The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1884-02-28
The Wife of the Meanest Man.

The Wife OF the MeaneSt Man.
We know refined, intelligent woman, living
among the green hills of Vermont, whose life
is typical of hundreds in that vicinity and scores
scattered throughout the far west. She arises
at five O'Clock in the morning. chops wood,
draws water, makes fires, prepares the meals
for five stalwart ''hred men, besides doing
the family washing, ironing. scrubbing. churn-
ing, preserving, picking, mendng and knitting.
She beheads the chickens, feeds the hens and
calves. and is occasionally called upon to accel-
crate the departure Of pigs TO that bourne from
which no pig ever returns. Her work is never
night, and begins life on the pie the next morn
ing. Her only designations are prayer meetings,
funerals and huckle-berrying. varied by winter
kettle-drums where the guests sew carpet rags.
refreshed with cider, forfetS and kisses. Her
literature is limited to Bunyan's Pilgrims Pro-
9rP>>. Josiah Aliens Wife. and the lions Her
aid. Her music to fountain filled with blood.
dismal sounds from the tomb and invitations to
anxious seats. Her pictures to plump prodi-
cal son, perpetual Samuel. furious Cain, an
amiabe George Washington. Napoleon on his
death bed at ST. Helena, a weeping willow and
widow in graveyard of hair, and a few gis-
tFning tin-rypeS of freshly engaged couples.
tion watch chains spread out to SHOW stare
rgdly into future the counterpart of her
own. Her bric-a-brac consists of waX-work,
daguerreotypes, plaster dogs with green noses,
yellow baskets. and crushed strawberry tails.
and shell-box containing reward of merit
cards. the pathetic remembrances of her VAN
iShed childish years-the only recognition of
her goodness that the poor little woman ever
mad. Her dress is calico all the year round, for
week days, and black alpaca for Sundays. Her
windows are covered with green paper shades,
and the paror floor with the envy and awe of
the neighborhood, "A tapestry carpet overlooking
with red and pink atrocities in yellow horns of
plenty.
Net this wonans husband has made a little
fortune Of $4,000 from lumber. which is con
where wants are few and pleasures crcum-
sclibcd. She has been brought UP to believe
that he was created a superior being. 50 has
he He is coarse, red-haired freckled, pious,
penuriouS and asthmatc. He has had Il change
Of heart and one change of ''meetin' cothes.'' in
which he look, more hdeous than he does III
hi> oYerails. His chief satisfaction is to chew
tobacco, talk in cla,s-meeting and to get a
bargain. He never owes penny and never
gives one. He can pray Of he thinks he can.
Ii takes him thirty minutes every night and
fifteen minutes every morning to tell the Lord
Of several mistakes in the universe and to ask
4 few mild faYorS.
one day his wife returned from the village.
H'iti N0ilhS hlhctH GEMS worm OF eggs. pro
dlced by her own hens. She timldly asked if
She could keep the proceeds. He generously
halIdeu her h1teen cents. and p0cketed the rest
with the Srumble, wv mmin folks IL alters
>pendin.
lWlce >he made Feeble attempts to bring
some chrertulne>> into their home. She work /.
ed her husband a pair of slippers for Christ |
mas and placed bunch of snOW-drop> on the /
table at Easter lie grutfly told her TO take /
EN- away ana not mkerdge the scarlet woman
p! bringing such poplsh notions INTO the
house
ihe country FENCES. barns, taVerns, rocks /
ana landscape were once aoIAze win flaming
posters announcing The coming of travelling
circus ana mrnagerle. she gaZed on those
pictured W0hdcrs: on the monkey parodles !
pathetic c'nei>. repul>lVe serpents, leapng
ll@tIH' hNlnS h%ures, complacent tat women, /.
buShl-halred frauds, dissatisfied AIblnoS;
PolhP' u, dWafis' sunsnlny giants. the sacred
COW OF Burmah, and the Behemoth of Scrip |.
lure: l1ef very SOU ached win an intense !
longing 10 behold those oriental animals from
lAf-aWhN tropical countries, from "Afrlcs /
burning sands OF which she had read in the
BIhie ana IN Little Henry ana His Bearer.
" as II possible That those huge, ungainy
tiFPiah'' couid STAND on ihelr heaus, plank> and
NafItls' pay uhcS on hand-organ and Gooiher
uhIreamed OF Things. perfectly unnatural ana
unpleasant 10 an elephant Was 1t true that /
horse Waited ana dogs hung each other That
woman t'uIu pc shot from cannon, ana
lhlootd man walk s,hlverlngiy clad only i'll NJ
cashmere SKIN. and SauzN beings fly through
hoops "I NE over 'he backN oI horses that had
10 maht up tn'lf minds TO stand Ii 1t was
Wohdefiu!' afally laie, amyth, perhaps. Every
Jhn@ Wa> reversed the loes Of the riders, tIr
COW II IN the flh2' tfe Ideas ana trunks Of the
''tl 'ha ants. ,...
seeing was believing, and she wanted. Oh. how
Sie wanted 10 :" II would be the one great
treasure me one grand epoch OF her dreary
me: YIN! 'hoSe VINO nave been forced TO re-