River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1877-11-29
NELLIE'S EXPERIMENT;
Or, Helping HerHusband.

Just about twenty-seven years ago
Eleanor Wright stood at the open win
dow of large boarding-house on Clark
street, Chicago. Of course the Clark
street of that date was but the embryo of
the present splendid thoroughfare, but to
her it was an amazing sight. With little
hands clasped before her, and great won
dering eyes, she stood trying to under
stand the endless hurry-skurry of gallop-
ing drays and wagons, the busy, hurrying
men and women, the calls, and shouts,
and ordinations; the fevered, restless
life that seemed driven by some i'm
placable fate, forever crying: "Onl on!
onm
Then she set this picture against one
of peaceful rectory, covered with ivy,and
hid in dim old garden ways; locked in
from the world by its wall of mountains,
and ignorant of all sounds but the call of
birds and cattle, the whistling of the
husbandman in the fields, or the song
the boatman on the lake. From one to
the other there had been only a whirling
Journey, in which the restless sea and the
rushing train bad found terminus at last
in the vortex of Chicago.
Still she was sensible of the charm and
power of the eager life. She felt as per-
fectly healthy persons feel when they
wake up in the morning to a renem
brance that a very busy day is before
them. If she only knew what she could
do might do 1t had never seemed
wrong to spend long summer days float
ing drcamily down Rydal Water; but to
stand with folded hands amid these
eager, intense workers was impossible.
She turned her eyes inward-the pic
ture was the same-with a difference.
The great common parlor in which she
stood was full of women, all busy, and
going to be buster. This one intended to
run dairy farm; that one was going to
Iowa with stock of goods to make dress
es and bonnets; another was going as tel
egraph operator to far western station
where her husband had been appointed
agent, very bright, hopeful couple were
going to open a school together in Wis
consln.
IN the midst of her reverie thin,nerv-
Gus, worried looking little woman opened
the door, took rapid survey of all the
parlor and disappeared.
"Mrs Myra Smith is very smart wo
nun, sdiu ONE vi ihS COMPANY oehaSH
tiously.
"Yes; she runs house like this very
we'll"
as she a widow" asked Eleanor.
mo, indeed! Lyman Smith is in the
lumber trade; has a very good position;
but Myra isn't the [woman to sit idle.
Lyman is bound to get rich with such a
helper"
Eleanor thought great deal on these
things. Her husband had come here
specially to make money. They both had
dreams only to be realized with riches, |
and though it wal against all her instincts |
and education, the restless fever of buying, |
selling and getting gain speedily mastered
her.
"George," she said, one night soon after,
II have been chatting to Mrs. Smith, and |
many ladies-they all advise me to open
a first class school here"
"Nonsense, Eleanor"
Not at all. | shall make a great deal /
of money.
"You can use it well, and save it,
which will be more to the purpose in the
end l have just bought share in Rich
monds grain business; we must go to
at once, and you VIII nave
enough to do to mind the house, and the
two children. We ought only to keep
one servant"
"What is the use of a good education
here if you cannot turn it into goldi Let
me try, George. j can help you, | am
sure can" Il
The argument thus opened continued
for another week. George was full of
English prejudices. He half doubted
whether he could respect bis own wife If
She became his rival in money making.
He had doubts about his own domestic
comfort about his childrens welfare,
about the responsibility of the thing, !
abont the detriment to Eleanor's beauty
and womanliness, about score of points.
But Eleanor was possessed rather than