The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1884-02-09

work, observed John Field, little
shortly. money doesn't grow on
every bush like blackberries, and the
women of Hazelfield are taught to be
proud Of their industry and thrift
Clara shrugged her shoulders and
tripped lightly over the dewy meadow
to where the pretty heme of her broth
! ei-in-law, William Field, nestled in a
grove of ancient elms and syeamores.
IF this is life in the country" said
the bride to herself, II think I'll 60
back to teaching in the city,
"Will's wife was summoned from the
dairy to receive her visitor. She had
met Clara before and welcomed her
with smile and cordial pressure of
the hand
Il thought, of course, YOU would have
been over to see me before now. said
Clara, reproachfully.
81 did intend to come" said Mrs.
WILL, alphabetically, ..but was up
last night darning the children's stock
ings until past midnight"
She had dropped into chair, with
hand pressed to her side. a pale. wea-
Red, spiritless- looking creature, with
her abundant brown hair huddled into
net, a large crash apron tied around
her waist, aud sleeves rolled up high
above the thin elbows that had once
been round and dimpled.
'sAlice," said Clara, :" tell me what
you have done to-day, and what you
do other days. Aunt Keziah is hold
ing you up as a model to me, and |
want to hear what it is that you have
actually accomplished
Mrs. viii. smiled.
"Yes,' she said, '.thcy tell me that
am a good worker. And | do get
along we'll for my husband has laid up
a. deal of money at interest, and we
haven't had hired girl in the house
in two years. You Seal rise at four
o'clock every morning-one can accom-
plish so much before the sun really
gets hot This morning / churned
twenty pounds of butter, strained and
skinned the milk, scalded the pans,
fed the little pigs, and the young tur-
keys and ducks and chickens, and got
the breakfast for WILL, two hired men
and the children.
'Stop minute said Clara, who
had been listening with intent eyes of
interest. $50 VIII has hired menp'
"Yes,-he always keeps two in sum-
mer and one in winter" explained
Alice.
Then think you ought to have a
woman to help you" argued the
bride.
1T would cost too much" said Alice,
solemnly "Well-let me see, where
was IP Ah!-after breakfast make
the beds and sweep all the principal
rooms, and get the children ready for
school. Then on Mondays | wash;
Tuesdays | iron; Wednesdays | bake
and clean; Thursdays / do up fruit,
pickles and tomatoes; Fridays l clean;
and Saturdays ! bake again and get
ready for Sunday. for viii. always in
vtes friends to dine with him on Sun
DAYS, and it is the busiest day in the
week. And besides all this, have all
my own clothes and the children's to
mend and make; Wills shirts to cut
and make, stockings to knit, soft soap
to make. spring and fall cleaning to do,
rag carpets to sew and weave, and
30, stop, stop!' cried Clara, lifting
her hands as If in terror. 'Idon't Won
der. Alice"
"You don't wonder at what?' said
Mrs. viii. Field, in some surprise.
THAT Will s first wife died ut TWEEN
ty-six, and that you, at thirty-six, are
following as rapidly in her footsteps as
can be-" cried Clara. IF you were
made of iron and India rubber you
couldn't accomplish all this drudgery
without being worn out. I'm going
directly home to abdicate my position as
reirninr SOVEREIGN. :"
And the spirited young wife, leaving
Mrs. VIII. Tapped in amazement, hur-
ried away.
John Field was standing at the old
well, in his working costume, drinking
from the bucket, as Clara tripped up
the path. He looked up with smile.
.'Well, pet" said he, "whcre are you
going''
with mischief sparkling in her deep,
soft eyes. 1--WE been investigating
matters, and don't like the situation"
"What situation?"
THAT of mad-of- all-work, laund-
ross, cook, housckeeper and lady, all
rolled into one, at the salary of my
clothes and food"
.sBut, my dear" said John, with
puzzled face, ''you are talking nom
sense. Nobody expects all that of any
woman
Don't they, thought" said Clara.
'sThere's where you are mistaken. 1t
is precisely what Wills present wife
has been doing for him all these last
years! what his first wife wore herself
out in doing, and what you are prepar-
ing yourself to demand of me. Aunt
Keziah advises me to take Wills wife
for model. But shall do nothing of
the sort. had a deal rather go back
to teaching"
II never heard such talk in my life, !"
said Aunt Keziah, who, from the
kitchen threshold, had overheard Mrs.
John Fields declaration of independ-
ence.
Every likely" said Clara. 'sYou
see TIE no idea of committing suicide,
whatever Will. wife's opinion may be-
O, John. how blind, how short-sighted
you men are. Look at poor, pale,
worn-out Alice, a type of every farmers
wife in the neighborhood. Look ather
now, and then try to remember her as
she was when first she came here. You
may call it good housekeeping. Icall
it killing herself by inches
"Well," owned John, ''she does look
feeble"
.'And do you wonder at it. when you
see all that she accomplished" flashed
out Clara. .Why, Blucbeard himself
never killed off his wives more system
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