Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-07-21
FARKER GREG05Y'S Reform

FARlEER GREG06Y'S Reform
Hetsy, Hetty Mehitsble Gregory,
where are you? Why don't you answer
me- " lat do l want 2 | wsut you TO
hurry uEht down staits and 20 20 the
spring for pail If water tor the tea kettle
Here it is, nigh on to supper time; i've
hungry men coming in from the harvest
6eld; ny fire almost gone out, no wood
snd no wstzT ia he house and this -sed,
cross little baby screaming hard enough to
drive me crazy, while my head 10 aching
IS if it Toa,d burst Here, Tommy, take
the basket and run to The lot like good
Roy, and get some c6ips 10 make mother
ire; be quick, now -
Hstty, a pretty, lose-looking gil Of A,
came huFIiediy down the stalrs 81 thls I'M
perative aummons, caught NJ this pail and
threw sn her sua bonnet, saying as she
passed through the room Pm real
sorry, mother. / forgot sll about tie
water. I was reading storyin the Daga-
zine that Mary Creme lent me, ard IL was
last splendid. On, mother, | do wish
rather would let us take something TO
read. We don't nave any thing like other
folks, and she went OUT, giving the door
8 spiteiul little bang after her.
T0muy, e brewn-fsced, b1Tefooted little
ccchiQ 81 wen summsrs, took the basket,
mounted 8 stick, and trotted of to the
lot, while tired Mrs. Gregory drew the
cradle so the side Of the table and rocked
1t with one foot while she pared the po-
tasoes and made the biscHit for the men
aho wouia soon be in from the wheat held,
tired and hungry.
Hstty soon retained from the spring,
flushed and tresbneEs from the eXertion OF
carrying the heavy pail go far Tommy,
with the aid of his wooden horse, brought
the basket of chips safely to the door, and
supper vas steaming on the table by the
time the men had washed the perspiration
and dn8. from faces and hands, and made
themselves ready for the meal.
90 Well, well. declare, mother, said
Mr.. Gregory, vita wry face, az re broke
open one OF the biscuits, what in the
world ie the matter with your oven :?
There's something wrong, somewhere ; this
biscuit isn't done.
The wood gave out entirely, and had
TO send go the lo5 fer chips, and theynever
heat the oven well. do wish, Giles, that
we could have plenty of wood near the
house IL hard On the children to have SO
oarry so much wood and water. D
n 1usonse; Il won't hurt 'em mite
lis about all ehey can do toward earning
their grub, Sister Sarah and me had it 20
do when father lived on the old Place we
clsried water year in and year out from
the eaa.e spriug 7 calculate TO get up
good pile of wood when the fall work is
through with, but don't, for mercy'a sake,
take harvest time 10 erdm5ls over your
little Ine0Hv -nIenees."
Mrs Gregory thought great many
things, bat SAID nothing, knowing well by
past experience, that words awaited moth
ing Ia any difference of opinion between
herself and her very eEoslient, bat rather
obstinate spouse; silently she took the
baby il hsr arms and seated herself to
pour the tea for the weary workmen.
Little Hstty, however, was not so pru.
dent, aad with bright visions OF the pretty
book, and its interesting stories in her
mind she tried her father on another point.
" On, father, won't you please let us
take the magazine that Mrs. Greene takes
for Maryi l. is so nice and has such
splendid stories in it, and the loveliest pic
lures, too Iii work just as hard as any.
thing il you will. Mary Greene said the
agent told her mother"
Nc, no, l won't; you needn't trouble
yourself to tell me what the agent said t.
Mary Gresne's mother. I'm poor enough
now, goodness knows, without throwing
away any money ia patterning after Mrs
Greenea eXtravagant fooleries. They arr
last running them children"
Well" piped up Tommy, "it's rea
nice over so their house, anyway ever 50
much better than it is here. They've goi
splendid swing in the blrn for George
and Katie, and they We got well and els
tern, and woodshed with lots Of wood in
Il ; and you just ought to see the piles
and pilss Of funny books and papers !"
Eyes" snarled MIR. Gregory, and
piles snd piles Of reapers and mowers
cultivsrOrs and corn shelters - patent
Ohurns aud washing machines, and dish.
washer, too, for all know and my gen.
tleman Greene just walks aboat, l sup
pose, with his hsnds in his pockets, and
takes his ease, while machinery works for
him. I'll warrant you he's spending every
dollar he gets hold Of in some new Rink or
other instead Of laying it up for his old
sge His new-fangled notions will laud
HIM in the poorhouse yet, see if they
don't &"
"It doesn't seom much like it yet,
father. said John, the eldest son, a youth
of sixteen 81 ne seems to be making money
all the time. Mary is going to the Mill
dale Seminary this fall, and be is going to
send Dick away East somewhere, to learn
to be q civil engineer. Why don't you try
some Of his labor saving ideas, too,
fatherf You wouldn't have to work near
go hard, and it mast pay g
" fou needn't try TO argue with me.
Gentleman Green can make befrizzled,
beRounced seminary girl of his daughter,
and a evil or unoivil engineer of his son If
1t suits him. l dou't set myself up to be
any better than my old father was; his
ways are good enough for nae, He worked
on this old place nigh on to twenty years,
and wss aatisfied to earn his bread by the
sweat Of his brow. I'm willing to do the
same, if ] do have to work like dog tor
1t"
Yes" nzttered john, as ne rose from
the table and walked hastily out to the
porch "yes, and you are willing to keep
Door mother and all the rest of us at it,
too. Kill her, and let as children grow up
ounces I'd light out pretty quick If 1t
wasn't for mother and poor little Hetty
It's too bad to keep her out of school to
make drudge of her, she learns so fast
and is so bright and pretty" And. catch
ing up the milk pail, he hurried to the
barn.yard with surly, dissatisfied look on
his boyish face.
Giles" said Mrs. Gregory, in = hest
tating way, after the men were gone, the
table cleared away and the baby asleep
IN the cradle, 81 don't see how in the
world 1 can get along with my fall work
without sotne help with my sewing. Both
you and John must have shirts and win
ter clothes made, and the children grow so
fast that it takes half my time to let out
and piece down for them. do wish,
Giles, that we c5uld afford sewing ma
chine. There was agent here to-day who