The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1884-02-08
EBENEZER GRATH'S WIFE.
BY ga corNrpy p,psoSn

asst; Tins Is the third tina I've called
you. believe you are uncommon deaf
his morning." Ebenezer was sprink-
ing his potatoes in the patch near the
1ouse. The bugs were accomplishing
heir de 'troying work, and nothing but
ihe Paris green would discourage them.
1t was a little old house, innocent Of
paint, a story and a half with a leaneto,
l great brilliant tree overshadowing the
foof, AMI the ground in front sharply
descending to the road. 1t was u side
all farm facing the east. 1t would seem
4 tough tussle with nature to get a living
out of this rocky soil, to say nothing Of
;he Injuries Of life. Why the very
weeds looked stunted and rocks, rocks,
abonnded everywhere. Even Grath
aid: ut seemed as if the Almighty left
what few He had over in Jordan. 1t
vas q mighty hard road to travel any
how" Although Ebenezer Grath had
never vexed his soul about it, he
would sit in the doorway with his
stump of a pipe, looking off on the mead
ows and stream that neighhor Jackson
owned, hour af er hour, wondering "wby
It was always his frisky luck to be poor"
The said jackson in the mean time was
breaking up a piece of muck which he
had drained, and was going to plant
with Strawberries. "Waste of time,"
Eben said, ''fiddiin' round in an old
muck hole" Bat Jackson cleared three
hundred dollars the second year by his
industry. Eben Grath was "shiftless,"
n ra sc M no f.r u,py.S. ~rNl -ak,r,l
but with nc gilt. He was like the rock
down in the east pasture, crumbles, no
stability to il. He lacked the fixedness
of thegranite about him, his backbone
needed stiffcning, he was spoiled in the
making up. He would tramp all day
fishing without a murmur, but it made
bis back ache 10 dig potatoes. He kali
lated he had no call that way" There
we're four young Graths. Likely chill.
dren they were, healthy, well formed
and full of vitality. They had managed
to live so far on u City. acre farm, the
last payment on the mortgage just met,
and at last out OF debt.
Ebenezer Grath had q wife, and that
was an important fact to him. She had
"facuity,"a knaek for affairs, an indom-
table push. She was a type ofa GER
lain class of New England women who
seem to belong to no social circle, but
make q place tor themselves by the very
aggressive pluck that will not be daunt-
ed. She had n good common school
education; Il farmers daughter, she
knew how TO work, and liked to. Ebe-
llezer Grath was IL good-looking young
man with some money and SHE married
bin, the only poor bargain she had
ever made. bat this was serious enough.
Ma .r,hln,, oF l;tn E,,ot No., .n., -.
She bad got to meet it, and with charac-
TO scof her. If you know anything
about this strain Of blood, you will un.
derstnnd that this woman would not let
20 her grip on life without n struggle. II
she died, she woold die in honorable
warfare. She never would strike he
coloTs. But what o call it was for pa
tience, heroism, an iron will. To work
the farm was one thing, but to make
Ebenezer work was quite another. Even
her heart failed her almost, but sic
never let it be kno wn. She had put her
hand t the plough of her life; she would
not loos back. And so she cast about to
see what could be done with a scrubby
farm for the support of an increasing
family. The children came along fast
enoughsand they brought care, worry
aud pain; but this woman had an iron
constitution. She went to deaths door
moro than once, but she would not die.
One day she went to the village, TAX
ing her baby with her. She was quite
depressed: EbencZer grow more shift.
less; she was not strong. The interest
on the mortgage would soon be due. and
where was the money coming from? AS
old White logged or she glanced at the
- ri, ~, ! = q, Nnl al -, 81 =, &, ~ ~ H. -.11J
paper. There was something about
market gardening and the profit Of lit.
tie land we'll cultivated. She read il
with a new interest. So occupied was
she that a neighbor passed her in his
wagon and che knew nothing about its
Why could she not do something in this
line?. Since the coming OF summer
boarders to the region there was a mar.
ket for such things. Shs would think il
over. She had been married ten years
and the fourth baby sat beside her. l,
had been ten years of worry aud strug.
gle. They had picked berries in sum
me and braided hits and 8 Gated chairs
in the winter. They had done any.
thing that would bring in an honest dol.
lar. She had always been interested in
chemistry from a school girl. She had &
special aptitude IN that direction. Agri,
cultural chemistry WAS somewhat dis.
cussed III the papers; she had once
heard Il lecture in the villa 70 OH ths
subject. This woman was quick to
catch hints and follow out a line Q!
thought to its practical results. When
she broacked the subject to
Ehen, he said, "Blazes, Jane,
what won't We think of; can We contrive
a plan to raise vegetables without work.
I IVA, . =, a , ,ns.H ~. - Als. &C.,
without brains?" she replied, and fel
| she announced to Eben she had leaset
for five years five acres OF laud on the
flat grown up to trash. "Itaiht we 20
a land enough" he asked in MANAGEMENT
"l'il be switched ii | don't believe yo,
daft; Jane Grath." SIT | be you'll pay
the doctor" she replied grimly
T1at FIVE acres ofnuck must be cleare /
AMI EGenezer Gfath found he must hclE
if he wanted peace. When Jane had
that set to her jaw he knew there wa
no call to argue, and SO, with a nelghbo
and much grumbling, he set about it. l
was a big chore, but Ebenezer Grath'
wife was relentless, and it was accom-
,plished. And then she had it drained
borrowing the money to have it done
"Vhat on ,arth is the use of plantin,
these pl&guey things in this swamp,
hole7 ! believe you'll bring me to tn
poor house." II have keptyou out OF
Tor ten year S." she said sharply.
She got the land fo: twenty-ive dollar
a year, it brought in nothing to its own
;er before; he vas glad enough To reai:z
anything from it. The drptu pipes cos
.her thirty-fvo dollars. The first yea
land was broken Up and she planted pc
tatoes, and she realized three hundre
and fifty bushels. The market was shor
she had an extra fine crop, and Eber