Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1883-06-13
TAX ing my Boys Advice.

a middle of the room. with arms folded an
); eyes cast down, thinking intent.y.
g. "A penny for your thoughts. mamma! !!
u said Willie, my youngest.
j "Oh! Willie. boy, I'm trying to decId
what to do first this evening. There is
pile of mending the stockings and sock
to be darned, Joe's new books to be GOV
e cred, and if Aunt Jennie is to come ol
Saturday, the muslin curtain for her room
! should be hemmed to night"
J. "Know what Ia dop" queried rogu,
2 Willie with smile.
n "Well, what would you do. my boyp'
"l'd let the stocks and socks and othel
r old rags take care Of themselves till to
4 morrow. Joe might cover his books him
self; DO i'm good, and keep the cove ou
J. O. mischief, and spose the lar dy curtains
warn't all put up till after Aunt Jennie
got here, 'speet anybody'd die? Besides
there's story in the paper I'm sufferin
TO hear read, Come on, Mumpsey! read
the paper TO night, and not do anything
, else. Jes rest your face and hands. Guess
I wouldn't crowd myself into work
basket and tbimble all the timen'
My first thought was, All! how little
the dear child knows of the cares and
, duties devolving upon the mother of a
: family. The next moment an impulse
seized me, which ordinarily would have
seemed to indicate lack of reason on my
part. would take Willes advice, and
see what the result would be.
"Well, get the paper, Willie, and in a
moment will be ready to read" Then
going to the closet, l found some nice
brown paper and the bottle of mucilage.
had no idea it would rest me SO. In the
first place it was real pleasure to watch
Willie's face, as the cleverly written story
unloldcd itself, and was interest ed myself
in finding how it all came out. Pretty
soon Joe came in with his new school
books. He was delighted at the thought
of covering them himselfand it astonished
me to see how nicely he set to work.
At eight o'clock Willie went to bed
with satisfied little face, and sat real
ing the entire evening, and it was fact,
my sleep that night was more refreshing
than it had been for long time; nor was
that all 1T often occurred that during the
morning hours, overcome with uncon.
querable drowsiness, would drop asleep
in my chair, but that morning felt bright
enough TO equal any excrtion. 1t is true
when Aunt Jennie came the pretty mus
lin curtains were not up at the windows,
but to my simple explanation she replied
just as l expected:
"Y6u know | would thousand times
rather never see muslin curtains up, taste
full as they are, than to know you had
overworked to get them there. Mortal
woman, my dear, can do just so much
and no more. Nature will have her due,
first or last"
So I fell to rejecting as to whether,
after all, it was good judgment on the part
of the housekeeper and mother, being SO
ambitious to accomplish as much in a
given time as we naturally are. l well
know the satisfaction afforded by having
everything in apple pie order when Satur
day night comes around, but would it not
be wise for us in the prime of life to pause
for a moment, and ask seriously, is it
necessary, is it best, all this wearying
round of toll and anxietyP know many
a faithful wife and mother will say, the |
theory and arguments in favor of OCCASION
al relaxation from n certain round of
duties is all proper and well enough for
those who can control their time to suit |
their own convenience, but my work |
would never be done if failed to employ
every wakeful moment, and I should |
hardly dare declare her mistaken. But
need all the work be done that isp Is
there not too often an unwholesome
ambition urging us on rather than a real
necessity?
One day, soon after my evening of rest,
Mrs. Harmon called to see what would
make for the church fair. replied, with
a feeling of discouragement, that l would
do what could, mentally resolving not to
worry or tax myself too severely even if
did nothing, for with my crowded hands
how could l make fancy articles for the
fairp and growing nervousness warned
me of the danger should | attempt too
much. But was dumb with astonishment
and admiration for my neighbor, when
she went on and told what she had done
within the preceding twenty -four hours.
The evening before she had worked till
eleven O'Clock on an exquisite sofa-pillow
for the fair; at five that morning she was
up, had swept and busted, and had a
batch of pies we'll under way before break
fast; at dinner time she had baked pies,
mixed great plum cake, repaired coat
for Mr. Harmon, and put away the weeks
washing. Since dinner she had put down
n carpet, cut and basted a dress for Jose,
and written long letter, and now at five
O'Clock she was all dressed up, sitting ia
my parlor making call.
"And expect to do just as much more
within the next twenty.four hours" she {
added, with triumphant smile.
After she had gone, actually shed tears,
how much more energetic she
was than I, with all my untiring perse- l
verance and diligence, for what day ever {
saw such an amount of work accomplished '
at my hands as she described. 1t was '
ls,..o FD,.t tt,n oil .,I l.. Il,
best there was no time for making single /
and meeting Mrs. Harmon's '
would know nothing of my having denied v
n order to give all l could towards the o
church object; but l bought a season
ticket, and was present the opening night
)ne of the first objects to attract my atlen.
ion was the beautiful sofa. pillow Mrs. u
Turing the evening, and concluded she u
vas conducting one of the side shows. As .
10 one could call for me that evening, I Is
tarted for home early, but had gone but "
short distance when I almost ran P
4gainst Mr.. Harmon. u =,
II did not see Mrs Harmon at the fair" u
remarked, although she must have 81
een there" VI
"Hump Confound the fair!' he blurted 81
ut. Mrs. Harmon isn't there; she's e at n
n her back where she's likely to stay all y y
ynter. The doctor says it is one of the u u
worst cases of nervous prostration he ever ~
aw.' ~
l expressed sincere sympathy and regret, y
ut Mr. Harmon was not to be comforted. LII
Told my poor wife over and over
gain" be went on, 'that no good would p
ONE of her driving about as she did, but ~ ~
he was ambitious, and very saving of p
me and money, and a pretty sum its W
ding TO cost getting her up again, though "
oodness knows l don't begrudge doing ~ u
Il I can for poor wife," al
Mr.. Harmon was kind hearted man, te
ut in moderate circumstances, and his IN IN
'ife's illness was q serious drawback to u
i'm in many ways. Other assistance Ia
ould be necessary besides the young Girl p'
ley kept as help. There was a family of IN