The National tribune., 1885-06-04
HIS LESSON.
John Reynolds Learned that Money is
Not All of Earth.
"What is the matter, little woman?"
OIL

"What is the matter, little woman?"
"Only tired, john"
Lima Reynolds looked up as she spoke, to
smile bravely into the face bending anxiously
over her.
Tired, Lina2" lie said, lifting the little fig
ure as he spoke and taking his wife like a child
upon his knee. What have you been doing
to tire you?"
"Only the days work. Don't worry. john"
for a shade passed over the kindly face.
81 don't worry; but | can't see what makes
you complain often of being tired. / am
sure the housework amt much. Other women
| do it,"
There was just a little fretfulncss in Johns
| tone, though he did not mean to be unkind.
81 know they do. Mrs. Harper has four
children and takes care of them i'll addition TO
| housework, besides doing piles of sewing.
| Perhaps, John, it is because have not had ex-
| perence i'll country work. aud don't manage
well. will learn better after awhile. Now
tell me what you did in town."
| AZ did quite we'll Sold the whole crop of
/ wheat at a good price, and put another install
ment in the bank for the Stanley farm"
| Your heart is set on that farm, john
| Indeed tits! Let me once own that clear
of debt aud shall be happy man. 1t is the
best land in the country, aud the house Is twice
| as large as thiSi'
| Lima thought of large floors TO scrub, more
rooms to clean, and additional work of all kinds,
and swallowed a little sigh that nearly escaped
| her.
"John," she said. rather timidIy. don't you
think if you spent part of the money on this
house we might be very happy here?"
| "Spend money on this houso?" cried the
astonshed John. "Why, what on earth ails
this house?"
| Il mean i'm things for it. Now, the par]or
looks so stiff, and is always shut up. was
thinking if we had pretty carpet and some
curtains of white muslin or Lace, aud set of
nice furniture and-and-a piano. Oh, John
! if / could have q pianO!"
John Reynolds looked at his wife as if sue
had proposed to him to buy up the crown jewels
| of Russia.
"A piano! Do you know what piano
costs?"
"No. Aunt Louise had one, you know ever
| since can remember. But / think if we had
| a pretty parlor to rest in in the evening, l
could play for you and sing. You never heard
me play or sing, John"
II have heard you sing but not lately" said
John. rather gloomily.
"Oh that was just humming around the
! house. | mean real singing. l have lots of
| music in my trunk"
but you are only a farmers wife now. Lima.
| i thought you understood when We were mar
| red that you were not to have city inery and
| pleasures"
$50 l did, John. 1 don't want fncry. 1
don't want any pleasure but your love. John.
|
of these things at all. There, kiss me and for
get it. l am nicely rested now, and I'll get
| your tea in ten minutes"
John put her down with very tender kiss,
| and straightway fell into reverie.
| Lima Rivers had been district school teacher
in Scottfield just four months when John Rey
| nolds offered her his hand and heart. She was
an orphan from infancy, but her fathers sister
| had adopted aud educated her in life of
| luxury, and died without altering will made
| years before, leaving her entire fortune TO
charity asylum. Lima, left alone, had thank
| fully accepted the position Of country school
| teacher procured for her by some friends, and
was thinking life hard burden, when John
came to brighten it. She gave her whole gen.
tie little heart into his keeping at once, appre-
cating at their full value his honest true heart.
| his frank nature, his sterling good qualities,
| and looking with the most profound admiration
| upon his tall, strong frame and handsome face.
1t was perfect love match, for John fairly
worshiped the dainty, refined little beauty he
| had married. And, having married her, he
| took her to his home and, in all ignorance,
! proceeded to kill her.
| There was no blame to be laid upon him.
| Living in the old farmhouse where he had
spent his entire life, the one ambition Of his
| heart was to own land, stock, barns and a
| model farm.
He had seen his mother cook, churn. feed
poultry, and drudge all her life; all the women
| he knew did the same; and if Lima made odd
mistakes she put willing heart into her work
and soon conquered its difficulties. Surely, he
| thought il was an easier life to be mistress of
| his home. with the Stanley farm in prospect,
| than to toll over stupid children in district
| school, He had never seen velvet carpets and
| lace curtains, grand pianos, dainty silks. and
| other surroundings that were Lina's from baby
| hood. He had never heard the wonderful
| music the little white hands, all rough and
1 rrn1n Hra, frnf fna Enx-
of an organ or piano, or the clear, pure voice in
| song. 1t was an unknown world to John where
| his wfes memory fingered as she secured tins,
strained milk. and cooked huge dishes Of food
| for the farm hands. He would have thought
| it waste if not positive insanity, to draw from
| the bank his hard earned savings to invest
them in beautlfyipg his plain, comfortable
! home.
And Lima lashed her conscience sharply, tell
| ing herself she was sngrateful, repining and
wicked Was not John tender, true and low
| ing? Where among city friends was there
| heart like this? Had she not known he was
| only farmer?
And so the loving little woman toiled and
shaved, undertook tasks far beyond her strength,
worked early and late, until just one year after
his wedding day, John Reynolds. coming home
| to his tea, found lying upon the kitchen floor
! little senseless figure, with a face like death,
and hands that sent a chill 10 his very heart.
The doctor, hastily summoned, looked grave,
| and advised perfect quiet and rest. A girl was
| hired. and John tenderly nurscd the invalid,
but though she grew better, she was still pale
| and weak.
Take her away awhile" said the doctor.
Try change of air. She is overworked."
| But said honest, puzzled John, a." she does
nothing but the houscwork for us two. She
has no child, and our sewing is not much"
The doctor looked into the troubled face.
You are a good man, John Reynolds. and
strong one." he said; will you lot me tell you
a few trutbsf"
"Yes. About Lina2"
about Lima. You remember, do you not
the tiny antelope you admired so much in the
menagcre we had here last summer"
Certainly" said John, looking more puzzled
than ever.
Suppose you had bought that little creature
aud yOked it with one of your oxen to a cart
to do the same work Z"
I'D been fool" cried John 4" that little
thing couldn't work. 1t was just made pretty
TO look at and play with"
That's it, John. Now don't think God
ever made a woman to look pretty and play.
but he made some for the rough work of this
world and some for the dainty places, some to
cook and scrub, and some to draw mems souls
to heaven by gentle lOvciness. Your wife is
one of the latter. If you were poor man
would have kept my tongue, but you a rich
one. Give your wife a servant; let her have
hooks. music pretty things around her. Let