The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1886-07-31
A Farmers wire's Coed Time.
Statistics show that moro farmers wives

Statistics show that moro farmers wives &C
insane than any other class OF women Per
haps the following sketch sent us by con-
tributor will throw some light on the reason
OF it, 1t was farmer who said on buryin-
his fourth wife that he never did have any
luck with wives anyhow. He and the one in
the accompanying sketch were the old-fash-
ioncd kind, however. The farmers OF the
new time have more considerations
The first thing to be done in the morning
she must have the breakfast ready early, SO
that thcmen can get in the field in time t.
do days work. Some time there is dinner
to put up for those who work at distance.
The next work to be done is the milking and
the milk To put away.
Nov, says the wife, II have the churniug
to do hetors IL gets warm AMI the calves and
chickens must b. fed, and the bread must DE
baked before it soulS and there is not any
wood ready to heat tho stove, DO wish We
could heat rae stove with coal rs they TO in
town.
While she j. Gathering wood she hears her
sick baby cry and runs in before she gets
wood enough, to bake the bread. Poor baby,
hc is gct,ial his teeth, He Won't be sick TINS
way another summer The husband comes
in with q lot of mill sacks and says:
wife, want these maudcd before noon.
| want to go to mill this afternoon And
looking around lac says: Here are the break
fast dishes on the table, Wne, you are ter
ribly slow
"Yes, h0shaAl, am slow, but the cows got
in the sar,tsq, and it took Elo some tiac TO
get them out AMI put up the fence; but | can
wash the dishes while the dinner is cooking
The hired men come TO the house before
noon, having finished the work in that field.
After the men rested "A little, the wife says 10
her husband, privately: 81 wish you would
tell the men 10 cut some stove wood, and
carry tub OF water to the mil; cellar, - |
can scrub it,"
The husband says: Cant you let the men
rest n mlnutc"
The wife gets the dinner ready by nooa,
and comes to thu kitchen door with the baby
in her arms and says: Dinner is ready
The first thing the wife hears is; "This
bread is not baked done"
II can't help it" she says; ut is the best
could do with the wood | could find when my
sick baby was crying"
The husband says: "What is the matter
with this butters'
The wife answers: 1.-THE milk cellar needs
cleaning, ara will do it as soon us can get
time"
The husband remarks: "rime, indeed!
! could do what you have TO do and play
half the time.
Dinner over, and dishes washed, the
up stairs work and sweeping and busting
done, the wife must wash few things fol
baby, and dig some potatoes and gather some
apples while the baby is asleep, and must iron
babys clothes while supper is cooking
Supper over, dishes must be washed, milk
skinned, crooks washed, milking done and
put away. The husband goes to bed, the wife
sits down with her back to her husband tt
keep the light from shining on him. He gets
his first nap and says: Wife, what are you
doing up 80 late every night" She says: u
have mended some clothes for the children,
and an now trying to get Aary's dress done
for the last day OF school. l had to hire
fifty cents worth Of work on 1t so / could get
it done in Hne." Fifty cents, indeed. won't
pay any such bills as that for such nonsense"
replies he "Aad another thing did not tell
you, brought home some goods to make me
and the hired men pantaloons. / told them
you would make theirs for them. 1t will
save something. And also told them you
would do their washing, it will save 81 a
month from each of thsm. And the bill
for the sewing and washing you did for Ben
net was $40, and the hay l got of him was
$40, that makes him and me even. The wife
says to herself: This won't do. must go to
Red, for have the weeks washing to do to
or today, for it is after II o'clock.
After she had lain down n short time she
heard noise in the children's room. She
hurried il anG found little John with a chill
She lii the lamp and started a fire and was
trying T. 9at the boy warm, when the hus-
band awote uslin al said "Wifc, what is al
this racket about! Won't be able TO do much
work i. nm bDthere,! this way" The wife
II Gr1 afraid John Will die, for
can get EInl warm" The husband said: ~
will risk that. You are always getting ex-
cited about nothing
MRS, j. w. ARCuARD.