The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1884-03-08

In many folds around bis neck, and a sui
OF navy blue, with brass buttons.
He had the polite way Of half a century
ago, and Lucy thought she should like him
very muc.!, II only she had time TO gct &C
quainted with him.
But she was cliurning ten pounds Of but
ter a day, and there WAS the baby, and The
company, and the young chickens, and tht
baking to do Tor the sewing society, which
was 10 meet at her house TINT week.
She was almost too busy 10 sleep. Bu,
Uncle Paul was watching her quietly al
the time.
He came out, one day, 10 the barn, whert
bis nephew was putting a new handle on q
sickle-blade.
pretty busy %tilnes-eh, Uncle Paul ~
naked the farmer, scarcely taking the lois
urs 10 look up.
AYE" absently answered the old man.
ibid / tell you, Nephew Seth, about the
reason I left your Cousin Eliab's9"
mot that ! remember" said Seth,
breathing on the blade and polishing It
with his silk handkerchief.
dorothy died-his wiie!"
"oh, yes" said Seth. "Malarial fever,
WaHnt r m W
"Ne!' bluntly answered Uncle Paul. ",
has hard work. That woman, Nephew
Seth, did tho h%ousework for eight persona.
Eliab didn't even let her have q woman Ia
help With the washing and the ironipgl'
"Must have been u regular going brute"
said Seth, tightening the handle a little.
"All the sewing, too" added Uncle Paul
THE mending and making. Never went
anywhere except 10 church. Eiiab didn't
believe in women HaddiDg about"
THE old ssvsge!' said Seth.
"She was fond Of reading, but abe never
got any time for It," said Uncle Paul. 'She
rose before sun UP, aud never lay down
until II o'clock. 1t was hard work that
killed that woman, and EIiab
coolly declared that it was sheer lazinets
when she couldn't drag herself around any
longer. And when she died he rolled up
his eyes and called it a visitation Of
Providence"
"Why didn't the neighbors lynch him?"
cried Seth, fairly aroused to indignation at
last. H nl
Uncle Paul took off his glaesee, wiped
them vigorously, and looked his nephew
hard in the face.
"Why don't the neiehbors lyncl, your
said he.
Saith dropped the sickle mud stared.
Nephew Seth," said Uncle Paul, i'm
pressiyely, "lhou art the mani Are you
not doing the very same thingW
II Z" gRsped Seth.
Your wife is doing the work OF a house.
hold OF sixteen people, said Uncle Paul
"she is %drudging IS you could hire no
foreigner to drudge. She Is rising early,
and lying down late; she is offering up ller
lie On the shrine Of your farm and It's re-
quiremenla. I have seen her grow thin
and pale even during the few days l have
been here. l have carried water and eplit
wood Tor her, because there was no one
else to do it. Ihave seen her carry up Mrs.
Belford's breakfast daily to her room, be.
cause Mrs. Belford preferred to lie In bed;
and cooking dainty diehts for Helen Pat.
terson, because Helen wouldn't cat what
the rest like. No galley slave ever worked
as she does. And you, with your hired
men-Whose board only adds 10 her carss
and your array OF labor-eaying maehin-
cry, stand coolly by and $40 her commit
slow suicide. Yea, Nephew Seth, l think
it is q case for lynching!" .'G ..0
Seth had grown pale,
II never thought Of this" said he.
why didn't some u tell mel"
Where were your Own eycs2' said
Uncle Paul.
Seth Bellenden rolled down his shirt
sleeves, put on his coat, and went into the
house. M
90.
He told the Balfords and Pa.tersons that
it was inconyenient to keep them any
longer. He gave Cousin Susan to under
stand that her room WAS needed, lie made
arrangements to board the hired men a.
the vacant farm house, and engaged O.
stout daityman, and q horse servant to
wait on Lucy. And he ,elegraphed TO her
father TO comsto Sylvan Bridge ut once,
"She deserves 9 treat" he said. "He
shall spend the summer with u.s."
And then he went TO tell Lucy.
She had tainted among the buttercups,
picking strawberries for tea. Poor little
Lucy :! The machinery had utterly refused
to revolve any longer.
His heart grew cold within him.
"She will die" he thought, "aud I shall
have murdered her!"
But she did not die. She recovered her
strength by degrees.
1T is better than any medicine" she
said, TO know that Ssth il thinking OF me
and for me-"
And Uncle Paul-",he last st,ew," as
she had called him-hsd proved her sal.
walton.
u didn't want her to go as Eliab,s vile
did, said Uncle Paul.