The Mineral argus., 1884-03-06
A FARMERS WIFE.
From the Hartford Times.

IN that vicinity and scores scattere
throughout the far West. She arise
at 5 o'clock in the morning, chop
wood, draws water, makes fires, pre-
pares the meals for five stalwart 'Fhire
men," besides doing the family wash
ing, ironing, scrubbing, churning, pre-
serving, picking, mending and knit
ting. She beheads the chickens, feed
the hens and calves, and is OCCASIONAL
called upon to accelerate the departur
of pigs to that bourne from which n,
done. She fries doughnuts ut II
o'clock at night, and begin
life on pie the next morning
Her only designations are prayer-meet
ings, funerals and huckleberrying, va
Tied by winter kettle-drums where the
guests sew carpet-rags, refreshed witt
cider. forfeits and kisses. Her litera.
ture is limited to "Bunyan's Pilgrims
Progress" ''Josiah Aliens Wife" and
the ''Hion's Herald" Her music to a
fountain filed with blood, dismal sound
from the tomb and invitations to INK
ious seats. Her pictures to a plump
prodIgal son, n perpetual Samuel, a
furious Cain, an amiable George Wash
ington, Napoleon on his death bed at
st. Helena, q weeping willow and wild
ow in n graveyard OF hair, and o few
glistening tin-types of freshly engaged
couples, who with hands clasped, hair
oiled, and imitation watch chains spread
ont to SHOW" stare rigidly into q fu-
ture the counterpart of her own. Her
bric-a-brac consists of wax-work, da-
9uerretoypes, plaster dogs with green
noses, yellow baskets and crushed
strawberry tails and a sbell-box con
reward OF merit cards.
the pathetic remembrances of her van
lshed childish years-the only visible
recognition of her goodness that the
poor little woman ever had. Her dress
IS calico all the year around for week
DAYS and black alapaca for SUNDAYS.
Her windows are covered with green
paper shades and the parlor floor with
envy and awe of the neighborhood.
4 tapestry carpet OVERLOOKING with red
md pink atrocities in yellow horns of
She is a woman after Rev. Morgan
DiXon's own heart. She STAYS at home.
The glorious pictures of majestic noun
aims, the flashing cascades. the leafy
woods, the splendor of blue skies. the
soft white clouds and understanding
laisy fields are not for her, except in
antalizing glimpses which only increase
he thirst of her thirsting soul. She
las no time to receive the sense of DOW
II and peace that comes from those
mountains; no time to revel in
he exquisite beauty of thOse-waterfalls:
10 time to lie on the grass and
watch the softly sailing clouds. or trace
he truthful symbols and discover the
Tondrous revelations that nature gives
o those who love and understand her.
Yet this woman's husband has made
little fortune of $50, 600 from lumber.
which is considered something colossal
n those regions where wants are few
nd pleasures ci~rcumscribed. She has
'een brought up to believe that he was
a superior being. SO was he.
lie Is coarse, red-haired. freckled.
nous, penurious and asthmatic. He had
change of heart and one change of
'meetin' Clothes, in which he looks
hideOus than he does in his over
lis. His chief satisfaction is to chew
obacco, talk in class-meeting and to oct
bargain. He never owes u penny and
gives one. He can pray and
e thinks he can sing. 1t takes him 30
minutes every night and Is minutes
very morning to tell the Lord of sew
mistakes in the universe, and to
SIX a few mild favors. One is to wreak
eternal vengeance on the wicked by
lunglng them into everlasting fire; and
mother Is q request for power to
with the stranger So
Grning within his gates" and
Notwithstanding her promptly
aid board bills, to bring her to a sense
+ her W vile nature and hardened
cart: created bad in the first place.
to be purified and saved by the ac-
eptance OF this mans peculiar theo-
)gical beliefs. After singing. exhort-
lg and Wheeling, he takes to snoring
nth an equal spirit and energy that
lakes him audible all through the
and the sinner within his gates
} look for n new boarding place next
forming. 1t does not occur to him to
his money TO make his wife and
leir lives any happier; or that he can
ford to bring a couple of strong SER
ants into the house to perform the me-
work of himself and his hired men.
lie means well. This superior being
oes not know any better. The circum-
OF his narrow life and the in
erltance of ~ narrow nature are ac-
ountable for his blind ignorance.
One day his wife returned from the
after selling 90 cents worth of
5gs, produced by her W hens. She
mildly asked if she could keep the pro-