The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1883-05-03
HUSBAND AND WIFE
A Talk Between an Oid-Fashioned Georg
COuple.

A Talk Between an id-Fashioned Georgia
Couple.
~ WISH" said Mrs. Arp, "you would 20
and see what Carl and Jessie are doing,
down at the branch l reckon, and feet all
wet, and they have both got dreadful colds.
/ can't keep them away from that branch. f"
Didn't you play in the branch, my dear,
when you were child?" said |.
Yes" said she mournfully. "buth moth.
ing couldn't hurt me then; we were not
raised 80 delicate in those days. You know
| used to ride to the plantation, twelve
miles, and back again in u day and bring a
bag OF fruit on the horn of the saddle, but
the girls couldn't do it now. They can &c
to party in buggy aud dance half the
night, but that is all excitement, and they
are not fit for anything the next day. We
didn't have any dances-hardly ever-we
went TO the country weddings sometimes
You remember we went to James Dunlap's
wedding, when he married Rebecca Sam.
mons. That was big frolic. Everybody
was there from all the neighborhood, and
there were more turkeys and roast pig and
cake than | ever saw, and we played ev'
erything we could think or Rebecca was
mighty pretty then, but poor woman-she
has had a thousand children, too, lust like
myself, and reckon she is faded, too, and
tired" But Jim Dunlap hasn't faded"
said |. 81 see him when | 90 to Atlanta
and he is big and fat and merry-looks a
little like Old David Davis"
"Oh, yes, of course he does" said Mrs
Arp. The men don't know anything
about care and anxiety and sleepless nights.
1t is wonder to me they die at ALL" "Bur
| have helped you all conld, my dear"
said |, "and you see it's telling on me.
Look ut these silverhairs and these wrinkles
and crows-feet, and my back hurts ever and
anon and this rainy, bad weather gives me
the rheumatism. but you haven't u gray
hair and hardly seam on your aabaster
forehead Why, you will Outlast and out.
live me too, and maybe there will be rich
wldower stepping around here in my shoes
and you will nave fine carriage and Il pair
of beautiful bay horses, and"
"William, | told you to 80 after Carl and
JESSIE"
"lf Vanderbits wife should die and he
could accidentally see you, said l. latter |
am gone, there's no telling"
"Well, go along now and find the chill
dren, and when you come back I'll listen
to your ioolishness. I'm not going to let
you die II ! can help it, for ] don't krow
what would become Of US all. Yes, you
have helped me, know, and been great
comfort and did the best you could-mo. /
OF the time, yes, most of the time-and
might have done worse, and you must
nurse me now and pet me, for | am get.
ting childish"
And you must pet me, too" said |.
"Of course will, !" said she. Am not
always petting you? Now, 90 long after
the children, before we both get to crying
and nave scene, And wish you would
see If the buff cochin hen has Matched
in the hen house."
"She has been setting about fourteen
weeks" said |, "but she is getting old, and
these old mothers are slow, mighty slow"
went after the children and sure enough
they were fishing in the spring branch, and
their shoes were wet and muddy, and they
were bare.headed, and marched them up
tenderly, and Mrs. Arp set them down by
the fire and driei their shoes, and got them
some more stockings, and then opened
their little morning school. How patiently
these old.fashioned mothers work and wor-
ry over the little things OF domestic life.--
[ Bill Arp in Atlanta Constitution.