Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1883-09-06

"Heh supper was over, nluge narhesseu
up and drove to the village, in his fresh,
| cool suit, to get the evening mail. 1t would
have been rest and refreshment to Phebe
to go too, but there was the supper TO clear
away, the milk to set, little Aleck to care for,
and Ridge would have thought all things 60
ing to wreck and ruin if she should so desert
| the ship.
"Cncle Aleck is at home, Phebe, - said
Ridge one evening in great excitement, as
he returned with letter. ''Now | need not
tell you how important il is for all Of US
that we make a good impression upon him.
My uncle is good man, but he has his pc.
culiar notions. He was always lecturing me
On economy. IL he gets the impression that
We are living extravaganty, he may cut me
off with a shilling. Try to have little Aleck
at his best, and, if possible, keep him from
CRYING. We must study to provide his "a
yorite dishes, for he always feels crusty il
his meals do not please. have laid BY a
little money, though not half what ex-
pec,ed-our living expenses have been so
high but know Uncle Aleck will be graf
fled to know have saved even little"
There are a number Of things we need"
suggested Phebe, YEARLY. II suppose your
uncle will always prefer white sugn in his
coffee, and it is much the best for everything.
We have none. And the coffee pot is so
leaky can hardly make coffee in it and
the tea kettle is great trouble for the same
reason. They really ought to be nrended."
And the same Of half the tin ware in the
house, suppose he said, with a lofty smile.
as he lighted his cigar
1T is very true" said Phebe, with no
smile either.
Now, don't i seem to YOU, Phebe," he
saId, argumenta;ively, "that three years il
very Short time for tin ware 10 last
think my Aunt Lucinda has pieces she
bought forty years ago"
Tin ware il not wha, il used to be-"
II know women say 30, but after all il
depends great deal upon the way il Is
used
Whereupon followed discourse on the
use Of pans and basins that was supposed
ettrctually to settle the question about the
necessity Of her particular stock being mend
od.
The modern Pharaoh still persisted in de-
nanding bricks without straw. so with the
very scanty resources Phebe sat abou, pre-
pairing for the dreaded visit. She would
have liked . little girl TO help to take care Of
baby, but her husband objected on priuc-
pie. II might look extrayagant to Uncle
Aieck, and the board of such girl would
be more than her wages
!, was beautiful day in June. and the
country at its best. when Uncle Aleck cane.
lie gave hi> nephew hearty hand shake.
and cooked over hi, added pounds Of a,oir
dupoi> with laus hing eyes.
Farm life hasn't worn YOU down. bur-
Y l.4 sltl ~. IL
~.
TIC supper was excellent, the house like
new PIN baby sweet and fresh III hs clean
white tucker, and there was only one shadow
that those keen ewes detected, and that VA
the worn and faded look ot the Young moth
~. II flied him with solci,ule, and gaye
him rcai PAIN, as he feared the Young Wife
bc left early with only memory and
pictured face, ne had been these many
Wears. One thing which hal 81 drawn hi,n
to Phchc va, her resemblance u that little
iyogl painted picture he bore over land and
Sca. Tie wondered If there was not q cause
tar her Va.lid cheeks that might vet BE- dis
covered and remcdied The farm was kept
up To high thrift and neatnr,, BY the hired
man, and RdSeway got the credit Of Il,
Bal indoors there was q >cgimpcl, uuhaudy
look a1oat most Of the working implements,
which did no. escape observation. He saw
PAebe tiukering her tins with BIT, Of twiur
drawn into holes, and he heard Ridge ex-
po>,ulatlng with her IN The kitchen about
SONG supplies She needed. lie "a; through
Monday in Il coy sitting room, where he
could see Her toiiny a, the wash-tub, aul
hurrying to get up the meals. while SHE at-
tended p the neglected baby when She could
catch 4 moments time. Hi, indignation
was Il White heat by night, and He felt that
hg could nave caned .the gracct,s scamp"
h.s nephew, with pleasure, for permitting
suCh State Of affairs.
They walked out after tea and looked al
tile growing crops, Rldgcway feeling unusu-
ally well satisfied with himself and doings
Uncle Alexis first remark hardly chmed
ii with thi, sentiment.
didn't i ever seem % YOU, Ridge, as a
rather one-sided arrangement, that YOU
should have a stou; man TO help YOU out Of
doors, and YOUR wife no help at all in doors
Turn about is fair play. Suppose now that
you Try the business for three years alone.
and let her have the help
oh, uuc.c." cXpostulated Ridge, there
i, steady work for Two men on the farm the
year round.
And steady work in the house for two
womcn. and YOU have let Young, delicate
wife carry it on single handed, and as far as
| know, have never demonstrated with her
Oh the slow suicide she was committing.
Such havoc as three short Years have made
Il ought TO make man ashamed, if his
feelings are not iron-clad to 50 oyerwork
woman he has vowed 10 love and cherish"
Rdgeway Redeemed at his unces plain
dealing, but be was not disposed to ,rlmt
htu, He was the one to blame
II tell You, uncle, Phebc has not the fac
ulty Of getting along with her work that
some women have. 1t takes her longer than
il needs 70 get every meal. am sometimes
almost surprised"
''lt certainly does take her longer than it
need to. have plainly seen that, and now,
young man, Ill teach YOU lesson. You
are to rake hay tomorrow, | believe. I'll
fix you rake, and I'll see You use it," And
the ira,e old man smashed all but three
teeth out OF good rake and handed it over
to his nephew. There's your implement,
and I'll come out and see how you get on
with it. There'l be no shirking, either.
Everything have seen of your home con-
HAS bSS1i JuSt Va t'i'l OibSi. ioii
wife works with three -toothed rake from
morning till night. 1t is good to be saving
and lay up money, but not if you must grind
it out of the life blood of those who should
be nearest and dearest to you. No more
new rakes for you until | see different or
der Of things in the house. Let Phebe
make out a list Of all she needs, as we are
together this evening, and then you draw a
check and foot the bill"
"Why, uncle, you have never kept house.
You know nothing Of woman's demands. 1t
would sweep every cent have"
lie, it sweep, then! Money gotten dishon-
estly as that was, had better so from the
place it was stolen from. You have been
robbing your wife Of her life-power, her
health and her happiness these three years.
1t is time you made reparations. lave
preached economy to you, it is true, but l
never preached dishonesty. If you can't
keep your wife in decent way, break up
and let Phebe go back to the good home she
came from. You can 80 into store in the
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