The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1884-02-07
er-in-law William Field. nestled in q

grove of ancient elms.and sycamores.
eff this is life in the country" said
the bride to herself, al think I'll 60
back to teaching in the city,"
''Will 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.
81 thought of course, you would have
been over to see me before now," said
Clara, reproachfully.
81 did intend to come" said Mrs.
Will, apologetieally, 'but 1 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-
ried, spiritless-looking creature, with
her abundant brown hair huddled into
net, large crash apron tied around
her waist, and 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
actually accomplished.
Mrs. VIII. smiled.
yes" she said, ''they tell me that l
am good worker. And L do get
along well, for my husband has laid up
deal of money at interest, and we
haven't had a hired girl in the house
in two years. You see 1 rise at four
o'clock every morning-one can accom-
plish so much before the sun really
gets hot. This morning l 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 a minute" said Clara, who
had been listening with intent eyes of
| interest. $50 VIII has hired men?"
"Yes,-he always keeps two in sum-
mer and one in winter" explained
Alice.
Then L think you ought to have a
woman to help you," argued the
bride.
cit would cost too much" said Alice,
solemnlv. "Well-let me see, where
was II? Ah!-after breakfast L make
the beds and sweep all the principal
rooms. and get the children ready for
school. Then on Mondays | wash;
Tuesdays l iron; Wednesdays l bake
and clean; Thursdays | do up fruit,
pickles and tomatoes; Fridays | clean;
and SATURDAYS bake again and get
ready for Sunday. for viii. always in
vites friends to dine with him on Sun
DAYS, and it is the busiest day in the
week. And besides all this, have all
nv 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
40, stop, stop" cried Clara, lifting
her hands as if in terror. '1don't won
der. Alice"
sYou don't wonder at what?" said
Mrs. viii. Field, in some surprise.
THAT VIII. S first wife died at twen-
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
reigning 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 uT
the path. He looked up with a smile
''Well, pet" said he, ''where are yor
going?"
"To pack my trunk" said Clara
with mischief sparkling in her deep
soft eyes. I've been investigating
matters, and don't like the situation. ,
i ''What situation?"
s.That of maid-of-all-work, laund
ress, cook, housekeeper and lady, al
rolled into one, at the salary of my
clothes and food"
but, nv DEAR said John, with 8
puzzled face, ''you are talking non
sense. Nobody expects all that of any
woman"
Don't they, thought said Clara
, s"There's where you are mistaken. L
} is precisely what Wills present wife
has been doing for him ali these las
, wears! what his first wife wore hersel
out in doing. and what you are prepar
= inc Yourself to demand of me. Aun
Keziah advises me to take WILL wif'
for model. But | shall do nothing o
the sort l had a deal rather 60 bacl
, to teaching"
81 never heard such talk in my life,
, said Aunt Keziah, who. from th'
? kitchen threshold, had overheard Mrs
r John Fields declaration of independ
ence.
every likely" said Clara. "Yol
l see Tue no idea of committing suicide
1 whatever Wills wife's opinion may be
D O, John, how blind, how short-sighte'
YOU men are. Look at poor, pale
d worn-out Alice, type of every farmer
? wife in the neighborhood. Look athe
now, and then try to remember her a
, she was when first she came here. Yo
e may call it good housekeeping. l cal
e it killing herself by inches.
We'll" owned John, ''she does loo
e feeble"
D "And do you, wonder at it, when yo
see all that she accomplishes?" fashe
J. out Clara. "Why, Bluebeard himsel
o never killed off his wives more system
aticallv than a New England farme
Y does. I'll tell you what, john" sh
2 added, eff you will provide me all tn
E servants l need, and let me live in m
d home as its ruling spirit, not as il
|. drudge, I'll remain here. Otherwise
4 sboIIe1 1aava Hszelnut Farm TODAY -