Smyrna times., 1879-02-26
Did They Know or Not?

"Tm not going to tell him, if he don't
know it." said Mrs. Pratt. There now
not word! I've slaved for him for thirty
wears. Made his shirts, washed and ironed |
Them, cooked and scrubbed, milked the
cows, fed the chickens, dried the apples,
preserved the fruit and sold it to the deal |
ers. kept the store in butter, and brought |
up half the animals on the place by hand,
as we'll as my six children, and if he don't |
know haven't a bonnet fit to go to church |
in shan't tell him. He takes the money |
learn, and puts it in the bank; and asks |
me if can't get along little more eco
nomically, and have never any help but |
rough help. And such bonnet as that,
my best =
She tossed the fusty-loOking article, to |
which she alluded, into the corner as she
spoke, and left it there.
"Six boys, too" said She Not one of
them care-not one. A girl would have
known; wish I'd had a girl, if women
had not so much to BEAR and burst into
tears and cried comfortably, for, at least,
half an hour, after which she went to
work at the Christmas pies and crulIers.
1t was a holiday afternoon for the men
and boys. Mr.. Pratt had gone to bank
With the butter money. He had taken
Sam and Jack, Ben and Bill, and Moses
and Aaron in the wagon, and as he was
dining along he was thinking what a good
wife he had, though he really did not
know that she was his slave also, and had
no guess that she had a bonnet like a
market woman's head-pad, for her only
one.
Yes, mar IS trump, boys" he said
aloud, after a season of silence. "I'm
banking forty dollars today butter money,
she's made She kept the machine going.
boys tell you, sot heaps by your mar"
The boys all grunted favorable responses,
praises without words. Aaron, the young.
est, alone spoke.
Shed orter hev a Christmas. l see
Ben Snow goin' to town to get his mar
Christmas
Want to know! y said the senior Pratt.
Well, boys, Aaron is right. I'll get your
mar Christmas. You've all got your
wages from me. Suppose you, each Of you,
get her Christmas.'
Again all the Pratt's grunted in the af-
AfmatVe, and then the subject was drop
pea, and they talked about other matters
uhtll they got to town. There they sep
afa'ed, but each having transacted their
special business, remembered the Christmas
present.
Od Sllas Pratt, roaming up to the Bow.
ey' looked into the windows. "What did
women lke?" he asked himself He
uldn know the purpose Of half the thing:
""nich be stared. He could not afford
VI thought he could not afford, watch
ISSUES, Penelope Jane had the kitchen
uocK' At last he stood staring into &
Sado" where bonnets hung in row. anc
., uas were jauntly perched upon theil
s.anas, and young Jewess with sharI
!e 70 business, opened the door, and re
sASuIng him with fiattering smiles, said:
VIII the gentleman step in? There i
~ e9arge for showing goods. 1t is as cheal
,nulhg IN the warm store as in the COLI
,Iee'' and If you want present for lady
wy, Nv what is so acceptable as a bonnet? ~
"hy, that's So" said Silas, "and II
wSI ~nH at EN-, if you please" And in h
aNed' and after long bargaining secure
garnet cotton velvet bonnet, with cabbag
n. rUses and pink streamers, and what th
,rhs'V Jewess assured him were real lac
mugs Tor four dollars. ~ suppose m
.e nas got plenty of bonnets," he said,
~ look the paper under his arm; "bl
EN-" e"ii nave 100 many
And away went the farmer with his pa
p;S, Sa,eanwhie Aaron had wandered in
.n.n ,Io. Avenue, and there, beguiled by IL
s;aui OF silk and velvet into lace.cu
Soiie Sued mllliner's parlor, had spent fifteC
NIL ,iarS on light blue silk dress bonnie
wI;l, l Marabout feather and pearl cla
ba. bch young saleswoman perched upc
TGlmped tresses, with the question
ans isn't that becoming hat, now?"
b;,,e VI course mar has hats" he said
sba basei; but this is so mighty pretty.
,ue, e uoesn't wear it now she'll wear it ne
u,Si IS.e IN the evening the wagon stopp
was 'ne iarm, house door. Supper for sew
isbon on The table, and the mother was f
stnfsgg tg Up her Christmaseye's, work
wa 4ng the morrow's turkey, Her he,
STo IHh OF indignation.
~ kn.aO TOOK my butter money, and ne,
N yes,"y hadn't had a bonnet for f
Of II she said to herself; "and not
' ai' the six knows it either So |.