The daily gazette., 1880-04-06
Too Much of a Good Thing

w tuseSst VI q 0S0o
Mrs. Livingstone had q system; she
ate, drank, slept and nearly died by IL.
Monday morning, rain or shine, the
washing was done; If 1t rained, the
clothes were dried in the houss-around
the hre or aDywhere-but DIR ed they
must be. Tuesday she ironed, and such
ironing every brown towel was faith
fully folded and ironed all over, aud she
would have considered il an everlasting
disgrace not to have ironed her shirts gu
both sides. Wednesday she mended,
laid away the week . wash, and churnel.
Thursday her house was swept from
cellar to garret. or perhaps | should say
from garret to cellar. Friday she did the
thousand and one things which come
under the heal of "httie putterinR Jobs"
Saturday she baked and mopped fioors.
A very good system, you psrcoive, II
only she had "bossed" the system instead
Of letting the sys.em "bossh her. Were
either Of he children Ill, 1t was only a
question of getting To bed before Sun
lay morning; the system went on ~
usual Did the mother Eerself feel able
TO rise from bed. she worked it off, but
the system must not be interfered
with.
n As the months went, Mrs. Living
stones voice became fretfnl, queru-
lous whine, the crows feet began TO
under her eyes, her foot to lose It's elastic
s,ep-in short, she failed daily, but tue
system went on the same.
One Monday msrning the sun rose
and found Mrs. Livingstone In bed.
When her huJband came In with the
milk, he went into the bedroom IN sur.
prise at not fading her up-aud here
let me say, that he was good. faithful
husband, one who did all he could to
tighten his wIfe's labors, and remon.
strated with her almost daily on the sys-
.em, which he said would kill her vet
Are you sick this morning, Emma ~ he
said. Sue Ieplied, 'DR not let the
clothes boil over the stove. NY head
swtms 80 that must 81. down q minute.
Even in her deiirium she knew the day
Of the week, and the wash went on AZ
usual
The washings were done without her,
now for many weeks, and when at last
she did rise from her sick bed, 1t was
two months of weary coDvalssence
| more trying to an energetic woman than
dangerous illness. 10 the long daye thai
she reelined In her easy chair-the
slightest jar was enough almost to draw
tears from her eyes, the least thing
enough to upset her calm and uiet 10
tho day-she had ample time to think OF
the wreck she had made of herself: the
neglected opportunities fer Intellectual
and physical growth, the money her
sickness cost In various wayt-yes. so
much time tha: sometimes she almost
| grew frantici
| There came time at last-one blessed
day-when mother took the household
reins again took them to drive, instead
| OF alle wing the system TO do it for her !:
a time when the children aud father fol.
lowed her around with loving looks.
and thanked God that mother W wereaeaIp'
even though she could never b, A.
strong as before her illness. Look ont
for these systems, they are makiag in
valids and old women. Remem sr that
q dirty floor is better than a hsctachs
and that, be the house ever so Gle and
neat, 1t loses for Ibs family ali the
pleasure, II the home mother 1. tired
and depressed.--Conntry Gentleman,