The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1882-01-04

t- oONh-
IL have a warm place in my heart
for NV native Vermont" she went
on; aalid knowing how | love it, |
am sure YOU have often wondered
why / did not remain here instead
of seeking a home and profession
for myself among strangers.
| had often speculated on this
very subject, but there was no time
to confess il. for at that moment my
companion reined up suddenly. and
with a brisk Here we are" Jumped
fron fhe carriage.
~Ttisn painting 20 weather-
,rothel lived a,fe. luu uccap ie
al al disurbed." " 81 naturally hes
itated about iutrudine among siran-
eers. Ser m, sister-in-law expects
us"
How cooli now neatl bow sha
dy and comfortabiei we're my tirs;
exclamaaons as / followed my
leader into the old fashioned parlor.
Just SO. she responded drily.
AAnd my dear, you might hunt from
cellar to garret at this great house,
and though you stood upon ladders,
and peered with a microscope upon
your hands and knees, you would
never be able 10 find fly"
Mrs. Steadman 10 ked as her
sister-in-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 filed with tears.
"Well, Sarah" said the doctor,
you are as busy as ever, suppose?"
''Oh, yes" our hostess replied ;
''there is never any end to work,
Been making butter to-day?"
81 made a little over forty pounds
this morning."
Before breakfast, / suppose"
The doctors tone was somewhat
crisp.
Il churned at four, and have just
worked my butter over. / don't
mind so much when churning
doesn't come en- washing days; and,
YOU see cream has TO be attended to
whenever it is ready"
Been washing, too?" my friend
inquired.
"Oh, yesl And it did seem as if |
had every garment in the tub that
there was in the house"
$50 you've made forty pounds OF
butter,n said the doctor, washed
and what else?"
"Not much else besides the regu-
lar work. / picked some beans for
dinner and made few pies; that's
ALL"
At this point my friend, much to
my surprise, turned the converse
ton into other channels, and soon af-
ter we took our leave.
at seems to me you have neglect
ed an opportunity" | remarked as
soon as we had driven away.
II supposed you would think so, :"
my companion answered, "but you
can form no conception of the
amount of breath | have wasted on
that very case. | am regarding it
solely from a scientific standpoint. /
think | can calculate the length of
that woman's days within a fraction
OF time
Il should think your brother
wouldn't allow his wife to work so, :"
| remarked.
"What does he know about it 2"
said the doctor. "He comes into
the house ior the three meals that
are prepared for him, and when
night comes he goes to bed and to
sleep, or he drives over TO the vii
iage and spends his evenings with
his friends. My brother works
hard, but he works out of doors and
that saves him. Sarah has an ex-
cellent reputation as wife and house
keeper all over the country. She
ha- helped my brother lay up'-im
Vermont vernacular-several thous-
and dollars. 1t doesn't take a pro-
phet to see that another wife will
have the benefit of this ones toll,
though it is probable il she comes
from this part of the country, she
will not have sense enough to be
benefited 10y anything"
IF your sister-in-law would only
have a servant" | suggested.
'Aservant. why, what a greenhorn
YOU are" said the doctor. ~Do
you think my brother and his wife
are strong enough to bear the finger
of scorn, that would inevitably be
pointed at them should they en-
ploy servant? Ii is far better my
dear, 20 work ones self to death
than TO be called lazy, and shiftiess.
and extravagant. If this were not
the case they would think they could
afford servant Ny brother is
dominated, soul and body, by the
spirit of economy. and his wife is a
reflection of himself. Here we are
again." my friend continued, COM
ing to stop before the door of a more
modern and more pretentious man.
sion. NY youngest sister lives
here. 1t seems singular, doesn't it
that | have never introduced you
to my relatives before? The truth is
you and | are perplexities to these
good people. We turn them out of
their beaten tracks for while, with
no other results than to add TO their
hard word and anxiety. Ten years
ago my sister Anna was as healthy
a girl as there was in Vermont, and
the brightest and wittiest in the
family. ! had some hopes that she
would keep out of the treadmili.
and, if she did marry farmer. and
settle down here, that she would
furnish an example of common
sense to her neighbors; but she is
just like the rest, only worse per-
haps."
All this as the doctor hitched her
! orse and we walked n III ioru