The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1881-07-07
THE THREE-ToorHED RAKE.

lsuppose the giris OF MlllDurn Woulq
all resent the imputation If should
say that any of them envied little Phebe
Bird when she set up housekeeping
with RidgwaYz Dayton on the finest
farm the country afforded, In house
that was in thorough repair and fully
furnished. 1t was an establishment to
be proud of, and people said If that
young couple did not prosper 1t would
be their own fault.
"There, Ridge" said Uncle Aleck,
{" is your farm aud stock and house all
paid for. and now shall do no more for
YOU. IF you don't hoe out your row
YOU'LL have to starve. am going
abroad, so / sha'n't be coming around
to advise you and seold you, and ex-
peet it viii come pretty tough with you
for awhile. But Phebe is sensible
girl Iam happy to say, and l think l
leave you IN pretty good hands.
C Ridge secretly felt rather pleased at
The prospect of being .sleff," but he
dsnot say so. Uncle Aleck was an
excellent man to provide, but he was q
little sharp in his way, as the young
man had occasion to know at times in
his i1venile years. The old gentleman
himself had been reared underfa system
which might be formulated in the old
couplet; ..sssT .i.
"a boy, dog and walnut tree.
The more you thrash them the better they
The system had been greatly toned
down. in the case of his orphan ed
nephew. but Ridge thought it strict
enough IA - E1iss -
His choice of a wife had pleased his
uncle as well as himself, for Phebe was
a very domestic girl as well as culti-
vated one, and it was the general YER
dictfhat "both had done well" Still
Aunt Cynthia did tell Ridgway she
wished he had got wife who would
make him stand around little more. u
.sOh, she'll make me stand around
enough, laughed Ridge . You need
not be concerned about that.
.sShe'llF have need to- said Aunt
Cyntiisi, riodding her head sagacious.
ly. She had known his manner of life
from his youth up, aud said he was al.
WAYS very good boy If he only had q
steady hand with him TO keep him in
order But Ridge believed .'aunts and
uncles never did appreciate fellow
Now it was worth while to have the
worshipful direction of such q sweet,
appreciative little soul as Phebe Bird S,
and he did think himself lucky fellow,
and he was.
A stout. capable hired man was en-
gagged at the outset, who understood hi.
business. and, appropriately, received
good wages So the cares OF life sai
very lightly on the young farmer
shoulders. though he felt the response
bility or Atlas when he shouldered the
world. having not only his own, but hi'
wife's domain to look after.
.--f.o~. fho oorr,ont QnfQrad lntf
this little Eden could not distinctly bs
told. l have no doubt he "wired IL
and wired out,n among the vines and
shrubbery of that 's first garden" fol-
sometime before he presented himself
to our first mother.
II Ridgway was little exacting anC
very particular. Phebe was very self
sacrificing and painstaking; so Their
was little Jar in the machinery. H'
thought strict order and system abou
work a very excellent thing-for othel
enthusiastically for q mans wife
Breakfast at seven, dinner at twelv'
and supper at six, always on the tabl,
at the minute, was his standard, but o
course If he could not be on hand JUS
at that time, it was only necessary Il
keen things hot and at their best for ,
half or three-quarters of an hour, andi
would be nice for her to I'LL up the tim
with. sewing. or some little thing o
that kind. 1t need not be lost time 7
her by any means. OF course a man
work is the Importaiat work of the wori'
always.
Ridge, from his inexperience II
household affairs, had imbibed theor,
that A q woman y but soonoutical, !
costs ,.psst % hrshing 70 supper