The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1885-06-17

power 10 Qelp Hc1- toacHcu ulS pktuc
| in selfish sort of way.
He was proud to be able
to support his family as well
as be did. He was proud that
when his children needed new
shoes be could tell his wife to take
them to Crispinis and get what they
needed. He did it with a flourish.
He was not one of the stiugy kind /;
he liked to spend money and when
Nettie, who was once the most spir-
tied young lady of his acquaintance
came weekly to him for dress or
cloak, he was sometimes tempted to
refuse her tSe money just to show
her how helpless she was without
him. Yes, he was proud of his fami-
| ". and wanted them to feel how
much they depended upon him
He would have felt aggravated If any
lone had lett his wife legacy thus
allowing her TO be free IN her purse.
The idea of her earning money, as
his other work-folks did, never en-
tered his mind. He supported her, .
THAT was his idea of their relations !
He never had happened to think
that it was very good of her to take
bis money and spend it for the good
of himself and children. He never
| had thought that any other woman
would have wanted big pay for do
I ing it. He had even thought him
self very generous for allowing her
money to get things to make the
family comfortable. Things began
to look differently to him just now.
Could it be that he was not gener-
ous, not even Just to his wife? Had
he paid her poorly for her 10 years
of faithful labor for him that If she
had been obliged to begin the world
for herself that day it would have
been as a penniless woman?
How fast he thought standing
there at the Office window, looking
down at the little houses where the
mill hands lived. Could it be that
he was not as good man as he
thought? He had felt deeply the
wrongs OF the slave. whose labors
had been appropriated by their mas
tiers, and when a negro who had
worked 20 years for his master De
fore the emancipation freed him
came to Jarvis mills, friendless and
penniless, the heart fthe proprie-
tor swelled with Indignation at such
Injustice. He was eloquent on the
subject at home ard ebroad. about
how any one could be 90 cruel and
selfish 10 commit such an Outrage
against Justice. He had called him
robber many q time, but now
Donald Jarvis looked to himself
very mceh like the Shareholder?
M...sa Browa had taken the proceeds
of Cuffee's labor for his own without
even q "tahnk you" for 1t True,
when Cuifee ate he had given him
food. when be was sick he had given
him medicine, and be had clothed
him, too, Just as he himself thought
bess. Mr. Jarvis had married
lovely, Conscientious woman, and
for Is years had appropriated her
labors., Her recompense had been
food and clothes, such as he thought
best for her; a little better than Caf-
fees perhaps. but the similarity OF
the cases did not please him. He
had expected MS wife to De very
grateful for what be had done Tor
her. but now be wondered that she
had not rebelled long ago. Had his
life been a mistake. Had his wife
no more money or liberty than Cut
fee had in bondage? Was Donald
Jarvis no better than Massa Brown ?
His brain seemed to be IN muddle,
and he looked so strangely that his
wife. anxious to break the spell.took
his arm, saying: Let US go home.
dear: tea must be waiting for Us"
He put on his hat in dreamy way
and then walked home in silence
The children ran joyously to meet
them. The yard was so fresh and
green and the flowers so many ana
bright that he wondered that he had
never thanked Nettie for them all
Hitherto he had looked upon
them as his, but now he felt
that his interest in them WIS
only a few dollars, that would
not have amounted to anything
without his wife's care. His
children were tidy and sweet, and
everything around and in the house
had That CHEEKY look that rested him
so after the hard, dull day at the
mill. They sat again at the table
hat had been source Of comfort
and pleasure to him tor so many
wears. and he wondered how he
could have enjoyed it so long with
out even thanking the woman who
had provided il. True she had his
money in bringing it all about, bat
how else could bis money be of use
to him2 Who else could have turn
ed it into Just what he needed for
wears? And he began to have an
underlined feeling that it took more
than money to make home. He
glanced at his wife's face as he but
tered his last slice of bread
II was not that of the fair, rosy
bride whom he had brought to the
mills Years before, but at that mo-
ment he realized it twas far more
dear to him, for he knew that she
had given the bloom and freshness
of her youth to make his home what
twas. Her daughters had her rose
leaf cheeks, his sons her youthful
beauty all had her cheerful winsome
wavs. and connforted him now as
she had in those days when, hardly
knowing what care meant, she had
lived for him alone. And new
thought came to him. @Who was
comforting her now when she mad
so much care?' Was not that shat
he had promised to do when he
brought her from her old home?
He sighed as he thought how far he
| had drifted from her while in bond
age equal to Cuffee's. Nay, he felt
that her chains were far more
binding than any which had ever
held a negro, and tlar his ebliga-
tions TO her were so much the greater.
Something called the children out