The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1889-04-18
MRS BAKERS WOOD


yard Two or three green logs lay ther'
against one of ~hich sGs an 81 lcsaei in
eIeii formed by stove length being bal
chopped oa Her hnsbsnd and bis hired
hep. consisting Of . man and boy bad lasi
gone 10 work 90 a distant part Of the farm
and she knew abe should sec neither o.
them before dsrk
What should she dor Hall impsiiently
she turned toward the house. ani then
wi,h the thougbi Of pan Of light dough
wsiting inside. she began 10 gather chips
which lay Aronod. ouly to ding them down
again.
It's no us ] cant bake bread With
these kno~ what III do.
She quickly washed the dinner di.he.
with the already cooling water. aud then
vent 10 the stable. 10 which. with bands
delterous by practice in snch work. shs
, bad soon harnessed horse TO light
buggy.
ri Mother and the girls will think I'm
/ crazy. she said to herself. but / cant
help that | swung an AZ once aud sched
for month TO pay Tor il so I'm not going
10 do 1t again.
She brought ont her pan oi bread wrap.
ped 10 . large cloth. and, setting it 10 the
bottom Of the buggy. sprung iu herself,
and bad soon driven the two miles which
lay between her own house and her moth
sr's. Arriving there she carried In ber
pan aud set it down with laugh.
There. mother I've come to bake my
bread. John and the others went off
without leaving me any wood, aud had
to do 1t or let it spoil, Men will forget
you know.
She was not going to blame him to 9th.
ers, nor let them Imagine how often, since
she bad gone as bride to John Bakers
new house last spring, she had this same
trouble about wood
That's right. Set ii right down there
by The fire, sot'll get bet up before you
knead it into loaves. Yes. they will; and
| II any mans TO be excused for not keepin
wood oD bis mind it's John Baker, II |
there's anything in blood, and say there |
is. His father is just So q real forehand.
ed man, good proyider, and took proper
pride in havin' things spick and span about
him, but never seemin' to think what a
bother it was to the women folks not to
have their wood handy. Many and manys
the time I've dropped into tea with Johns
mother aud see her have the greatest time
a scrspin' up few chips or shakin' the
snow off sticks Of miserable green wood.
Johns wife turned her face as she took
of her things. for fear her friends would
see In her face how nearly her own expe-
rience was already becoming like that OF
Johns mother.
| used to tell her, went on her mother,
that she'd ought to trained him better
when he was young Now, like rs not,
John takes little after bis father mo
body could wonder at it--and wish faith
er could haul you load or two of his
seasonal wood, s'pose 'twouldut do -eb.
Susan?
No, twouldn't do, mother; thank you b
sll the same. I;
Twilight Of the November day was shut. .
ting in when John Baker. returning to
his house, missed the accustomed fire glow .
in the windows
What's up? No fire. no wifsl No !
wonderl be ejaculted again, as he went
out and took view Of the wood yard. =
After fifteen minutes work with bis Ak }
be carried in an srmful Of wood and kind
ling, and had bright FIRE cracking and /
in the stove by the time bis '
wife's CHEEKY voice was heard. 4
I've bad a real frolic, John, she said
tugging in . basket, from which she laid !
out several loaves OF bread aud o nnmber
OF light. puffy buscui,s. | couldn't find ;
any wood, so just h,cbed up old Bill :
and went over to mothers to bake my
bread.
AhtfN ""o hPt tbt rfibUiNsh VI 10 | q
prosch 10 ber toner, but John felt tingle
Of modification at what bad occurred, and q
resolved that it should not happen agair, q
and 30 he assured Susan with great Ter. !,
vor. =
Aud the next day be went vigorously to r
work 10 keep bis word. Logs, some fresh u
y felled. others which had fallen through n
iecay, were hsnled from the piece OF tim d
Der land belonging to the farm, and for a ~
week all hands saved and chopped with h
sill The results we're flung pell NELL in- .,
o the wood shed. and John. who had \
,ever learned at holne 10 look far enough q
Ihesd 10 think OF providing seasoned wood i
rom year to year, felt proud OF having
lone his duty like man,
Susan. as she worried through that win n
sr with wood green or decayed, too short il
u loo long for the stove, made up her
mind (snd sue had good deal Of mind OF :.
,er own to make upl that she would never :,
rorry through such another. remember \,
ug some very sensible advice her sensible !,
mother bad given her when she :,
cit home.
Bear thipge, Susan. There's lots OF n
hings has TO be borne 10 this world. aud /,
ZEN that learns to bear EN- best's the best h,
I sll. Men will be trying. and IL woman
aat be patient it's apt to make trouble. :,
!, IL mind when say bear ! mean there
, reason 10 ell things, aud ! don't mean ar
"a should bear tbirgs that's cut Of all
sason. Ifs womau'll let herself be .fod l.,
q, aud them that does it'll never thank
er for il OF look mp TO her for it Bear
that's reasonable. Susan. but II things go
,pyopd reason. Why then look ont Tor l.