The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1880-12-25
The POrgetfal Husband.


The Forgetful Husband,
ooh, dear what shall do? The hoop
has burst of my wash-tub, and my suds
are all over the fioor!" said Mrs Alden in
a tone of dependency to her husband, as
he came to wash his hands in the sink af-
ter oiling his new horse,rake.
That is bad, julia. You will have to
let your washing go until tomorrow, then
you can borrow Mrs Scldou's tub"
But this will all fall to pieces if it
stands, aud We are expecting company to-
morrow
"I can't help it, can't stop the work to
go of with it now. You must make hay
while the sun shines, il you max c it at ali.
Can't you tic it up so that il will do for to-
day? | should think that you might"
Perhaps so, if you will help me- But
what can | take?"
ooh, anything for this time; but really,
| ought not to stop a minute Where is
the clothes.line?''
The colored clothes are on il to-day"
4" Hang them on the fence, and let me
have the line quickly"
Mrs Alden went out and moved her
clothes and took the line down, while Mr..
Alden stood in the door aud whistlcd i'm
patiently.
ADO mop up this water, Julia. How eau
you stand such puddle2 There, forgot
to get you mop. p.handle, but you can make
the old one do to-day, cant you?"
II suppose shall have to. You prom
ised to get me one three weeks ago, when
you broke this.
81 know did, but never think oft
man has so many things to see to. There
that will do this week It doseu't leak
much. | don't see what made il break"
"The hoop rusted out The old tub has
done good service, it has been in use fif.
teen years.
"There, confound i'll what did you leave
that wash-board there forl Ihave broken
it to pieces
1t is worn out aud rotten. Iwish you
would get me a new one. | can never
tinker it up again.
Grub your clothes with your hands; my
mother always did, and she never had a
wash board 10 her life"
Alden marched off to the bayfield, be-
fore he met with another catastrophe TO
take up his time
He was hardly out of sight before tin
pedder's cart stopped at the door, con.
tnining a collection Of all articles used in
family, from wash tubs down to brooms,
mops aud pins.
Anything in the way of trade to day,
Mrs. Alden2" asked the man.
"No, | think not. My husband docs
not like to have me buy Of peddlers. He
says | always get cheated"
"Have you not as good right to have
suitable apparatus to work with as he has?
He has a new horse-rake and hay-tedder
aud his wife is washing in a tub tied up
with rope, and washboard that looks
as if Noah's wife had brought it out of the
ark, aud leaky water pail, aud dipper
without handle, broken mop handle
bless me, Mrs Aldeul What is the use?
You had more money when you married
then he had, and would have tools to
work with that were comfortable, to say
the least. lie never stops to think what
thing costs it it will make his work easier.
II tires you more to get along with these
things than it does to do your work
Mrs, Alden sat down aud looked the pro-
Perty over II was ridiculous 30 get along
this way. The peddler was right; she had
more money than her husband when they
started life, aud she had worked harder
than ever he had She had managed every
way to get along, and he never seemed to
think that she needed anything new or
convenient Her setting out was almost
worn out, and nothing was ever replaced.
~ ou must make ID do; ii costs everything to
liver and so she had dragged along, year
after year, aud things wore out aud were
not replaced. A big lump rose in her
throat as she sat there thinking.
what do you ask for wash.tubY" she
inquired at length.
1.-Two dollars for the large Que; dollar
and quarter for the next size. Mon
handles for a quarter; wash. boards for a
quarter, dlppers twenty cents, brooms thir-
" cents.
Hand me down two wash.tubs, If Won
plcase-one Of each size; zinc wash board
too.
"Yes; and bucket aud dipper too.
| viii have them
Aud she did have them and sundry other
necessary things, amounting IN al to the
sum Of twelve dollars. She paid in barter,
such as feathers, rags, eggs, dried apples
and butter, and went to work with renew.
ed courage but she knew that her husband
would growl at the outlay, and expected
regular tempest at dinnsr.
She was not disappointed But she
got the things, and was elad Of il. aud 80
couldn't feel very bad. Mr.. Aldon opened
his eyes in astouishmcnt.
"fou paid twice what the things arc
worth. could have bought them cheaper
We could have got along a while longer
& II suppose Ibave as good a right to Judge
OF what need to do my work as you have
70 get things to make your work easy: and
! have made up my mind to-day that when
! need anything hereafter shall have t.
You know that cvcsy articlethat bought
to-day was actually needed in the house
You have said time and again that you'd
get them, but you never remember IL II
y a hard place fof a woman ta be in-2to
have 70 do all her own work. and got
thing convenient to DO II with. Il Is Ike
the ancient israelites being compelled to
make brick without straw. and I'm not