The weekly messenger. [volume] (St. Martinsville [i.e. St. Martinville] La.) 1886-1948, 1889-04-13
lis SONS WIFE.

'I'm afraid she's a poor, feeble cree
tur', said old Mr.. Bayliff, shaking his
head. Ten o'clock Monday morning,
and the washing amt out vet. 1t amt
the way your mother used to keep house.
Hector. Eli? how? Where We goin'
now!'
Hector Bayliif had left the ox-yoke he
was mending, and crossed the green
dOor-yard with a rapid step. to take the
heaped-up clothes-baskct from the hands
of pretty, slender young woman who
had just emerged from the kitchcn-door.
The old man uttered an audible snort
of disgust.
"Well, ncvcri" said he. If Hec-
tor hain't left his work to wait on that
wife o his'n. 1t amt a mans work to
carry clothes out, no way you can fix it.
If you do it once, you'll be expected to
do it twice. And IIcctors wife is clean
spoiled already. 1t amt the way l man
aged matters when | was first married
to Hcctor's mother What We been
doin:" sharply, as the young man re-
turned TO his work.
"That basket was too heavy for Gym
thia to carry" said Hector, CURLY. Il
wish | could afford to keen a Girl for
her."
"a girl" Mr. Bayliff's voice betrayed
mingled establishment and contempt.
"a girl! Your mother"
"Yes, know, father" interrupted
Hector. "But things have changed
since then, and perhaps mother would
have been alive now if the homework
hadn't worn her out before her time"
That's a downright flying in the face
of Providence!" said Mr.. Bayliff, red
dening to the roots of his stiff, iron-gray
hair. ut was the Lords will that
your mother should be took away, and
there amt no sort o doubt but that
she's better off. And Cynthia won't
never stand in her shoes, no way you can
look at it,"
Hector Bayliif made no reply, but
took up his ox-yoke and went across the
fields with it.
FEATHER may say what he pleases,
said he to himself, but mother died of
overwork and mGcrcare, and nothing
else. And the household duties are too
heavy for Cynthia, and 1 must see what
can be done to Tighten them. No
woman shall be drudged to death under
this roof now"
Cynthia HOugh had been pretty
young factory girl when Hector Bayliff
had married her. She had been ig-
norant of all the details of housekeeping,
but she had exerted herself diligently to
learn.
Old Mr.. Bayliff, however, was an
exacting critic, and the Bayliff farm
house was big, rambling, inconvenient
place, where one might work hard all
day and have very little to show for it
at the end. And the tired look in her
eyes, and the weary flush on her cheek,
went to HectOr's heart at times.
"My darling" said he, 81 wish /
could make things easier for YOU"
"Oh, they are easy enough, said Gym
thia, brightly. ats only that I am too
stupid to manage as ought"
Hector shook his head. He knew that
something was lacking, but he did not
quite comprehend what.
But she dropped so that he saw some
radical change was necessary.
Cynthia" said he, ''this won't do.
You must 90 to stay with your mother
a week or two, and rest and recruit"
"But what will you do, Hectorl"
"We'l keep bachelors hall, father
and l." said the young man, cheerily.
"What does it signify to us, little in
convenience, so long as you are bene-
fitedl"