The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1880-12-30

Published Every Thursday.
REDWOOD FALLS. MINNESOTA
PATIENT AERoY JONES'
LET u: yenerate the bones
Who lilies underneath these stonea"
This is her story "a once told to me
by him who still loved her, as all men might
Darius, her husband. his age seventy years,
a IMAM Oh Few words, but, for her, many tears.
Darius and Mercy were born in Vermont;
both children were christened ut baptismal
In the very same place, on the very same
day
%s Is f SsSs, a anS
- Who knows but this couple some time may
And be the parson to join them together,
For veal or FOR woe, through all sorts Of
weather.!
Never put both their heads in the same loving
yoke.
they were poor. they worked hard, but moth.
The patience of Mercy. or cloud her bright
She was clothed with Content as a beautiful
She had griefs-who has not on this changeable
glObe?-
But at such times she seemed like the sister Of
Job.
She was patient with dosmas, where light
She wss patient With people who trod on her
She was patient with folks who said blue skies
And dentists s and oxen that pulled the wrong
She was patient with phrases no husband
She was patient with cream that declined to
She was patient with buyers with nothing to
She was patient with takers with nothing to
She was patient with millers whose trade was
And grocers who counted out ten to the
She was patient with bunglers and fault find
And tail, awkward lads who came counting
her girls;
She was patient with crockery no art could
And chimneys that smoked every day the
She was patient with reapers who never would
And long-winied callers who never would go;
She was patient with relatives when. uniil-
They came, and devoured, then complained
they were SilEhted:
Shc was patient with crows that got into the
And other dark deeds out Of wantonness
born:
She was patient with lightning that burned up
She was patient with poultry unwilling to lay:
She was patient with rogues who drank cider
She was patient with sermons that lasted too
long:
She was patient with boots that tracked up
she was patient with peddlers and other
She Was patient with children who disobeyed
Ana to crown all the rest, she was patient
with fools.
The neighboring husbands all envied the lot
Of Darius. and wiekedly got up Il plot
To bring o er his sunshine an unpie lsant spot.
You think your wife's temper is proof
But NC know Of something her smiles will
When she gets out of wood, and for more is
inclined,
Just send home the crookedest lot you can
Let us pick it out, let us go and choose it,
And we'll bet you farm, when she comes for
Her temper will crack like Nathan Dow's
cornet.
And she'll be as mad as an elderly hornet"
Darius was piqued, and he said, with a rum,
- ia pay for the wood If y ,uN send it hum;
fA"t depend on it neighbors, no danger will
come"
Home came the enarled roots. and a crookeder
Never entered the gate of Christian abode.
A ram g horn was straighter than any stick
in it;
1t seemed to be wrisglins about every
1t would not stand up. and it would not lie
down;
i twisted the vision of one-half the town.
To look at such fuel was really q sin,
For the chance was StrabiSmuS would surely
set in.
1t UGs crooked wood-even she could not
But never a harsh word escaped her sweet
Any more than if the old snags were smooth
chips.
She boiled with them. baked with them.
washed with them through
The long winter months, and none ever knew
But the wood was as straight as Mehitable
Drew.
Who was straight as a die, or gun. or an
And who made it her business all male hearts
to harrow.
When the pile was burned up, and they needed
more wood,
Sure, now" unused Darius, II shall catch it
good:
She has kept. her remarks all condensed for
the spring,
And my ears for the trick now deserve well
to sing.
She never did scold me, but now she will pout.
And say with such wood she is nearly worn
out"
But Mercy, unruffied, was calm, like tho
That reflects back at evening the suns perfect
beam:
And she looked at Darius, and lovingly smiled.
AS she made this request, with q temper UNI
riled:
We are wanting more fuel I am sorry to
say:
burn great deal too much every day,
And l mean to use less than / have in the
past:
But get, if you can, dear, a load like the last:
never had wood that liked half SO we'll
DO see who has nice crooked fuel to sell:
There's nothing that's better than wood full
of knots,
1t fays so complete round the kettles and
pots.
And washing and cooking are really like play
When the sticks nestle close In SO charming a
way"
-Jdnses T. Fields, In Harper's Maoazfns