The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1884-11-08
MRS. BARKER'S WOOD.

dismay around the unpromlsing look
ing wood yard Two or three green
logs lay there, against one of which an
ak leaned in a cleft formed by a stove
length being half chopped off. Her
husband and his hired help, consisting
of man and boy, had just gone to
their work on distant part OF the farm,
and she knew she should see neither
of them before dark.
What should she do? Half impatient
ly she turned toward the house, and
then, with a thought of the pan of light
dough waiting inside, she began to
gather some OF the chips which lay
around, only to fling them down again.
Its no use. | can't bake bread with
these. l know what I'll do"
She quickly washed the dinner dish
es with the already cooling water, and
then went to the stable, in which, with
hands dextrous by practice in such
work, she had soon harnessed a horse
to light buggy.
Mother and the girls will think I'm
crazy" she said to herself, "but [ can't
help that. | swung an ak once and
ached for a month to pay for it, so I'm
not going to do it again"
She brought out her pan of bread
wrapped in large cloth, and, setting it
in the bottom of the buggy, sprung in
herself, and had soon driven the two
miles which lay between her own house
and her mothers. Arriving there she
carried in her pan and set it down with
a laugh.
here, mother I've come to bake
my bread. John and the others went off
without leaving me any wood, and had
to do it or let it spoil. Men will forget.
you know"
She was not going to blame him to
others, nor let them imagine how often,
since she had gone as a bride to John
Barker's new house only last spring,
she had had this same trouble about
wood.
That's right. Setit right down there
by the fire, Susan, SO till get het up
before you knead it into loaves Yes,
they will; and if any mans to be ex-
cused for not keepin' wood on his mind
it's John Barker, If there's anything in
blood, and | say there is. His father
was just so-a real forehanded man,
good provider, and took proper pride in
havin' things spick and span about him,
but never seemin' to think what a
bother it was to the women folks not to
have their wood handy. Many and
many's the time I've dropped into tea
to Johns mother and see her have the
greatest time a scrapin' up few chips
or shakin' the snow off sticks of misera-
BILE green wood"
Johns wife turned her face as she
took off her things, for fear her friends
would see in her face how nearly her
own experience was already becoming
like that of Johns mother
Il used to tell her." went on her
mother 'that she'd ought to trained him
better when he was young. Now, like
as not John takes little after his fathe,
nobody could wonder at it-and ]
wish father could haul you load Oh
tw of his good seasoned wood s'pose
'twouldn't do-eh, Susan?"
mo, 'twouldn't do, mother; thank yor
all the same"
Twilight of the November day was
shutting in when John Barker, returning
to his house, missed the accustom &c
fire glow in the windows.
Whats up? no frel no wife, NJ
wonder" he calculated again, as b,
went out and took view of the Woo
yard.
After fifteen minutes work with hi
ak he carried in an armful of wood anC
kindling, and had a bright fire cracklin,
and swapping IN the stove by the tim,
his wife's CHEEKY voice was heard.
L have had real frolic, John" she sait
tugging IN basket, from which sh,
laid out several loaves of bread and
number of light, puffy biscuits. &c
couldn't find any wood, so just hitchet
up old Bill and went over to mother
to bake my bread"
There was not the slightest shade O
reproach in her tones, but John felt
Jingle of modification at what had oc
Cured, and resolved that it should no
happen again, and so he assured Susal
with great fervor.
And the next day he went vigorousl
to work to keep his word. Logs, som
freshly felled, others which had fallel
through decay, were hauled from tn
piece of timber land belonging to tn
farm, and for week all hands save,
and chopped with will. Then the re
suits were thrown pell nell into tn
wood shed, and John, who had neve
learned to look far enough ahead +
think OF providing seasoned wood from
year to year, felt proud at having don
his duty like a man.
And Susan, as she worried through
that winter with wood green or decayed
too short or too long for the stove, mad
up her mind land she had good dea
OF mind of her own to make up) tina
she would never worry through sucl
smother, remembering some sensible ad
vice her sensible, energetic mother ha,
given her when she left home.
bear things, Susan. There's lots OF
things has to be borne in this world
and them that learns to bear EN- best.
the best of all. Men will be trying, ant
If women can't be patient it's apt *
make trouble. But mind-when l sa,
bear L mean there's reason in all things
and don't mean you should beaI
things that's out of all reason. If
woman'U let herself be trod on, shet
sure to be trod on, and them that doe,
It'll never thank her FOR it or look mp *
her for it. Bear what's reasonable
Susan, but if things go beyond reason
why then look out for yourself"
1t came about that when the mex
October term of the circuit court wa.
IN session John was drawn on the
jury and had to be away for two
weeks.
Why, what in the worlds this
Susan y he said, staring into tn,
wood-shed when he got home the sec
ond Saturday.
"1haU's my winters supply of wood,
said Susan