Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1882-04-15

BY ELEANOR KIRK.

ally ulOblNt lOI tlt Ilut OJIltI tIldn Tile
usual one Of pleasure to us both.
81 have a warm place in my heart for
my native Vermont" she went on; "and
knowing how love it, / am sure you
have often wondered why did not re@
main here instead of seeking homeaAd
a profession for myself among stran-
gers" stF
/ had often specialized Oh this very
subject but there was no time to confess.
it, for at that moment my companion
refined up suddenly, and with brisk
"Here we are@ jumped from the car
riage.
This" pointing to a weather-beaten
but still cOmfOrtable-lOoking house. rs
the homestead. Since the death of our
parents my eldest brother has lived here.
You needn't be at all disturbed" as
naturally hesitated about intruding
among strangers. for my slster-in-law
expects u.s." 'DLt
"How cool! how neat! how shady and
COMFORTABLE were my first EXPLANATIONS
as L followed my leader into the old
fashioned parlOr.
"Just So" she responded drily. "And,
nv dear, YOU might scratch from cellar
to garret of this great house, and though
YOU stood upon ladders and peered with
a microscope on your hands and knees,
Won would never be able to find fly"
Mrs. Stedman looked as her sister-ln-
law had described her-"like very sad
and troubled ghost" She was painfully
thin and haggard, and at least dozen
times during our short call noticed her
mOurnful eyes fill with tears.
"Wefl, Sarah" said the doctor, you
are as busy as ever, supp0Se!
"Oh, yes, our hostess replied "there is
never any end to work."
"Been making butter tO-dayT
81 made little over forty pounds THIS
morning"
Before breakfast, SUPPOSE"
The doctors tone was somewhat crisp.
81 churned at four, and have just worked
my butter over. Id0n't mind so much
when churning d0sen't come washing
DAYS; and, you see, cream has got TO he
attended to whenever it is ready"
"Been washing, t0o?" my friend in
quired.
"Oh, yesl And it did seem as if | had
every garment in the tub that there was
i'm the hOuse!'
$50 you've made forty pounds of but
ter" said the doctor, "washed-and what
else?"
"Not much else besidej the regular
work. | picked some beans for dinner.
and made few pies; that's ALL
At this point my friend, much TO my
surprise, turned the conversation into
other channels, and soon after we TOOK
our leave.
'It seems to me You have neglected an
opportunity" | remarked, as soon as
we had driven away.
Il supposed you'd think so, my COM
paniOn answered; but you can form no
conception of the amount OF breath
have wasted on that very case. am re-
garding it now solely from a scientific
standpoint. think can calculate the
length of that wOman's days within
fraction of time"
81 should think your brother wouldn't
allow his wife to work So remarked.
"What does he know about itT SAID the
doctor. "He comes into the house Tor
the three meals that are prepared fOr
him, and when night comes he goes 10
bed and to sleep, or he drives over 10 tie
village and spends his evenings with MS
friends. My brother works hard, but he
works out of doors, and that saves MIN.
Sarah has an excellent reputation a.
wife and hOusekeeper all over the county.
She has helped my brother lay up-ln
Vermont vernacular several Thousand
dollars. 1t dOsen't take prophet to see
that another wife will have the bene1t
of this ones tOil;' though it is probable,
IL she comes from this section OF the
country, she'll not have sense enough 10
be benefited by anything!'
IF your sister-in-law would only nave
q servant suggested.
hot n
you arer' said the doctor. 'Do you think
nv brother aud his wife are strong
enough to bear the finger of scOrn that
would inevitably be pointed at them
should they employ a servant? 1t Is far
better. nv dear, to work ones self to
death than to be called lazy, and shift
less, and extravagant. If this.were not
the case they would not think they
could afford servant. My brother Is
dominated, soul and body, by the spirit
of economy, and his wife Is reflection
of himself, Here we are again, my
friend continued, coming to the door OF
more modern and. more pretentlOus
mansion. my youngest sister lives
here. 1t seems singular, doesn't it, that
have never introduced you to my rela-
tives before? The truth is, you and |
are only perplexities to these good peO-
pie. We turn them out of their beaten
tracks for while, with no other result
than to add to their work and anxieties.
Ten years ago my sister Anna. was as
healthy girl as there was in Vermont,
and the brightest and wittiest one OF
the family. had some hopes that she
would keep out Of the treadmill, and, II
she did marry farmer and settle down
here, that she would furnish an exam
pie Of common sense to her neighbOrs;
but she is just like the rest, only worse,
perhaps"
All this as the doctor hitched her
horse. and we walked up the long grav-