The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1888-09-28

the water. Mother would never
have u pump in her day."
"My mother used to soy all men
are selfish; and I begin to think she
was right" Mary muttered, Us she
went to the kitchen for the plate OF
hot biscuit John was SO fond offor
his tea.
Her husbands appetite was good;
but from fatigue and overheating
herself Mary could not eat. His ride
and the society of the genial squire
had acted like q tonic in the air of q
hot kitchen.
"Acommonplacelifc, she said; and
she sighed, as she cleared away the
tea-dishes, while John tilted back in
his armchair on the cool, drafty
porch and talking over things with
neiglbor Jones.
"Why don't you buy Widder
Patch's cranberry medder?" asked
Mr.. Jones; cit is going dirt cheap,
and you can afford it," The sum was
named, figures that astonished Mary,
and she was more surprised when she
heard her husband say:
Il have half a mind to buy it. I've
had an old bill paid in, and to tell
the truth, affairs in the money mar.
ket are 80 squallY 4 don't klnoy Just
where to salt it down. '''''''s.' s'ss'ssss
No tears came to Mary's tired eyes,
but her heart went out in one mighty
sob as she stood, disll-pan in hand,
before the disordered table, and
Thought how chenply she had sold
herself, really for her board and two
dollars Al week, to u man who had
promised to love and cherish her un.
til death. The beautiful piano she
had brought to the farm was never
opened, hut looked like gloomy
casket wherein was buried all the poe.
try of her life. The "closed parfor"
had long since assumed the grimnesa
and mustincss of country best par.
lors; of which in her girlhood days
she had made such fun. John
was n rich man; and in spite
OF his marriagcvows and his glowing
plnyer-mccting talk, was allowing
burdens grievous to he borne,
to press on her slender shoulders in
order to "salt down" his dollars.
Had she not IL duty to perform?
Ought she allow him to preach and
never to practice? Had she not
rights to be respected which were not
by her husband? or, she reasoned, il
he allowed her to do what could be
done lDy Al hired woman Mt two dol
lars IL week, then lie rated her ut
that price.
"Widdcr Patch has had n tough
time ont, said ncighborJonc "nnd
she's going out West to Tom, if she
can sell the mc,lder, and Jane is 60
ing out to work; she tried sewing but
it didn't agree with her. DR.. Stone
recommends housework as the
heulthiest business.
" 'Tis healthy business" chimed in
John, now my wife is a hundred
times better than when l married
her. Why, she never did q washing
in her life until she came to the farm.
l think washing and general house
work is much better than piano.play.
ing and reading"
so ! say to the girls who poster
me to buy an organ; better play on
the washboard, enough sight," was
the elegant response.
care you going to buy that cram
berry meadow, John?" Mary asked,
as she saw her husband making
preparations to go from home.
"ies-why?"
"t'un you afford it?"
ave shall have to figure q little
closcrin order to do it, but it's going
cheap"
"lou will have to give up Tom
Birch won't You and do the chores
YOURSELF"
have thought oft; but Tom is
poor, and togive him home is O
deed of charity. No, we will save
some other way"
How much do you pay Tom?'
"Threc dollars and his board.
And, by the way, he says you didn't
wash His clothes. Washing and
was in the bargain. :"
think Tom will have to go, forI
have hired jane Patch. She will be
|ereto-night. Two dollars aweek lam
to give her. You want to practice,
Bear ye one with another's burdens,'
MS well as preach from the text; SO I
will Civ" you a chance. 1 will sit on
the cool piazza after tea with a neigh
Dor, while you do the chores. Think
the time has come for some of INV
burdens to be lifted. BY changing
Tom for Jane YOU will have one dol
lar IL week for cranberry meadow.
You say strong active Tom is in
need OF a home; he can rake one for
himself anywhere. 1t is u deed O .
charity to give Jane IL home, and an.
net OF mercy to give your wife little
rest"
Before John could recover from his
astonisllment. Mary walked out of
sight, and taking the children, went
to the shut-up parlor. Throwing
open the windows to let in the soft
air, with baby in her lap, she
sat down at the piano and began
10 play u "Song without Words"
l piece John had loved to hear when
he used to visit her in her
home where she was petted girl.
This ngcrept out throus sh the open
and around to John as he
sat on the porch, and memory COM
Delled him to give the song words.
Not musical poetry, but rather SOM
Der prose where in washing, ironing,
hard days at the churn, hours Of
cooking for hungry men, stood out
before his minds eye in contrast to
The fair promises he had made the
pretty girl he had won for his bride.
Jane Patch came that evening, and
1T once took upon herself many of
Mrs. Clark's cares, and no one greet
ID her more cordially than did the
master Of the house: Nothing was
,vcr said about hcrcoming, and Tom
Birch did not go oaway; SO Mary knew
ler husband could well afford the ex-
pense.
She told ME how she helped to make
one man thoughtful and unselfish, as
We sat on her cool pi,lzza onehot Au-
gust night; and I was glad that one
woman had grit enough to demand
Ter rights. IfJohn Clark had been
Door; his wife would have borne her
burden in patience; but she had no
light to help make him selfish and
Indifferent as to her health and COM
ort.