St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-09-07
JOHN REYNOLDS LESSON.
Hearth and Home.

ly over her.
''Tired, Lina?' he said, lifting the little
figure as he spoke and taking his wife like
child upon his knee. ''What have you been
doing to tire you!''
"Only the days work Don't worry,
John,' for shade passed over the kindly
face.
81 don't worry: but 1 can'tsee what makes
you complain so often of being tired. am
sure the homework amt SO much. Other
women do it."
There was just little fretfulness in Johns
tone, though he did not mean to be unkind.
~ know they do Mrs. Harper has four
children and takes care of them in addition
to homework, besides loing piles Of sewing.
Perhaps, John, it is because [ have not had
experience in country work and don't man
age well. l will learn better after while.
Now, tell me what you did III town"
IL did quite well. Sold the whole crop of
wheat at good price, and put another in
stalment IN the bank for the Stanley FARM"
Your heart is set on that farm, John"
Indeed it is! Let me once own that clear
of debt, and 1 shall be happy man. Il is
the best land in the country. and the house
is twice as large as this
Lima thought of larger floors to scrub,
more rooms to clean, and addition work of
all kinds, and swallowed little sigh that al
most escaped her.
'John," she said, rather timidly, ''don't
you think if you spend part of the money on
this house we might be very happy here"
''Spend money on this house!" cried the
astonished John. ''Why, what on earth ails
this houser'
81 mean in things for it. Now, the par
Tor looks so stiff, and is always shut up. /
was thinking if we had pretty carpet and
some curtains of white muslin or lace, and
a set of nice furniture, and-and-a piano,
oh. John, if I could have piano!'
John Reynolds looked at his wife as if she
had proposed to him to buy up the crown
jewels Of Russia.
GA piano! Do you know what piano
costsP'
''No. Aunt Lonise had one, you know,
ever since l can remember. But think if
we had a pretty parlor to rest in in the even
ing, | could play for you and sing. You
never heard me play or sing, John!"
Il have heard you sing; but not la tely,''
said John, rather gloomily.
''Oh! that was just humming around the
house. / mean real singing. | have lots of
music in my trunk"
'But you are only farmers wife, now,
Lima. l thought you understood when we
were married that we were not to have city
fincry and pleasures
$50 l did John. l don't want finery. l
don'twant any pleasure but your love, John.
Don't scowl up your face so. am silly to
think of all these at all. There, kiss me and
forget it. | am nicely rested now, and I'll
get your tea in ten minutes
John put her down with a very tender
kiss, and straightway fell into a reverie.
Lima Rivers had been a district school
teacher in ScOttfeld just four months, when
John REYNOLDS offered her his hand and
heart. She was an orphan from infancy, but
her fathers sister had adopted and educated
her in life of luxury, and died without al
tering a will made years before, leaving her
entire fortune TO a charitable asylum. Lima,
left alone, thankfully accepted the positionof
country school teacher procured for her by
some friends, and was thinking life hard
burden, when John came to brighten it, She
gave her whole gentle heart into his keeping
at once, approaching at their full value his
honest, true heart, his ranking nature, his
sterling good qualities, and looking with the
most profound admiration upon his tall,
strong frame and handsome face.
1t was 4 perfect love match, for John fair
" worshipped the dainty, refined little beau
ty he had married And, having married
her he took her to his home and in all ignor-
ance proceeded to kill her.
There was no blame to be laid upon him.
Living in the old farm house where he had
spent his entire life, the one ambition of his
heart was to own land, stock, barns, and a
model farm. He had seen his mother cook.
churn, feed poultry, and drudge all her life;
all the women he knew did the same, and if
Lima made odd mistakes she put a willing
heart into her work and soon conqured its
difficulties Surely, he thought it was an cas-
Ter life to be mistress of his home with the
Stanley farm in prospect than to toll over
stupid children in district school. He had
never seen velvet carpets and lace curtains,
pianos, dainty silks, and other surroundings
that were Lina's from babyhood. He had
never heard the wonderful music, the little
white hands, all rough and SCARED now could
draw from the ivory keys of an organ or pi-
ano, or the clear, pure voice in song. 1t
was an unknown world to John
where his wife's memory fingered as
she secured tins, strained milk and cooked
huge dishes of food for the farm hands. He
would have thought it wicked waste, if not
positive insanity, to draw from the bank his
hard earned savings to invest them in beau
tifying his plain. comfortable home.
And Lima dashed her conscience sharply,
telling herself she was ungratcful, repining
and wicked. Was not her John tender, true
and loving. Where among her city friends
was there heart like this! Had she not
known he was only farmer!
And so the loving little woman toiled and
shaved. undertook tasks far beyond her
strength, worked early and late until Just
one year after his wedding day, John Rev
nolds, coming home to his tea, found living
upon the kitchen floor n little, senseless fig
ure with face like death, and hands that
sent a chill to his very heart.
The doctor, hastily summoned, looked
grave, and advised perfect rest and quiet.
a girl was hired and John teuderly nursed
the invalid, but though she grew better she
was still pale and weak.
Take her away awhile" said the doctor,
''try change of air. She is overworked.''
But said honest, puzzled John, ''she
does nothing but the homework for us two.
She has no child, and our sewing is not
ruuch.n
The doctor looked into the troubled face.
''You are good man, John Reynolds, and
strong one,'' he said. ''Win you let me
tell you few truths!''
''Yes About Lina!"
''About Lima. You remember, do you
not the tiny antelope you admired so much
in the menagerie we had here last summers''
Certainly said John, looking more
puzzled than ever.
.Suppose You had bought that little crna-