11-16
WHICH?


YEs'M, you're quite right. 1t is
hard work for us to keep six children
in clothes and food these hard times,
to say nothing Of John an me. We
had to work hard before, and thought
we had all we could do to make 10th
ends meet, an If it was hard then,
you can soc, ma am, that it can't be
near SO easy now. But you know,
ma'am, love helps us over hard work
wonderfully, an when we're working
for the children, we don't mind it so
much. John an I found that out.
You see, John was sick last winter,
all the first of it, an you know,
ma am, with six children's mouths to
fill, it hadn't been, possible to lay up
much money against sickness. I did
manage to save a sixpence now and
then, an put away in the old blue tea
pot on the cupboard there, but as soon
as John took sick the money seemed
to melt right away. 1t was gone the
first | knew, an / didn't know where
any more was coming from. But [
begin to think, ma'am, there's always
something body can do if he's will
ing an has got some one to work for.
SO L looked about an good luck was
on my side, for | got job of making
vests for q shop down town; an
though it didn't bring in a great deal,
it brought in something, an as L said
to John, when he got to fretting over
it, Something's good deal better n
nothing
:" Don't you worry" says I: I won t
see you an the children starve vet
awhile. You've worked yourself all
out for us, an now it's my tu1n to do
something, an let you rest up"
But it WAS hard work keeping the
wolf outside, ma'am. The children
had such big appetites that it used to
scare me to see the bread go; but some
way, ma'am, for all that, / always en-
joyed seein' EN- eat. It did me so
much good, you see. An I'm sure I
don't know what | should have done
without the children to help me.
There was Mary. She was ten years
old last Christmas, an it would have
done your heart good to see how handy
she was doing up the dishes, an get
ting the table ready, an sweeping out
the litter the boys made. While she
worked, / could be sewing, you see,
and the dear child really more than
paid her way, ma'am. An Johnnie
an Joe-they used to pick up blocks
to burn, an take my work to the shop
an bring me more; an they'd play
with the little ones an keep en- busy
80 could work, an they helped me
more than enough to pay their way,
ma'am, assure you. 1t was really
wonderful the sight of work them
three children could do. [ used to
tell John didn't see what would be-
come Of us if it hadn't been for 'em.
1t was in the winter that Uncle
William came down to visit us. He
lives up IN the hills, and he's got a
good farm, an is pretty well off. He
brought a couple of turkeys an a
VIII lie bag full of corn meal, an Aunt
Rachel sent a lot of nick-nacks to the
children. an we had splendid visit.
An [ do believe, ma am, he enjoyed
his visit with the children more n he
did with John an me- as much, any
way. 1t used to make him laugh to
see 'em eat johnnycake. They didn't
get that often, you know, an when
they did they relished it,
You've got nice family of little
shayers a-growin' up round you," says
he. Il suppose its sinful to envy any,
body. but | wish | had some like EN-"
An then Uncle William got up an
went TO the window, an stood looking
out for a long time. L knew what he
was thinking of, you see. Two little
boys are buried III the old graveyard
by the Westinghouse, up at Hillbury,
an L knew he was thinking what a
sight of comfort they'd been to him if
they'd lived.
You've got one thing to be thank
full for, Uncle William" said John,
softly. IF you can't have 'em here.
you know you've got 'em ouer there,
an it's only waiting a spell, and then
you will have 'em always"