The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1879-04-16
JOHN JONES' CONVERSION.

Il was a dreary kitchen-the walls were
dirty and smoky, the breakfast dishes stood
on the table in the middle of the floor, the
cooking stove was open. the kettles and pans
on it, and cold ashes on its hearth, its sooty
plates awry, and pot of dishwater standing
on The top of the stove. and the broom and
poker and tongs lay just where the little
riders had left them when they were called
to prepare for school. Johnny had gone off
crying, and his whine could even then be
heard coming up the hollow from the direc
ton of the school house. The milk had not
beer strained, and the flies were buzzing
about it as they sat on the edge of two brim-
ming pals, slipping and rubbing their heads
together in a satisfied way. The baby was
teething and cross. and the one pair of hands
that could have brought order out of disor-
dor were trying to soothe it.
Is it any wonder that tears were in the
mothers eyes. as she cuddled her baby to
her bosom, and walked across the floor try
ing to still its cries?
20, dear, what life what Iifel" said
she, ST try to be patient and make the best
of it, but 1t does seem hardp'
Just as the baby was growing. quiet, and
his hands had fallen upon his bosom, q
shadow fell across the doorway and the hus-
band entered, saying:
Seems to me you're good while gettin'
your chores done; you havn't the knack of
gettin' along like Mrs. Leyondike-her work
is done up long ago, an she's busy in the
garden. Tell you, hers is nice garden,
don't look much like our'n; you don't put
the time on it that she does on her'n."
''Oh, John,' said the little woman, slip
ping back her sleeves and tying on q big
apron and trying to keep her face tarned
away to hide the gathering tears, with
four little children and baby sick; with
three cows to milk and calves to feed, and
hands to cook for, and all the other work to
do, only wonder that get half my chores
done in a whole day"
"Well. Pm sure don't see how it is, " said
he; my mother had 10 living children. and
she managed to get along firstrate, and do
all our weaving, besides taking in weaving
for the neighbors. You have more room
than she had, and you don't have to carry
water 40 RODS, as she did-here it is right at
the foot of the hill; and you never have to
cut your own wood, unless it is in the
midst of harvest. and 1 think you
anything l hate to hear, it is a
growing, whining wife. Now I have to be
out o. doors all the time, no matter how hot
the sun shines, or how cold the wind blows,
while you are IN the shade and comfortable
If you only knew 1t. All, you have an
for a helpmate, don't you know? The girls
will be big enough in three or four years to
help you, and then you can take times easier,
and maybe by that time the bottom farm
will be paid for, and we'll be able to ride In
a carriage, like the Leyondikes."
How long since you brought in this
water?' said he, as he took drink from the
tin dipeer, and finding it not fresh, he
squirted 1t out cody on the floor among
some pans that had slipped down off a shelf.
As he took the Ratchet and started out to
the hay wagon to fix the hay rigging on it
he said "Jane if you can as well as not
s'posin' you have some o. those new beans
that grow in the fur lot for dinnerT'
well, I'll try" said he, hopelessly. First
she strained the milk, saving one quart with
which to mix the bread; she mixed it and
set it in the warm sunshine, and then started
a fire and made feed of skim milk for the
calves. Then she swept and picked up play.
things after the children, hung up theil
coats and aprons, and set their old shoes
away, and moved their sleds and wagons
from about the doors.
While the dish-water was heating she
hurried up stairs and made the beds; theI
washed the dishes and went down cellar and
skinned the milk. There was cream
enough for churning; the churn was scaldec
and was then left with pail of cold water
Standing in it, so as to be ready. By thii
time the baby woke and cried, and tho tirei
little mother was compelled to slt down and
take him in her sheltering arms.
In half an hour he was ready to sit down
on the floor on quilt, and she left him 1onf
enough to carry three or four pals o
skinned milk to the pigs-two pailsful ct
time, and she went on the ran. She Away
fed the pigs; when she asked her HUSBAND
once to cary the milk to the pen, on hi