The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1885-06-13
From the chronological JcurnalI
HER WAGES AS WIFE.

"Well, Nettie, what do you want ?"
said Mr.. Jarvis to his wife, who stood
looking rather anxiOusly at him, after
he had paid the factory hands their
weeks wages.
"Why, Donald" said she, 81
thought as | had worked for you all
the week | would come for my wages,
too. You pay Jane 81 q week, sure
~ | earn that, and would like very
much to have it as my own"
"Pshaw, Nettie, how ridiculous YOU
talk. You know that all | have be-
longs to you and the children-and
don't | furnish the house everything?
What under the sun would you do
with the money if you had it %
Il know, Donald, that you buy the
necessaries for US all, and / am will
ing that you should do so still, but |
should like little money of my very
own. We have been married fifteen
years, and III all that time | do not
seem to have earned 81 As far as
money IS concerned | might as we'll be
a slave. | cannot buy a quart of
berries, or book without asking you
for the money, and | should like to be
little more Independent"
Mr.. Jarvis, proprietor of Jarvis
mills, worth thousands and thou
sands OF dollars, laughed derisively.
You're a fine one to talk of indie
pendence," he said. IF you would
start out to make living you'd fetch
up at the pOOrhouse soon enough, for
what could you do to earn q living?
The girls IN the factory know how to
do their work and they earn their
wages. When | have paid them off
my duty is done, but | have to board
and clothe you, and take care of YOU
when YOU are sick. III had to do that
Tor the girls would have precious
little money left, | can tell YOU"
Donald, | gave up a good trade
when married you. Five years Ihad
supported myself by it, and many a
time since | have envied myself the
purse OF those days. As for my not
earning anything now, | leave it to
you to say whether it would be pos
sihle to hire anotherto take my place:
and how much do you suppose it
would cost to do without me a wear?
know the girls have very little left
after paying their expenses, but they
ENJOY that little so much. Allie Wat
son supports herself and mother with
her wages, and they both dress better
than | do. Jennie Hart is helping her
father pay the mortgage on the farm,
ana she Is happy that she can do so.
Even Jane, the kitchen girl, has more
freedom than /, for out of her own
money she Is laying by presents for
her relatives, and will send them
Christmas. Yesterday an Indian
woman was at the house with such
handsome beadwOrk to sell, and. all
though | wanted some very much. |
had not Il dollar, | felt like CRYING
when Jane bought half n dozen of the
articles | wanted so much. You often
say that all you have is mine. but s.
would have gwen me more pleasure
yesterday than your hundreds Of
thousands OF dollars worth of proper
ty did"
No doubt ofthat, Mrs. Jarvis. You
nave no idea ofthe value money, and
would have enjoyed buying a lot of
bead trash that would not be worth
cent to anybody. Jane needs a
guardian II she fools her money away
Ike that. She will be in the county
poorhouse yet if she don't look out
II very lucky, indeed, that the men
do hold the money, for there's not a
woman IN hundred who knows how
to use it -
For shame, Donald Jarvis, You
know better. Look at Jerry and Milly
Gregg, Will you, and say that hemakes
the best use OF his money. She is at
nome with her parents every night.
making her wages 90 as far us possible
toward making them comfortable.
while he IS carOusing in the village
wasting his time and money, and max
ing brute OF himself besides. And
why does Mrs. Sarton come to receive
her husband : wages herself? Simnlv
because he cannot get by the saloon
with money In his pocket, and il she
would not get the money they would
all go hungry to bed after his wages
were paid. And | believe that every
woman who earns money here. spends
1t as wisely as the average man. and
nave Vet 10 hear OF one being in debt"
hr' JARVIS knew that he could not
eainsay word his wife had said. for
t9ey were all true. Luckily hethought
Well, how much do you suppose
Jane VIII have left when New Year
comes II she got sick how long
could she pay for such care as YOU
i IS not likely she willlay up many
dollars out OF 500 a year: but she Is
laying up something better, think
Last winter she sent her mother a
warm shawl and pair of shoes. and
10 her brother and sister new school
DOCKS, and the warm. loving letters
they send her do her more good than
twice the amount OF money in the bank
Would. This year she is laying away
number OF useful and pretty things
Tor them, and if any misfortune shouid
happen to Jane they would only be
too glad TO help her"
Wen who do You suppose would
neIp you II youneeded help" said Mr.
JARVIS, Tor want OF better question
Mrs. JARVIS eyes sparkled angrily as
she answered:
Nobody. II you should lose vonr
property to-day, | should become a
ipeggar, without a claim on anyone for
help. You have always held vour
purse-strlngs so tightly that il has
been hard enough to ask for nv own
necessities, leaving others out alto
gether. Many a time a dollar or Two
would have enabled me to do soma
poor man or womanuntold good. bnt
aIIhough you have always said that
all your property was mine, | never
dallar Oft"