The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1883-05-11
u D0MESTIC MLSTAKE.

Van Winker kept a country store and his
clever wife, Jeanette,
Tended the children and the house. and saw
that both ends met;
A happy couple; yet one night, when Van had
made q loss,
He went unto his pleasant HONEYWELL, just
little cross.
And, as it happened, on that day, from morn
ing until night,
Nothing in all her household work had gone
with Jeanette right;
She said she was $50 tired;' and Van, in his
rough, careless way,
Said he would like TO do her work and rest him
self ddB.
She answered, as a woman would; for contra
diction, he
Declared he did in every day as much as she
And SO they argued till they both agreed upon
this tost:
Jeannette should tend the store next day, Van
do her work and rest.
She took his orders for the store, then said:
Ivan, listen now:
You'll light the fire, and while it burns you'd
better milk the COW;
Then make the boys their breakfast next,
dress Freddy when he wakes,
And boil the coffee, brown the hash and fry
dish of cakes.
"And after breakfast, If the morning should
be clearand fine
The washing that did to-day hang up upon
the line,
You'd better let the starch alone--you'd make
But don't forget to feed the fowls, and see the
COW turned out
"Then wash the Dishes make the beds and
take upstairs the broom,
For always at this time of year both sweep
and air each room.
You'd better next go down to Jake's and buy
the dinners steak;
The stock is ready for the soup, the pies you'll
have to make.
"At twelve the dinner must be laid, or else the
boys complaint
You know they must be back at school by one
m o'clock again.
Then build the fire up well and clear, so that
the irons heat,
While you wash up the dinner things and make
the house-piace sweet.
"Then you may iron until five, but when the
boys come home
You'd better send them for the COW, she is SO
apt to roam;
And then you'll give the children each bowl
of milk and bread,
And littlerF Freddy must be bathed and put into
his bed.
"Besides, there's many a little thing you'll
have to see done right;
And Fred must not moment be out of your
And if a neighbor should drop in to borrow or
to call,
You need not growl; it's business, Van, to be
polite to ALL
"when it is nearly nine o'clock you may look
out for me,
For / shall want bit of steak and q good cup
of tea;
Then HE away and lay the fire, and see the
doors secure,
And when it's ten o'clock, Van winker, you'll
be re ted, sure
Jeanette went to the store next day, pre-
pared to do her part,
And yet her children and her house lay heavy
on her heart;
But she was bright and kept the store with
business all alive,
And sold more dry goods in that day than Van
had donein five.
The clerk beneath her watchful eye put on a
civil way,
She heard the news and saw her friends, and
had pleasant day;
But yet, mid all, she thought Of home with
fear and grave distrust;
And there, poor Van by ten o'clock sat smok-
ing in disgust
He got the clothes upon the line and thon the
line gave way:
He put them back into the tubs; then Fred had
got aStray;
He found the boy, then smoked pipe and
called himself ga fool;"
The fire went out before he knew the boys
were home from school.
They got what dinner they could find; Van
stood it until four;
Then, in u most repentant mood, he went
down to the store
"Tm better nOtU, Jednnettc," he said, and with a
happy face
The wife went to the wretched home, and got
all things In place.
When Van went home at nine o'clock the
house was still and clean,
And wise Jeanette ignored the day as though
1t had not been
But ever after, if man said but one thought
less word
About his busy wife at home, Van Winker
gravely heard,
And answered thus: "My stupid friend, I've
just one thing to say
You'll change your mind if you win try to do
her work one day.
-.KdlN a. Barr. in ". Y. Ledaer