Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1884-10-17
MRS. BARKER'S WOOD.

'No woodY"
Mrs. John Barker's eyes wandered in
dismay around the unpromising- looking
woodward. Two or three green logs lay
there against one of which an AK leaned
in cleft formed by stove length being
half chopped off. Her husband and his
hired help, consisting of a man and boy,
had just gone to their work on a
distant part of the farm, and she knew
she should see neither of them before
dark.
What should she do2 Half impa-
tiently she turned toward the house, and
then, with 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.
'1t's no use. can't bake bread with
these. know what I'll do"
She quickly washed the dinner dishes
with the already cooling water, and then
went to the stable, in which, with hands
dexterous by practice in such work, she
had soon harnessed a horse to a light
buggy.
"Mother and the girls will think I'm
crazy" she said to herself, "but l can't
help that. 1swung an ak once and ached
for month to pay for it, so I'm not 60
ing 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 owr
house and her mothers. Arriving there
she carried in her pan, and set it dowr
with a laugh.
"There, mother. I've come to bake
my bread. John and the others went
off without leaving me any wood, anC
had to do it or let it spoil. Mer
will forget, you know"
She was not going to blame him tt
others, nor let them imagine how often
since she had gone as bride to JohI
Baker'e now house only loob eprin5, oh
had had this same trouble about wood
"That's right. Set it right dow
there by the fire, Susan, so TIL get he
up before you knead it into loaves
Yes, they WILL and if any mans to b
excused for not keepin' wood on hi
mind it's John Barker, if there is any
thing in blood, and 1 say there is
His father was just so-a real fore
handed man, good provider, and too
a proper pride in havin' things spic
and span about him, but never seem
in to think what bother it was to tn
women folks not to have their WOO
handy. Many and many's the time "
dropped into tea with Johns mother an
see her have the greatest time scrapil
up few chips or shakin' the snow o
sticks of miserable green wood"
Johns wife turned her face as she too
off her things, for fear her friends woul
see in her face how nearly her own e!
perience was already becoming like
that of Johns mother.
II used to tell her," went on h,
mother, "that she'd ought to traine
him better when he was young. Nov
like as not John takes a little after h
father-nobody could wonder at it-;<
, I wish father could haul you over loa
or two of his good seasoned wood, s'po
twouldn't do-eh, Susan?"
''No, 'twouldnt do, mother; thar
you, all the same.n
Twilight of the November day w
shutting in when John Barker, retur
ing to his house, missed the accustomt
|, fire glow in the windows.
"What's up2 No fire! no wife! !
wondern he calculated again, as
went out and took view of the wo'
yard.
After fifteen minutes work with |
ak he carried in an armful of wood al
kindling, and had bright fire crackli
and swapping in the stove by the til
his wifes CHEEKY voice was heard.
il 'I've had a real frolic, John, she sal
Ill tugging in a basket, from which she Ia
out several loaves of bread and numt
of light puffy buiscuits 81 could
" find any wood, so l just hitched up {
Bill and drove over to mothers to ba
my bread"
10 There was not the slightest shade
"a reproach in her tones, but John fel
tingle of modification at what had
cured and resolved it should not hapr
again, and so he assured Susan with or
fervor.
And the next day he went vigorou
to work to keep his word. Logs, so
freshly felled, others which had fal
through decay, were hauled from
piece of timber land belonging to
farm, and for a week all hands chop
~ and sawed with a will. Then the resi-
were flung pell-mell into the wood sh
and John, who had never learned at he
to look far enough ahead to think
providing seasoned wood from yeal
year, felt proud at having done his d
like man.
Gle And Susan, as she worried through t
rite winter with wood green or decayed,
On short or too long for the stove, made
her mind (and she had a good dea
mind of her own to make up) that
would never worry through such anotl
remembering some sensible advice
sensible, energetic mother had given
when she left home.
7Jy ''Bear things, Susan. The
wy lots of things has to be borne
this world, and them
learns to bear 'em best's the
,ra off. Men will be trying, and if wol
nu- can't be patient it's apt to make trou
But mind-when | say bear | N
there's reason in all things, and / d
mean Won should bear things that's