The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1890-11-07
How His Mother Managed,

You see how it is, my DEAR he
said, according 10 the West Shore,
taking her soft hand, which had
never done very hard work, aud
patting it reassurlngly ; Pm poor
only a thousand year, dear, and
We shall have TO struggle to get
along al first"
II don't mind that in the least, -
she interrupted, stOutly, rubbing
her check softly against his hand.
"And," he pursued, graciously
having allowed her Interruption
Eve shall have To come down TO
strict economy. But if you can
only manage as my mother does,
We shall pull through nicely"
"And how does your mother
manage, dear 7" she asked, smiling
but very happy-at the notion
OF the molher.in-law cropping out
already.
II don't know" replied the lov.
er, radiantly, "but she always man
ages to have everything neat and
cheerful, something delicious To
eat-and she does il all herself,
You know [! SO that We always get
along beautifully, and make both
ends meet, and father and still
have plenty OF spending money.
You see when woman is hiring
her laundry work done, and her
gowns aud bonneis made, and her
scrubbing and stove blacking done,
and all that sort of lhing-why, it
just walks into mans income and
takes his breath away !"
The young woman looked tor
moment rs If her breath was in
clined for a vacation; but she
wisely concealed her dismay, and,
being one of the stout hearted 0f
earth, she determined to learn a
few things Of Johns mother, so
went 10 her for long visit the
next day. Upon the termina-
ton OF this visit, one fine morning
John received, to his blank amaze
mem, little package containing
his engagement ring, accompanied
by the following letter:
81 have learned how your moth
er manages and | am going to ex.
plain il to you, since you have con-
fesSed you didn't know. | find
that she is a wife, mother, a
housekeeper, a business manager,
a hired girl, 4 landress, a seam
stress, mender and patcher, a
dairy maid. cook, a nurse, a
kitchen gardener and a general
slave for family of five. She
works from five in the morning
until 10 at night; and almost
wept when | kissed her hand
it was so hard and wrinked
and corded and unkissed. When
| saw her polishing the stove, car
rying big buckets Of water and
great armfuls of wood, often split
ting the latter, | asked her why
John eidn't do such things for her.
''Johnr' she repealed, "John p
and she sat down with a perfectly
dazed look, as if had asked her
why the angels didn't come down
and scrub tor her. "Why-JOhn"
she said in trembling, bewildered
at the Office from 8
until 4 O'Clock, you know, and
when he comes home he is very
tired or elSe-or else he goes down
town" Now, have become
strongly imbued with the notion
that do not care 10 be so good a
as your mother. Ii the
wife must do all sorts OF drudgery,
so must the husband; if she mus
cook, he must carry the wood II
she must scrub, he must carry The
water; il she must make butter,
he must also milk the cows. You
have allowed your mother to do
everything, and all that you can
say Of her is that she Is an excel
lent manager | do not care for
such a reputation, unless my hus-
band earned the name also; and
judging from your lack Of consld-
eraiion for Your mother, l am quite
sure YOU are not the man | Iih' ught
yOH were, or one whom ! would
care to marry. As the son Is, The
husband Is, is sale and happy
rule 10 follow"
So the letter closed, and John