The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1884-06-05
A MATER DOLOROSA.

a pnHICn UUlUnUSHs
A Chinese woman has no identity of
her own. She is simply of consequences
as the wife of some man, or the mother
of son. Ii this phase OF existence
sheds but little glory upon her, 1T also
relieves her of many responsibilities,
and gives to her obscurity the value of
contentment.
Aunt Nancy was the wife of Uncle
'Lisha.
1t would be impossible to give biog-
raphy of Aunt Nancy without includ-
ing Uncle 'Lisha, or to eliminate her
individuality long enough to serve her
up alone. And L doubt if the dear old
lady would like such marital independ-
ence Nor do l think she would rec
ognize any picture of herself that was
not reflection of him. Like the moon,
she shone by borrowed light.
Uncle 'Lisha was living illustration
of the old adage, ut is better to be
born lucky than rich" His property
was inherited, and he never did days
work in his life. But everybody else
in his family worked, Aunt Nancy, his
NAlO, illOlO thah VI bhNhi' ShSAO
'Lisha didn't work because he enjoyed
poor health. A partial list of his COM
plants would read about like this:
Fever and ague.
Chronic indigestion.
Paralysis of the heart
Paralysis of the liver.
Infammatory rheumatism.
Lameness in the left knee.
Lameness in the right knee.
Justification of the Joints.
Hereditary consumption
(On the mothers side.)
Hereditary apolexy.
(On the fathers side
These were just few of the ills
which beset the poor man, and made
him exceedingly careful of himself.
He couldn't stoop for fear of apoplec-
tic symptoms; he was afraid to lift any
thing, on account of his spine; he new
or dared hurry, as his heart had habit
of beating, and, in fact, nothing agreed
with him except-doing nothing. He
was the very same boy referred to in
the following Incident / am aware it
is credited to the Beecher family, but
they never had monopoly of lazy boys,
if they did of bright ones. Uncle Lii
sha's father, the good doctor, had one
time been away from home a few days,
leaving his two boys, Elisha and Eze-
kiel, to do the chores. When he re-
turned, nothing had been done, and he
discovered the boys in a hay-mow, read
ing stories.
"Zeke!' Numbered the Doctor, come
here, sir. j"
Zeke came and stood shame-facedly
before him.
"What have you been doing since I
was away?"
Nothing, sir
elisha, come here, you, and give
an account of yourself. Tell the truth,
now. What have you been doing?'
Helping Zeke, sir"
This faculty was Uncle Lisha's stock
in trade, and he steadily improved it
and made others believe in it, until
they really considered it wrong to ex-
pect him to do anything. can see him
yet putting on his boots of winter
morning All the cattle had been fod-
dered, water drawn, and wood carried
in. Aunt Nancy had been up hours,
getting breakfast and hushing the chill
dron, and telling them not TO make a
noise and wake poor father" who
hadn't slept wink all night. Gentle
soul! 1t is possible that she believed
it, for she was too tired herself to lie
awake to see. And when he came
down they all waited on him and hand
ed him his boots, while he fingered pa
tiently in front of the hot fire. Then
he would cough feebly, put his hand
to his heart, sigh and warm the inside
of his boot. After resting from this
exertion he would take strap in each
hand and with several attempts get il
ON. Then long rest, before a milar
process with the other one. A DIR nix
of revivin9 water was then handed by
one child, while another stood by and
looked at him as if he had been ten
horned wonder. Poor father" wa
only afflicted with spring fever, which
lasted him the year round-in other
words, chronic laziness.
II shant last long" he would say, in
that whiny-piny voice which exasper.
ated all who knew him as he really
was. Then, Nancy, you and the chill
dren can havc it all your own way"
And Aunt Nancy would cry. and the
children howl. and there would be-
some added delicacy at the sufferers
plate for the next meal.
"There's only a dozen eggs in the
house., that sanity woman would oh
serve. "Now, children, Pm going tC
cook those for your poor father-don'
one of You ask for eggs"
But when he reached the last egg
one of the tempted children woulc
pluck up courage 10 hint for {. Uncle
Lisha would look at that child with {
countenance of meek reproach, and say
"Yes, take it, take it, and let you
poor sick father starve."
There was no chance for Aunt Nanc,