The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1881-08-20

never entered his head. He supported
her." that was his idea of their relations
He never had happened to think that it
was very good Of her to take his money
and spend it for the good Of himself and
children. He never had thought that
any other woman would have wanted
big pay for doing it. He had even
thought himself generous for allowing
her money to get things to make the
family comfortable. Things begin to
look differently just now. Could it be
that he was not generous, not even just
to his wife Had he paid her so poorly
for her fifteen years Of faithful labor for
him that il she had been obliged to be-
gin the world for herself that day il
would have been as penniless woman,
Notwithstanding the houses, the lands
and mills that he had so often told her
were all hers for he knew, as every one
else did, that not one dollar OF all he
had would the law allow her To call her
own.
How he thought, standing there a, the
office window looking down a: the little
houses where the mill hands lived
Could il be that he was not SO good a
man as he thought? He had felt deeply
the wrongs Of the slave, whose labors
had been appropriated by their masters,
and when negro had worked twenty
years for his master before the cmanci
patton freed him, came to Jarvis mills,
friendless and penniless, the heart of the
proprietor swe.lcd with indignation at
such injustice. He was eloquent on the
subject at home and abroad and won
dered how any one could be so cIuel
and selfish rs to commit such an outrage
against justice. lie had called him a
robber many times, but now Donald
Jarvis looked to himself very much like
the old slave holder! Massa Brown had
taken the proceeds Of Cuhce's labor for
his own without even "thank you"
for it. True, when Cuffec ate he had
given him food, when he was sick he
had given him medicine, and he had
clothed him, too, just rs he himself
thought best. Mr.. Jarvis had married
lovely, conscientious woman, and for
fifteen years had appropriated her labors.
Her rccompensc had been food and
clothes such as he thought best for her;
little better than Cuffee's perhaps, but
the similarity Of the cases did not please
him. He had expected his wife to be
very grateful for what he had given her,
but now he wondered that she had not
rcbelled long ago. Had his wife no
more money or liberty than Cuffee had
in bondage1 Was Donald Jarvis no
better than Massa Brown?
His brain seemed to be in a muddle,
and he looked so strangely, his wife,
anxious to break the spell, took his arm,
saying, "Let us go home, dear, tea mast
be waiting for us" He put on his hat
in dreamy way and then walked home
in silence. The children ran joyously
to meet them. The yard was SO fresh
and green and the flowers so many and
bright that he wondered he had never
thanked Ncttie for them all Hitherto
he had looked upon ;hcm as his, but
now he felt that his interest in them was
only few dollars that would not have
amounted to anything without his wiic's
care. His children were tidy and sweet
and everything around and in the house
had that dull CHEEKY look that rested
him so after the hard, dull day at the
mill. They sat again at the table that
had been source of comfort and plea
sure to him for so many years, and he
wondered how he could have enjoyed it
so long without even thanking the wo-
man who had provided il. True, she
had his money in bringing il all about,
but how else could his money be of use
to him1 Who else could have turned it
into just what he needed for years p
And he began to have an underlined
feeling that il took more than money to
make home. He glanced at his wife
as he buttered his last slice Of bread.
Ii was not that Of the fair, rosy bride
whom he had brought to the mills years
ago, but at that moment he realized that
il was far more dear TO him, for he knew
that she had given the bloom and fresh
ness of her youth to make his home
what it was. His daughters had her
rose leaf cheeks, his sons her youthful
beauty, all had her winsome ways, and
comforted him now rs she had in those
days when, hardly knowing what care
meant, she had lived for him alone
And new thought came to him:
"Who was comforting her now when
she had so much carel'' Was not that
what he promised to do when he bought
her old home : He sighed rs he thought
how far he had drifted from her while in
bondage equal to Cuifee's. Nay, he
felt that her claims were far more than
any which had ever held the negro, and
that his obligations to her were so much
greater.
Something called the children out of
doors, and as Mr.. Jarvis took his easy
chair his wife came and stood beside
him. al fear you are not well, Donald;
are you displeased with me 1''
He drew her into his arms and told
her how her words had showed what
manner Of man he was, and there were
words spoken that need not be written,
but from that day forth different man
was proprietor OF the Jarvis mills, and
there was brighter light in Mrs. Jar
Wis eyes, for at last she had something
Of her own, nor has she regretted that
she "applicd for wages"
t1-Not long ago New Orleans
drummer was sent to town in MisSis-
| eips.s IN loOt into tha affaire nf n ,,,ar