The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-05-26
HER WAGES AS WIFE.

Well. Netiie, what do you want?' said
Mr.. Jarvis TO his wife. who stood locking
rather anxiously at him, after he had paid
the factory hands their weeks wages.
"wby, Donald" raid she ST thought as
had worked for you eli the week, would
come for my wages, too. You pay Jane 81
week, surely can earn that, and 1 would
like very much to have it as my own"
"Pshaw, Eettie, how ridiculous you talk.
You know that all have belongs to you
and the children-aDd don't furnish the
house everything? What under the sun
would you do with the money If you had it?'
III know, Donald, that you buy the neces-
saries for Us all, and 1 am willing that you
should do so still; but should like a little
money OF my very own. We have been mar
ried fifteen years, and in all that time do
not seem to have earned 81. As far as money
is concerned 1 might as well be slave. l
can not buy a Quart Of berries or book
without asking you for the money and l
should like to be little more independ-
ent."
Mr.. Jsrvis, proprietor OF Jarvis mills.
laughed derisively.
You're fine one to talk of independ-
ence," he said. IF you would start out to
make your living, you'd fetch up at the
poor.houss soon enough, for what could you
do TO earn living? The girls la the factory
know how TO do their WORK, and they earn
their wages. When have paid them of my
duty is done, but | have 10 board and cothe
YOU and take care Of you when you are SICK.
IL l had to do that for the girls, would
have precious little money left, 1 can tell
yeu."
"Dopsld. gave up good trade when
married YOU. For five years had supported
myself by it. and many time slnce / have
envied myself TIE pures of those days As
for NY not earning any thing now, leave IL
TO you 10 say whetber II would be possible to
hire another 10 take mY plaza; and how
much DO you suppose 1T would cost 20 do
witbo Ut me YEAR, know the girls have
little after paying their expenses. but they
enjoy that little SO mucn. Allie Watson
supports herself and mother with her wages,
and they both dress better than do. Jennie
Hart is helping her father TO pay the mort
gage On he farm. and she is happy that she
can do So. Eseu Jane tie kitchen girl, has
more free dom than /. for out of her own
money che Is lay & nv presents for her rels-
tves and will send them Christmas. Yester.
day sn IL diau woman was az the house with
such bsDdsnme bead WORK TO sell, aud al
though / wanted some very much / had not
dollar felt like crJ ing when Jane bought
half dozen of the a'ticlss l wanted SO
mrch. Inn often sew that al you have Is
mine, but s. would have given me more
pleasure yesterday than your hundreds of
thousands Of dollars worth of property did"
mo doubt of that, Mrs. Jarvis. You have
no idee OF the value OF money, and would
have enjoyed buying lot OF bes trash that
would OF be worth cent to anybody. Jane
needs guardian If she fools away her mo ley
like. that. She will be in the County Poor
House vet il she don't lcok out. It's very
lucky. indeed, that the men do hold the
money, for there's no. one woman in hun
dred who kr Va how to use it,"
.'For shame, Donald Jarvisl You know
better. Look at Jerry and Milly Gregg, will
you, and say that be makes the best nee of
his money. She Is at home with her parents
every night, making her wages go as far as
possible toward making them comfortable,
while be is carousing il the village wasting
HE time and money, and making brute of
himself besides. And why does Mrs. Sarton
come 10 receive her husbands wages herself?
Simply because he can not get by the saloon
with money in his pocket, and If she did not
get the money they would all 60 hungry to
bed sfter his wages were paid. And / be-
lieve that every woman who earns money
here, spen DIS it as wisely as the average man,
and | have yet to hear one OF them being in
debt"
Mr.. Jarvis knew that he could not gainsay
word bis wife had said, for they were all
true. Luckily he thought of Jane.
We'll, how much do you suppose Jane
will have left when New Year comes? If
she got sick how long could she pay for such
care as you have?
ut is rot likely she will lay up many dol
lars out OF 500 year; but she is layiRg up
something better, think. Last winter she
sent her mother q warm shawl aud q pair of
shoes, and 10 her brother and sister new
school books and the warm, loving letters
they send her do her more good than twice
the amount OF money In the bank would.
This yesr she Is laying away number OF
useful ard pretty things Tor them, and IL
anv misfortune should happen 10 Jane they
would only oe roo clad 10 help her."
"Weil, who do you suppose would help
you II you needed help?' said Mr. Jarvis, for
want OF a better oestion. Mrs jarvis eyes
sparkled sngrily as she answered:
Nobody. IL you should lose your prop
erty 10 day, / should be a beggar. without a
claim on any one for help. You have al
ways held your purse strirgsso tightly that
ii has been bard enough 20 ask for my own
necessitles, leaving others out altogether.
aDied ne 10 do some poor man or woman
unto &C cd, but although you have always
SAID That all property was mine, | never
como. al eau not now, command dollar
Lucky you cOu'dn't. if you wanted 10
spend IL on begssrs"
"Dona!d. YOU knov.th that | would spen
money as wisely IS you do. Who was il
that only last week gaze poor, lame bsegar
- to pay bis fare TO Bartou and then saw
him throw his cruiches away and make for
the nearest saloon? Your wife could not do
worse IL trusted with a few dollars. You saw
that the money Is ell mine. yet you spend AS
you please. while eau not spend dollar
without askiDg you for II and telling
what / want 4. for. Any bepgar
can get il in the same wayl
Christmas yo1 boueht presents for
Us and expelled rs TO be grateful for them.
shawl for me. the very color car not
wear; set OF furs for Lucy that she did not
need; o drum for Robin that has been nui.
sance ever aimee; and lot OF worthless toys
that are broken up IN week. There were