The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1878-03-28


ones, are making a noise and littering
the floor. The mother belongs to
the church, and feels sometimes that
she should sink under her burden if
she could not relieve her heart once a
week by a copious flow of unques-
toned tears. But the contribution
box passes her. She would like to
have a small piece of money to put in
it once in while, for she knows that
even the comforts of the Lord S
house cannot be supplied without
means.
If she has a dozen of eggs,
or pound of butter to spare, she
cannot get the money for them and
she is too feeble and broken down, to
to take in work to do besides her
own. She ventures to suggest. once.
to her husband that she would like to
have few cents Of her own once in
a while. He replies angrily, that he
has no pennies to spare and she
knows it, and mutters something she
does not care to hear, about "backs
to be covered and mouths to be
stuffed" So the active enjoyment of
church privileges is denied her, be-
cause it would cost her five cents a
week, and she must feel herself a
dead beat and a beggar. even in the
house of the Lord. Right here, is
where many woman folds her hands,
and resigns her spirit to it's Giver.
Right here, is where many woman S
mind fails, and the useless body is
taken to the lunatic asylum. 1t is
out of such depths as this that women
emerge senseiess scolds, fretful in
valids, or cynical haters of mankind.
This is one phase of farm life.
When the farmers days work is
done, he can lounge in at a neighbors,
compare notes, complain of his lot,
and get rested for the nights sleep.
For her there is the milking to do,
the calves to feed and the chickens to
shut up. After that, the childrens
feet to be washed, the sore fingers
and toes to be done up, and the fret
full baby to be sOothed to sleep. This
for a nervous, Over-worked woman is
the hardest task Of all. After the
last pair of eyes close in sleep, not
unfrequently, supply of old mittens
to mend, socks and stockings to darn,
old trowsers to patch, and the vege-
tables to be prepared for the next
day. There is really no stopping
place for the mother of the family.
When she lies down at night a supply
of work is waiting, always waiting
ahead of her that would take her a
week or a month to do, and it worries
her, even in her fitful snatches of
sleep.
But Mr.. Smith joins the Grange.
His neighbors tell him he can make
something out of it, and he needs to
make something, somewhere. After
awhile he begins to think he would
like to have "Betsey join if she had
anything to wear. But then she's so
awkward, if she should go with me
know I'd be ashamed of her." By
and by he tells Betsey that Mrs. A.
and Mrs. B. and Mrs. c. want to
know why he doesn't bring his wife.
She falls to thinking how pleasant it
would be to go out with her husband
once in while. Mary could take
care Of baby, alone, now he's so big.
Then she looks over her wardrobe
"If had one dress l didn't have to
wear every day" she says so it is set
tied. To be among people she likes,
every one of whom has laid aside
home cares for a few hours, is new
experience to Betsey. At first she
feels very awkward, but the shyness
wears Off, and she begins to enjoy
herself as she has not done for years
She knows her dues are paid for her
so she has no painful sense of humil-
iation on that account. Comparing
herself with other women. she finds
herself, mentally, not inferior to most
of them. That gives her confidence
in conversation.
Instead of hearing the senseless
gossip about Mary James beau, or
the cost of the widow Bascom' s dress,
or the funny way Deacon Paisley
wears his hair. She begins to be in
terested in household economy, the
best ways to plan and execute house.
work, and the most wholesome meth
DDS of preparing and serving our daily
food. She gets new ideas Of the uses
and abuses of dress,an begins to try
to make herself attractive to her
family. She meets people from all
parts of the country and members
of many sects and diversities of reli-
gion, and begins to understand the
great truth, that s.He made of one
blood of all the nations of the earth"
Her mind. instead of being narrowed
down to the limits of one congregation.
becomes enlarged and her views
more comprehensive. until she ac-
knowledges universal brotherhood.
Does she then forget the claims of
her religionl Oh. no Religion
having taken root in her heart in the
hour or direct need grows more lux
uriantly in the sunshine of prosperity
her for new trials. fills
her soul with thanksgiving. and adds
new beauty to the face that is con-
secratad by the name of mother. Mr..
Smith begins to think well. /
reckon Betsey does know something
after all. l amt half as slammed of
her. as thought I'd be" At first
the wheels of the domestic machinery
are badly clogged. and Betsey thinks
she cannot leave home that way
again. But although tired physically,
she finds herself so rested and re-
freshed in mind. she sets herself
49, y