The Republican journal., 1882-07-20

| OF them envied little Phebe Bird when she
set up housekeeping with RidgeWay Day
ton, on the finest farm that the country
afforded in a house that was in thorough
repair and fully furnished. 1t was an es-
tablishment to be proud of. and people
said that if that Young couple did not
prosper, it would he their own fault
'There, Ridge said Uncle Aleck, is
your farm and stock and house all paid
for, and now ! shall do no more for YOU
II You don't hoe out your row you'll have
to StarVe. | am going abroad so shan't
be coming around to advise YOU and scold
You, and expect it will come pretty tough
with You for while. But Phebe is a
sensible girl, | am happy TO say, and
thlHF leave you in pretty good hands"
Ridge secretly felt rather pleased at
the prospect OF being 'lelt,1 but he did
NOT say SO. Uncle Aleck was an excel
lent man to provide, but he was a little
sharp in his way, as the young man had
occasion to know at times in his juvenile
years. The old gentleman himself had
been reared under a system which might
be formulated in the old coupet:
| "a boy, a dog. Il walnut tree
The more YOU trash them the better they be- :
The system had been greatly toned
down III the case of his orphaned
nephew, but Ridge thought it strict
enough
His choice Of Il wife had pleased his un-
Gle as we'll as himself, for Phebe was Il
very domestic girl as we'll as a cultiva-
ted one, and it was the general verdict
that ''both had done we'll" Still Aunt
Cynthia did tell Ridgeway she wished he
chad got a wife who would make him
stand around Il little more"
''Oh, she'll make me stand around
enough, you needn't be concerned about
that" said Ridge
"Shell have need to- said Aunt Gym
tIia, nodding her head sagaciously. She
had known his manner of life from his
youth up, and said he was always very
good boy if he only haG Il steady hand with
which to keep him in order. But Ridge
4 believed "auntS and uncles never did ap-
| pltciate fellow" Now. it was worth
While to have the worshiptul direction OF
such sweet apprcciatiVe little soul as
| l'hebe Birds, and he did think himself d
| lucky fellow; and he was.
\ stout, capable hired man was engag-
ed at the outset, who understood his
business and appropriately received good
wages. 50 tie cares of life sat very light
" on the Young farmers shoulders.
though he felt the responsibility OF Atlas
when he shoudercd the world, having
not only his own, but his wte's domain
to look after
Just when the serpent entered INTO
this little Eden, could not he distinctly
lold | have no doubt he 'sWired in and
W. ir4t 61t'' l,o II,
berry ot that first garden" for some time,
before he presented himself to our first
mother.
If Rldgeway was little eXacting and
very particular, Phebe was self-sacriticng
and painstaking, so there was a little lar
in the machinery. He thought strict or
der and system about work Il very excel
lent thing for other people-especially
for Il mans wife. Breakfast at seven.
dinner at twelve, and supper at six, al
ways on the table at the minute, was his
standard: but of course if he could not
be on hand just at the time, it was neces-
sary to keep things hot and their best
Tor half or three quarters Of an hour, and
it would be nice for her to fill up the time
with sewing, or some little thing of that
kind 1t need not be lost time to her by
any means. OF course a mans work is
the important work in the world, always.
Ridge, from his experience in house
keeping, had imbibed a theory that if a
woman i economical, it costs ''neXt to
nothing to support such a family con a
| larnl." He was astOunded at the cost of
sugar. and the coffee and tea, and the
dozens OF little outgOes every week. 1t
must be there was something wrong
somewhere. All his pet theories were
getting knocked in the head. In vain
phehe reasoned with him: showed him
how long supplies could reasonably be
made to last; proposed retrcnching on
cake for tea, but of course he would not
hear Of that. He liked cake She never
spoke of retrenching ON cigars. though
some women would. But all her "argI-
tylng' was without avail.
"A man convinced against his will.
Is OF the same opinion STILL
Somehow the more he thought of it the
more convinced he was that his wife could
hardly be It wise manager. He was dis
appointed because the money did not pile
up quite as he expected. This was an
other demolished theory which consider
ably set him back. But then he remem-
bered an old adage which says, "a man
must ask his Wite's leave to thrive" and
he was somewhat comforted. Phebe was
young. She might yet be induced to
change her way Of doing business Per-
haps he had been too indulgent himself
and had provided too lavishly for the
supposed wants Of the household He
might, and indeed be must turn over a
new leaf. In other words, he would tight
Ell the thumb-screws little, and see if
the effect on his victim would not be sal
utary.
Phehe had grown very reluctant to ask
for what Was really needed in the house,
so sure was she Of that adverse criticism
so intensely humlliating to woman Of
fine nature If water will wear a stone,
so Will perpetual fault-tnding eat away
happiness If Phebe had been more
sell-asserting in the start, it would have
been far better. She could have educated
the young man into a reasonable house
holGor. But instead she took the wrong
course, and, by dress making in over
hours, contrived to earn a little money
This went to exc out the scanty allow
ance her husband thought muniticent for
the expenses of SO small family.
When supper was over, Ridge drove to
the village in his fresh, cool suit, to get
the evening mail. 1t would have been a
rest and refreshment to go out, too, but
there was the supper to clear away, the
milk to set, little Aleck tG care for, and
Ridge would have thought all things 60
ing to wreck and ruin if she should so
desert the ship.
"Uncle Aleck is at home, Phebe !" said
Ridge one evening in great excitement,
as he returned with letter "Now need
not tell you how important it is for all of
us that we make good impression upon
him. My uncle is good man, but he has