Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1879-04-30
JOHN JONES' CONVERSION,

of the floor, the cooking stove was
open, with kettles and pans on it, and
cold ashes on its hearth, its sooty plates
awry, 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 called
to go to school. Johnny had gone of
crying, and his whine could even then
be heard coming up the hollow from
the direction of the schoolhouse. The
milk had not been strained and the flies
were buzzing about it as they sat on the
edge of two trimming 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
disorder were trying to soothe it.
Is it any wonder that there were tears
in the mothers eyes as she cuddled her
baby to her bosom, and walked across
the floor, trying to still its cries?
''Oh, dear, what a life! what a hfep'
said she; Il try to be patient and make
the best of it, but it does seem hard"
Just as the baby was getting quiet,
and his hands had fallen on his bosom,
a shadow fell across the doorway, and
the husband entered, saying:
'Seems to me you're good while
getting your chores done; you haven't
the knack Of getting along like Mrs
Lyondide-her work was done up long
ago, and she's busy in her garden. Tell
you, hers is a nice garden; don't look
much like our'n; you don't put the
t,p,o On, ,t thot OIo 6ooo ~, how, -
ooh, John!" said the little woman,
slipping back her sleeves and tying on
big apron, and trying to keep her
head turned away to hide the gather
ing 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 the whole day."
"Well, I'm sure don't know now it
is" said he, my mother had ten living
children, and she managed to get along
trst-rate, and do all our weaving, be-
sides taking in weaving for the neigh
bOrs. You have more room than she
had, and you don't have to carry water
forty 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 I think
you shouldn't complain. If there is
anything | hate to hear it is growing,
whining wife, Now [ have to he out
Of doors al the time, nc matter how
hot the sun shines or how cold the wind
blows, while you are in the shade and
comfortable-if you only knew it. An,
you have N easy time OF it, you women
if you only knew it; so cheer up. I
married you for 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 q carriage, like the Leyon-
dikes."
"How long since you brought in this
water?" said he, as he took a drink
from the tin dipper, and finding it not
fresh, he squirted it o1t coolly on the
floor among some pans that had slipped
down off the shelf.
AS he took the Ratchet and started
out to the hay-wagon to fix the hay-rig-
ging on it, he said:
Jane. if you can as we'll as not,
s'posin' you have some of those new
beans that grow in the fur lot, for din
ner?"
''Well, III try" said she 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 fire and
made a feed of skim milk for the
calves. Then she swept and picked up
playthings after the children, hung up
their coats and aprons, and set their
old shoes away. and moved their sleds
and wagons from about the doors. -
While the dishwater was heating she
hurried up stairs and made the beds
then washed the dishes and went down
cellar and skinned the milk. There
was cream enough for churnipg; the
churn was scalded, and was then left
with pail Of cold water standing in it
SO as to be ready. By this time the
baby awoke and cried, and the tired
little mother was compelled to sit 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 long enough to carry three or
four pals of skinned milk to the pigs
two pailsfull at a time, and she went on
the run. She always fed the pigs; when
she asked her husband once to carry
the milk to the pen, On his way out to
his work, he said: 80. -r.(
THAT belongs to a Woman's work; a
man whose name isup for com mission
ershouldn't be asked to slop pigs that's
little too Steep"
But before another year change
came. The strong, hard man, her hus.
band, was stricken down with typhoid
fever, and for long weeks he lay balan-
cling between lite and death. His re.
covery was very slow, and his confine
ment lrksome; no prison walls could
have eengioomier than were the home
walls that held him in prison. Day
after day the patter of bis wite's feet
fell on his ear. He could hear them up
stairs and down, now here, now there,
her voice always kind and tender, her