Connecticut western news., 1889-01-30
HIS SONS WIFE.

H1 m a1ralQ Sne a poor, IeeDle cree tur'," said old Mir. Bayliff, shaking his head. "Ten o'clock Monday morning, and the washing ain't out yet. It ain't the way your mother used to keep house, Hector. Eha how2 Where ye goin' now2"
 Hector Bayliff had left the ox-yoke he was mending, and crossed the green door-yard with rapid step, to take the heaped-up clothes basket from the hands of pretty, slender young woman who had just emerged from the kitchen-door. The old man uttered an audible snort of disgust.
 "Well, I never" said he. elf Hec- tor hain't left his work to wait on that wife O his'n! It ain't 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 Electors wife is clean spoiled already. It ain't the way I man. aged matters when I was first married to Electors mother. What ye been doin2" sharply, as the young man re- turned to his work
 'sThat basket was too heavy for Cyn- thia to carry" said Hector, curtly ''I wish could afford to keep a girl for her."
 GA girl!'' MT Bayliff's voice betrayed mingled astonishment and contempt. "A girl! Your mother"
 "Yes, I know, father," interrupted Hector. sBut things have changed since then, and perhaps mother would have been alive now if the housework hadn't worn her out before her time."
 "That's downright flying in the face of Providence" said Mir. Bayliff, red dening to the roots of his stiff, iron-gray hair. ssIt was the Lords will that your mother should be took away, and there aint 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 p'
 Hector Bayliff made no reply, but took up his ox-yoke and went across the fields with it.
 "Father may say what he pleases, D said he to himself, ssbut mother died of overwork and undercare, and nothing else. And the household duties are toe heavy for Cynthia, and I must see what can be done to tighten them. Nc woman shall be drudged to death under this roof now"
 Cynthia Hough had been pretty young factory girl when Hector Baylif had married her. She had been ig norant of all the details of housekeeping but she had exerted herself diligently te learn.
 Old MT. Bayliff, however, was an exacting critic, and the Bayliff farm house was big, rambling, inconvenien place, where one might work hard al day and have very little to show for i at the end And the tired look in he eyes, and the weary flush on her cheek went to Electors heart at times.
 s'My darling," said he, 'I wish could make things easier for you.
 "Oh, they are easy enough, said Cyn thia, brightly. ''It's only that am tot stupid to manage as ought"
 Hector shook his head. He knew tha something was lacking, but he did no quite comprehend what.
 But she dropped so that he saw som radical change was necessary. "Cynthia," said he, 'sthis won't do You must go to stay with your mothe a week or two, and rest and recruit"
 eBut what will you do, Hector2"
 "We'l keep bachelors hall, fathe and l." said the young man, cheerily "What does it signify to us, little in convenience, so long as you are bene fted2"
 So, rather unwillingly, Cynthia went Old Silas Bayliff shook his head forebod ingly.
 eff this is the way you're goin' t baby that wife of your'n, Hector," sai he, 'you'll hev her playin' sick tn whole time. I don't hold to lettir women think themselves too important Now we shall be obleeged to hev Mar Jenkins here to do the chores an cook and it'll cost us dollar and half week at the very least. Faint what call economical housekeepin'
 "That depends upon what one cal economy" said Hector, quietly.
 But when his neighbor, Luzon Pel kins, drove past that afternoon, with hi wife, Hector called them in, secretly rt joicing that old Silas was down in th ] swamp-lot, capturing refractory calf.