The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1885-05-29
A WIFE'S WAGES.
How Mrs. Jarvis Secured Pay for
Her Services.

The following sketch Is wrought out
Of substantial materials. the experience
Of many woman in married life, and
its vivid character. with the practical
moral il carries. is excuse enough for
its appearance here:
sWell, Ncttie. what do you want?'
said Mr.. Jarvis 10 his wife, who stood
looking rather anxiously at him, after
he had paid the factory hands their
weeks wages.
why. Donald. said she. II thought
rs / had worked for you all the week. !
would come for my wages, too. You
pay Jane two dollars week. surely
earn that. and would like very much
To have il a. my own"
s.Pshaw, Nettie, how ridiculous you
talk You know that all have belongs
20 YOU and the children-and don't l
furnish tn house and evcrythingP What
under the sun would you do with the
money II you had it?"
II know. Donald. that you buy the
necessaries for Us all. and | am willing
that YOU should do so STILL but should
like a little money Of my very own. We
have been married fifteen years. and in
all that time do not seem TO have
earned dollar. A. far as money Is
concerned ! might a. well be slave.
can not buy quart of berries. or a
book. without asking you for the money.
and should like to be a little more in
dependent
Mr.. Jarvis. proprietor Of Jarvis mills.
worth thousands and thousands Of dol
Lars, laughed derisively.
You're fine one to talk Of inde-
pendence. he said. IF you would start
out TO make your own living you'd fetch
up az the poor house soon enough. for
what could You do TO earn livingo
The girls in the factory know how to do
their work and they earn their wages.
When have paid them of my duty Is
done. but I have to board and clothc
you. and take care Of YOU when you are
sick. Ii had 10 do that for the girls
would have precious little money left, |
can tell you
Donald. gave up a good trade when
! married YOU. For five years / had
supported myself BY il. and many time
ctUlt HAft tHfltti Iiif -tti tnt i<t va
those days. As for my not earning any
thing now, ! leave it to you to say
whether il would be possible to hire an
other 10 take my place; and how much
do you suppose II would cost TO do with
tout me a.year? know the girls have
little after paying their expenses. but
they enjoy that little so much. Allie
Watson supports herself and mother
with her wages. and they both dress
better than 1 do. Jennie Hart is help
ing her father to pay the mortgage on
the farm, and 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 az the house with such
handsome beadwork to sell. and. al
though wanted some very much. had
not dollar! felt like crying when
Jane bought half dozen Of the arti-
cles wanted so much. You often say
that all you have Is mine. but five dol
lars would have given me more pleas
uro yesterday than your hundreds Of
thousands Of dollars worth Of property
did"
mo doubt Of that. Mrs. Jarvis. You
have no idea Of the value Of money. and
would have enjoyed buying lot Of
bead trash that would not be worth a
cent to anybody. Jane needs a guar
dian II she fools away her money like
that She will be in the county poor
house yet IL she don't look out. It's
very lucky, indeed, that the men do
hold the money, for there's not one
woman in hundred who knows how
to use itr'
For shame. Donald Jarvisl You
know better Look al Jerry and Milly