The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1880-09-09
THE RUNAWAYS' REUNION.
BY MRS. j. Y. 81. Rooms,
SHAPTER I.

sHAPTER I. e.4o ..
"Well, for ny part, I am very sorry
the old farm was sold, and the Illusions
have left us. They lived there many q
year, and were Woodworking, pious.
quiet people, and it will be long time
before we shall have their like again for
neighbors. ., ...
II hope it will, father" said 1O-year-
old Ned, with sigh of relief. "Ihope
the newcomers will not make me churn
or carry load of stove-woo ! every time
I'm sent there in q hurry of an GRAND. "
"Chores are the making of boys, and
they should always be ready Ia perform
them," answered the stern, mistaken
parent.
II think I have quite enough to do at
home to make or break any boy, and, if
I'm ever sent to Mr.. Maynard's, trust
there'l be no old Mrs. Maynard there to
set me churning, or carrying crockery
from the cellar, swill to the pigs, or
wood from the shed, as old Mrs. Huston
always did,"
II think you will not be troubled in
that way" said meek-eyed Mary, a
sweet-faced girl Of IA, whose dread of
endless drudgery fully equaled that of
her little brother "Mrs. Carroll told
me- yesterday that there were but three
in family Of the Maynards, and that Mrs.
Maynard is an accomplished lady, keeps
a housekeeper and a waiting-maid. and
devotes all her time to the stud y OF
music and painting"
"Ha ha ! q fine specimen for farm
er's wife " exclaimed Mr.. Woodruff,
with a glance at his daughter that made
her shiver.
81 cannot understand" ventured
Mary, "why farmers wives and daugh-
ters, if they have any taste and talent
for it, should not study books, music.
painting or anything else that tends to
educate or elevate them. I have lately
read that women all over the country are
forming themselves into reading socie-
ties and art clubs, and are making rapid
progress in whatever study they
take up"
Nonsense! nonsense ! Lately read |
I like that sound Where have you
lately read such stuff?" demanded the
Infatuated father.
In paper that Mrs. Maynard sent
to Mrs. Carroll"
IT am sure have always taken great
pains to keep all kinds of story papers
and books out of my house and out of
my children's sight, and now you,
Mary. dare to tell me that you lately
read st. Paul, help me, or such non
sense will be the death Of me-"
{" 1t was not story paper, father, but
q journal devoted to- ."
"Devoted to tiddlesticks I'll hear
nothing more Of it, and now I here for
bid you to touch any more papers from
Mrs. Carroll. shall not allow her pro-
gressive ideas to creep into and poison
your mind as they did your sister's-re-
member, [ say, I'll have you read no
more of them-it is time now that YOU
and Ned were about your evening work. {"
Glad of any escape from her fathers
plnching presence, poor Mary started
tor the COW pasture with Ned, while Mr.
Woodruff, to the annoyance Of his tired
wife, continued grumbling about the de-.
generacy Of the times and the growing
ldeness and forwardness of girls. II
the rage of moment he had mentioned
his eldest daughter, and as consequence.
his wife was in tears, Mary had dartel
way from him with a sorrowful face,
and Ned took on look of adamant, and
somehow his, self-trust was always
shaken whenever he thought of her, and
all his household seemed to slip from
under his control if her name escaped
his lips. ....-. =.
The sight of Mr.. and Mrs. Woodruff
naturally suggested hawk and dove, yet
there was much in common between
them. His long and tiresome march in
the straight and narrow way, his puny
idea of woman's sphere affected the Life
OF his gifted, shrinking wife, as the alb
sence of light and warmth affects q
flower. He had admired all the beauty
his prosaic eye could detect in her paint.
lngs before they were married, but he
was surprised and disappointed that she
she should attempt or even desire to
touch brush or pencil after they were
married, for wife to him meant little
more than servant of all work but he
gave up at last that she should paint all
the pictures she chose provided she
taught their daughters nothing that
would in any way interfere with their
becoming frst-class housekeepers and fl
in every sense for hard working farmers
wives. Like Milton, he thought conc
tongue enough for woman, and desired
his daughters only to know how to reaG
the English language, and to know only
enough OF arithmetic to keep their but
ter and egg account exact. Glad of thu
privilege of following the only line O
light that stretched itself before her, sht