Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1883-05-26
OLD-TAsHTONED MOTHERS.
How They Work and Worry Over
the Big and Little Trials of

How They Work and Worry Over
the Big and Little Trials o.
Life.
Bill Arp in Atlanta Constitution.
81 WISH" said Mrs. Arp, "you would
90 and see what Carl and Jessie are do
ing, down at the branch reckon, and
feet all wet, and they have both dread
full colds. I can't keep them away from
that branch"
Didn't you play in the branch, my
dear, when You were child" said /?
EYES," said she mournfully, "but moth
ing couldn't hurt me then; we were not
raised so delicate in those days. You
know ] used to ride to the plantation,
twelve miles, and back again in Il day
and bring bag of fruit on the horn Of
the saddle, but the girls couldn't do it
now. They can 60 to Il party in a buggy
and dance half the night, but that is all
excitement, and they are not fit for any
thing the next day. We didn't have
any dances-hardly ever-we went to
country weddings sometimes. You re-
member we went to James Dunlaps
wedding when he married Rebecca.
That wasa big frolic-al old-fashioned
frolic. Everybody was there from all
the eighborhood, and there were more
turkeys and roast pig and cake than |
ever saw, and We played everything we
could think Of. RebecCa was mighty
pretty then, but poor woman-she has
had Thousand children, too, just like
myself, and | reckon she is faded, too,
and tired" "But Jim Dunlap hasn't
F,,,In ~ L. ,I..,, / 10
Atlanta, and he is big and fat and merry
looks little like old David Davis"
"Oh, yes, os course he does," said
Mrs. Arp. "The men don't know any
thing about care and anxiety and sleep
less nights 1t is Il wonder to me
they die at ALL" "But I have helped
you all could, my dear" said |, "and
You see it's telling on me. Look at these
silver hairs, and these wrinkles and
crows-feet, and my back hurts ever and
anon, and this rainy, bad weather gives
me the rheumatism, but you hayn't
gray hair and hardly seam on your al
abaster forehead. Why, you will outlast
me and Outlive me too, and maybe there
will be a rich widower stepping around
here in my shoes and you will have
fine carriage and pair of beautiful bay
horses, and"
William told you to go after Carl
and JESSIE"
IF Vanderbilt's wife should die, and
he should accidently see yOu," said /,
latter Pm gone, there's no telling" =.
"Well, go along now and find the
children, and when you come back Pll
listen to your foolishncss. Pm not GO
ing to let you die if can help it, for l
don't know what would become of us all.
Yes, you have helped me, know, and
been a great comfort and did the best
you could most of the time, yes, most of
the time-and | might have done worse,
and you must nurse me now and pet me
for | am getting childish"
"And must pet me, teo," said ].
"Of course l WILL" said she. cam I
not always petting You? Now, go long
after the children, before we both get to
crying and have scene. And | wish
you would see if the buff cochin hens
have Matched in the hen house"
"She has been setting about fourteen
weeks" said !, 'tbut she is getting old, |
and these old mothers are slow, mighty
SLOW"
I went after the children, and sure
enough they were fishing in the spring
branch, and their shoes were wet and |
muddy, and they were bareheaded, and |
l marched them up tenderly, aid Mrs. |
Arp set them down by the fire and dried |
their shoes, and got them some mere |
stockings, and then opened their little |
morning school. How patiently these |
old fashioned mothers work and worry |
over the little things of domestis sife.