Stevens County tribune. (Morris, Minn.) 1877-1880, 1879-08-07
A WIFE'S HELP.

A WIFE'S HELP.
ITS hard rub to get along, little
wife, isn't it? said Gerald Nav, as he
closed his account book and looked some
Nhat ruefully at solitary $40 bill which
was all that remained of his month
salary after the housekeeping bills were
settled and the rent paid, and the out
standing accounts balanced up satisfac-
torily.
Mable May was kneeling on the hearth
rug, toasting piece of bread for her hus-
band supper.
She turned round, with cheeks flushed
by the freight, and rosy lips apart
"Oh, Gerald, said she, Il 10 try so
hard to be economical
"Of course you do, little chick" sale.
Gerald, leaning over to capture one par
til ular curl of reddish brown hair that
was dropping in spirals of gold over the
fair forehead, and giving it an affection
ate little twitch. Don't know that,
without your telling me?'
'But l wish could help YOU cried
out Mabel "Oh, l wish l knew of any
way to earn money myself"
Gerald May looked at her with an
amused smile.
MY dear" said he, lone would as soon
expect an Over-slZed doll to earn money"
'Other women do" said mabel, critic
ally surveying the slice of bread to make
sure that it as artistically Drowned on
both sides.
But you are such child"
I'm two and twenty" said Mabel,
solemnly.
'Nonsense!" said Gerald. What could
you do to earn money!"
Mabel colored little at the deprecia-
tory tone of the words.
Gerald" said she, Il do wish YOU
would treat me more like woman and
less like child. Don't You suppose that
l have as much talent as the rest of nv
sex?"
Gerald laughed good humoredly,
Pour out the tea cara" he said, ''be-
fore you go on rhapscdizing. Of course
| know that you are dear little puss,
and can make an omlette or shirt equal
to any woman in Christendom, but YOU
can't write stirring book nor paint
grand picture
"Of course don't aspire to any such
greatness as that said Mabel impatient
ly, "but l can sing"
"You We got nice little voice enough
said her husband, ''tor the parlor, but as
to making money out of it, l hardly
think you IL find it so easy
You don think can do ANYTHING
cried Mabel, half Indignantly, '.only be-
cause am woman.
"Some women can drive fate single
handed, said Gerald May, slipping his
tea with provoking nonchalance, "but
you are not one of the sort, my dear
But long after Gerald had commenced
his evening avocation of copying law pa
pers, by which pursuit he added slen-
der sum to the income which otherwise
would have been quite insufficient for
even the slender wants of the young mar
ried pair, Mabel sat with folded Rands,
gazing into the red Goals, as if she could
read there some clue to the problem of
her life s
''Only ten dollars left after our bills
are all settled, said May to herself.
''Oh, dear, this isn't the ay to get rich
We must make little more money,
somehow. l cant write love stories and
poetry, and / won t sew for starvation
prices, and l don t see my way clear to
being shop girl, even if anybody would
employ me, because there dear old Ger
aid to be loo ed after and kept comfort
able. But do think l C uld sing if only
/ obtained chance. M. Martelli, at
school, used to say had good soprano.
I IL ask Mrs. Lacy to let me practice a
little on her piano, and then Il try nv
fortune. Gerald would say it was all
nonsense, but then l don mean to ask
Gerald advice"
And three or four weeks afterwards,
when Mrs. May presented herself, tre1n-
bling and f1uttering, before Signor Seve-
70, that musical autocrat viewed her with
favorable eyes through an immense pair
of tortoise shell eye-g asses.
"You advertised for soprano, sir, :
said Mabel, turning carmine and white
by turns. As~ - la-al-
"Certainly, madame. ! did, said the
SignOr, for re choir of St. Eudccia.
Twill you please try me?'
"WiZ re greatest of pleasure, mad
anne, bris ly opening the huge grand
piano, hichisto0d like family coffin IN
the middle of the room. ''And what viii
you ;sing2" --~-..1
.5"Whatever you please, sir"
"Signor Severe rustled piece of music
out of drift some three feet high on. the
floor. ? 4kA : Goa 83t 60 20 r. q
"Bien! We will try zis," said he.
He struc the chords, and rising UP on
the wings of the sublime harmony Ma
bells voice scared Ii bird.
a Signor Severe nodded when the aria
was over and rubbed his hands glee-
fully.
"Madame," said he, sit Is strong, it is
sweet. You have one good idea Of time
and tune; you know how to manage re
voice. ~
eAnd you will give me a trial?'
Mabel heart was beating so rapidly
that she could hardly speak.
The signor nodded.
ssAnd if re musical committee accept
ou-mind, Madame, do not say zey
will. for Of all committees, musical com.
mittees are re most capricious-we will
give you re zalarie of $4OO 20 year. ]
( play re organ; lead re choir, when il
will be lead at all, with comical shrup
of his shoulders, land shall you mos
0rdially recommend.
M al1oI Nav trimmed homo 90 &c bo,