Nevada County picayune., 1888-12-12


 ed, but looked like q gloomy casket wherein was buried all the poetry oi life. The "closed parlor" had long since assumed the grimness and mus. tiness of country best parlors, ol which, in her girlhood days, she had made such fun. John was a rich man. and in spite of his marriage VOWS and prayer meeting talk, was allowing burdens, grevious to be borne, to press on her shoulders in order to ''salt down" his dollars.
 Had she not duty to perform Ought she allow him to preach and never to practice? Had she not rights to be respected which were ig- nored by her husband? For, she reasoned, if he allowed her to do what could be done by a hired wo- man at two dollars week, then he rated her at that price.
 ''Widder Patch has had tough time of it, said neighbor Jones, and she's going out west to Tom, if you can sell the medder, and Jane is going out to work; she tried sew ing but it didn't agree with her. Dr. Stone recommends housework as the healthiest business.
 '''iis healthy business" chimed in John, now my wife's a hundred times better than when 1 married her. Why, she never did a washing in her life until she came to the farm. l think that washing and housework is much better than piano-playing and reading.''
 ''So l say to the girls who poster me to buy an organ; better play on the wash-board, enough sight" was the elegant response.
 Are you going to buy that cran- berry meadow, John!" Mary asked, us she saw her husband making preparations to go from home.
 "Yes-why?''
 Gan you afford it!''
 We shall have to figure a little closer in order to do it, but it's go- ing cheap"
 You will have to give up Tom Birch, won't you, and do the chores yourself:'
 Il have thought of it, hut Tom is poor, and to give him q home is a deed of charity. No, we will save some other way
 "How much do pay Tomb
 "Three dollars week and his board, And, by the way, he says you didn't wash his clothes. Wash. ing and mending was in the bar gain.'
 II think Tom will have to go, for l have hired Jane Patch. She will be here tonight. Two dollars week l am to give her. You want to prac- tice Bear ye one another's burdens, as we'll as preach from the text so have given You chance. l will sit on the cool piazza, after tea, with a neighbor, while you do the chores. 1 think the time has come for some of my burdens to be lifted. By eX. changing Tom for Jane you will have one dollar a week for the cranberry meadow. You say strong, active Tom is in need of home; he can make one for himself anywhere. Ii is deed of charity to give Jane q home, and an act of mercy to give your wife little rest"
 Before John could recover from his astonishment, Mary walked out of his sight, and, taking the children went to the shut-up parlor. Throw ing open the windows to let in the soft summer air, with baby in heI lap, she began to play "Sone Without Words" a piece John had loved to hear when he used to visit her in her. home where she was q petted girl. This song crept out through the open window and around to John as he sat on the porch, and memory compelled him to give the song words. Not musical poetry, but rather sombre prose, wherein 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 at once took upon herself many oI Mrs. Clark's cares, and no one greeted her more cordially than did the master of the house. Nothing was ever said about her coming, ano Tom Birch did not go away, so Mary knew her husband could well afford hn