River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1884-11-27

derstand she had nothing more to tell,
and he was ashamed to ask any one
else.
The winter brought its usual round OF
simple gayeties in the country neigh
borhood, in which John and his wife
took their full share.
at seems to me, Susan" he said one
evening on their return from church
sociable, "you don't fix up quite enough
when YOU go out"
Don't i look nice?"
ayes, of course you do; but that's a
dress You had when we were married,
and that's nigh on two years ago.
haven't seen anything of that silk l gave
you last fall
"Are you sure?" she said, with 3
smile which he could not understand.
-"Yes, I am. faint been made up
yet, is it?"
yes. it is. And you've seen it worn.
John was puzzled, and felt sure he
had not, but Susan would give HIM nc
further satisfaction on the subject OF
the silk dress
As spring approached she made few
suggestions as to the advisability of fire
wood being set to season in due time.
But John, prompt and dilligent in prep
aration for seed time and harvest, full
of the best intentions regarding his
wife's comfort, still thought the wood
was one of the things which could be
looked to at any time, and Susan Soon
gave over reminding him OF 1t.
One dav in September he came home
to dinner and found a cold lunch wait
ing him. The house was clean and
quiet and cheerless; no wife there, but
a written line which ran
DEAR john am going to spend
the day over at Mrs. Carriers. VIII be
homo in time togive you late supper.
He was glad to have her go, for she
had had busy summer and needed a
little change. But there was day out
the next week and the next and the
next. until he began to wonder at
Susan's growing taste for gadding
a3out I'm early October he came home
to fad his woodward, which had still
remained empty, occupied by half a
dozen or so cords of first class wood,
with Sol Carter and his two big boys
busy at it, and they worked until it was
stored up as before in the shed. AND
John felt cross, but asked no questions.
where's Mrs. Barker ?" SAID small
Garter boy to John, as he PIT up his
bars one evening.
She is over to neighbor Grants.
You viii fine her there if Won want her
ait amt no matter You can tell her
here's the SEWN she's to do for mother.
and mother wants to know if she can
come and wash to our house to-mor-
row. F."
"'rhe-old scratch she does?" ex-
claimed John, turning on the boy il
blank amazement, which rapidly grew
do washin' and SEWN? What dye
mean by comm to me with such mes.
sage, you young rascal ?"
The astonished youngster dropped
his sewing and applied his knuckles tC
his eyes as john advanced towards him.
then ran with all his might as the bun.
die came whi2zing after him. And ST.
sans lord and master strobe in digni-
fled wrath down the road TO meet her
Susan don't understand this
there's been young chap talkin' about
SEWN and washin' for Mrs Carter
What in all creation does it mean, I'd
like to know?"
Its all right. said Susan, compos-
edlv. what was the message?"
"Thunderation You don't mean &c
say you sew and wash for other folks,
do you?"
Yes, / do"
"And for what?" Is there anything
you want, Susan, that I don't give
you?"
Yes, John, there is. / want wood.
can't saw and chop, but / can wash
and sew and do anything else woman
ought to do, and there's no blame tc
me for changing work / can do fol
work | can't. I'm never" Susan spoke
very firmly, but without grain of irri-
tation, going to put up with poor
badly cut, green wood again as long as
] can turn my woman's work into mans
work ia rather wash for somebody
I every week, it's half the comfort of 3
womans life You've never had tc
! y ait for your dinner with the wood
sizzling in the stove and the fire not
burning since I've been providing the
wood"
John was dumbfounded.
"And you've been working for Sol
+ Carriers wife these two years." he said
in intense disgust.
mo; my silk dress paid for last year:
wood. I hated to let it so, John, be
cause Won gave it me. but Tilda Garter
took fancy to it. 1t was she you saw
wearing it, " and Susan laughed at hi
prunt Of dissatisfaction with the whole
business
You to go letting me down this wa,
before the Carter's!" he growled. AND
if Mrs. Johns eyes flashed little whC
can blame her, as she answered:
If there's any letting down to do III
your doing, not minew
They finished their walk home in 81
lence, and then John said:
Susan, viii You leave the wood bust
ness to me after this?"
"I'll try you, John, shesaid -Phila
delphia Call.