Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1884-06-06

you can Just tack q mattress together
and whiteWash the ceiling, and So WHAT'S
that Beniah? The COWS III the rye lot!
Dear me! everything gees wrong if ]
step into the house a moment. And
really, Lutte, those things are your bust
ness and not mine r. he added, irritably.
Lucy could not help laughing all by
herself, as hel husband ran up the
steps. #5
But it was very sad little laugh and
soon changed into a sigh, a,
5@s Il WONDER said she, in whisper
aif my poor, tiredou ghost would haunt
these stone pavements, and scrubbed
shelves, il l. were to. die! Il I never heard
of ghost in dairy before, but Ishould
think that it might easily be-" 49,.
i But this little bedroom was fitted up,
for all that, as fresh as a rose, and
Uncle Paul arrived, a dried-np, yellow
complexioned old man, with an old
fashioned crayat tied in many folds
around his neck, and suit of navy blue,
with brass buttons.
He had the polite way of half a CEN
fury ago, and Lucy thought she should
ilE>C HILL FCl,I IL CIAJ ullIic
to get acquainted with him.
But she was churning ten pounds OF
butter day, and there was the baby,
and the company, and the young chick
ems, and the baking to DO for The sew
ing society, which was to meet at her
house that week,
She was almost too busy to sleep.
But Uncle Paul WIS watching her quiet
ly all the time.
He came out, ore day, to the barn,
where his nephew was putting new
handle on sickle blade
"Pretty busy times~-eh, Uncle Paul ?"
asked the farmer, scarcely taking the
leisure to look up,
AYE" absently answered the old
man. did I tell you, Nephew Seth,
about the reason left your Cousin
Eliabs?"
"Not that I remember" said Seth,
breathing on the blade and polishing it
with his silk handkerchief.
Dorothy died--his wife!"
ooh, YES" said Seth "Malarial
fever, wasn't it"
"No!" blunlty answered Uncle Paul.
"It Was hard work. That woman,
Nephew Seth, did the house work for
eight persons. Eliab didn't even let
her have q woman to help her with the
washing and ironing"
Must have been q regular going
brute" sail Seth, Tightening the handle
q little.
"An the sewing, too" added Uncle
Paul-"the mending and making.
Never went anywhere except to church.
Eljab didn't believe in women gadding
about"
1.-The old savage" said Seth.
She was fond of reading, but she
never got any time for it," said Uncle
Paul. '*She rose before sun-up, and
never,lay down until II o'clock. 1t was
hard work that killed that woman, and
Eliab coolly declared that it was sheer
laziness when she couldn't drag herself
around any longer. And when she died
he rolled up his eyes aud called it Wis
itat:on of Providence.
|'Whv didn't the neighbors lynch
him." cried Seth, fairly aroused to in
dignation at last.
Uncle Paul took of his glasses, wiped
them vigorously, and looked his nephew
haZd in the fnce.
"Why don't the neighhors lynch you?"
said he. Seth dropped the sickle and
stared.
"Nephew Seth" said Uncle Paul, i'm
pressively, "thou art the man! Are
you not doing the same thing?"
"l?" gasped Seth.
"Your wife is doing the work of
household of sixteen people," said I'm
Gle Paul. ',She is dr1ldging as you
could hire no foreigner to drudge. She
is rising early, and lying down late; she
is offering up her life on the Shrine of
your farm and its requirements. Ihave
seen her grow thin and pale even dur
ing the few days have been here.
I have carried water and split wood
for her, because there is no one to
do it. [ have seen her carry up
Mrs Belford's breakfast daily to her
room, because Mrs. Bedford preferred
to lie in bed; and cooking dainty dishes
for Helen Patterson, because Helen
wouldn't eat what the rest like. No
galley slave ever worked as she does.
And you with your hired men--.whose
board only adds to her cares--and your
labor Saving machinery, stand coolly
by and see her commit slow suicide.
Yes, Nephew Seth, think it is case
for lyncl,ing!"
Seth had grown pale.
IL never thought of this" said he.
"Why didn't some one tell me?"
where Were your own eyes?" asked
Uncle Paul.
Seth Bellendon rolled down his shirt
sleeves, but on his coat, and went into
the house.
He told the Belforas and Pattersons
that it was inconvenient to Keep them
any longer. He gave Cousin Susan to
understand that her room was needed.
He made arrangements to board the
hired men at the vacant farm house, and
engaged a.stout dairymar,, and a house
servntto await on Lucy. And he teleg-
raphed to her father to come to Silvan
Bridge at once.
.."She deserves treat" he said. He
shall spend the summer with US"
And then hewent to tell Lucy.
She had tainted among the butter
cups, picking Strawberries for tea.
Poor little Lucy! The machinery had
utterly refused to revolve any longer.
Ills heart grew cold within him.
"She will die" he thought, and shall
have murdered her!"
II But she did not die. She recovered
her strenhgt by degrees.
1T is better than any medicine, " she
said, ito know that Seth is thinking Of
me and for me-" NJ /. :.s
And Uncle Paul 1.-THE last straw"
as she had called hin-had proved her
salvation. III .s2 -. (.
II didn't want her to go as Eliabs
wife did = said Uncle Paul - Home