The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1890-07-16
A SKETCH FROM LIFE.
Bllas Peters and His Wife Insti-
tute o Loving Reform.

LuC9 u Loving tSSLCTlh
81 guess won't go to church this
morning, Silas," said Mrs. Peters, while
sitting at the breakiast-table one lovely
Sabbath in June.
"Why, Mandy! thought you wanted
10 hear the sermon. You know Elder
Bishop is going to preach to-day"
81 know all about that" replied Mrs.
Peters, with asigh; "butit's nine o'clock
now, and with all have to do l can't
possibly get ready to start by half-past
ten"
"Let mo help you, Mandy. | can wash
dishes; yes, and sweep too he added
triumphantly.
eyes, and probably you can make all
the bods, and get the children ready for
Sunday school, and clean of the stove,
and skim the milk. and wash the pans,
and peel the potatoes for dinner, and
get tho meat cut and in the spider, and
lay tho fire ready 10 light when we get
home" replied Mrs. Peters, scornfully.
"Now Mandy said the by this time
crest-fallen Mr.. Peters, II meant all
right. Can't you let the sweeping and
cleaning tho stove go for this timer
and VIC can do without potatoes for onoo.
twill make change" he added dryly.
"Changel Yes, guess so. II you
want change so bad, you had better
20 and board with Mrs. Russell. You'll
got change there, reckon" and sho
smiled grimly. why, when went
over there the other morning TO borrow
slittle -four, they had just finished
breakfast; and such breakiast!'
"Why, what was It, Mandy?" asked
Silas, with his curiosity aroused.
'What was IL? You had better say
what wasn't it. That was Just exactly
It. There wasn't single bit OF pie on
that table, nor pickles, nor cheese, nor
Jelly, nor anything-much."
swell, they had something TO eat,
didn't thoy?" queried Mr. Peters.
"Yes, they had bread and butter, and
mashed potatoes and steak, oatmeal and
cream, and coffee and cookies" with o
nifi OF scorn; "but not even one smitch
OF pio." &. 3.
Well, she's good co,k, anyway, for
I've eat there" said Silas, decidedly.
sand don't see but what they had as
good meal as we've got, Mandy"
"ILumphl Guess you better board there
awhile, Silas Peters," and Mrs. Peters
rose from the breal1fast-table,
"Any way" said Silas TO himself, as
he was harnessing his horse for church,
ard rather Just eat bread and milk for
dinner II Mandy would only 60 with me
once in q while. Yes, and for breakfast
and supper too" he added, heroically.
"Thero goes Tom Russell now, with his
wife and baby. How happy no looltsl
and we'll he may, for he's got his wife.
She goes most everywhere with him.
90 wish Mandy would 60 with me. It
deems kinder lonesomei" he mused, get
ting into the buggy with his two furbe-
lowed children, and chirping TO the old
horse.
The women OF the little hamlet OF
'Ashville had followed strictly In their
forefsthers' Tor rather foremothers)
footsteps-tables crowded with every
thing set on promisouously-piolfles,
cheese and pie for breakfast, pio,
cheese and pickles for dinner, and
choose, pickles and pie for supper. And
at each society" or tea party that vss
bold, each lady tried 10 outdo the ono
before her. II Mrs. A. had three kinds
Of callo and two Of pie, Mrs. d. would |
have four or hve kinds Of cake and
three Of pie, with perhaps tarts as an
addition; while Mrs. Q. would by no
means diminish the quantity OF pic and
cake, but would also add dried beof,
ielly, cheese, etc.
Elder Bishops sermon that morning |
was excellent; 90 thought every one, with |
perhaps tho exception Of Silas Peters.
He sat in his pew with his two children,
bat his eyes kept wandering to the
Russell's pew.
''she's most as old as Mandy" mused |
he "Mandy'sa little past thirty, and
Mrs. Russell, so Jim Snyder's wife said,
AZ twenty-eight She doesn't look
worred; no wrinkles or lines. Poor
Mandy May be haven't helped her
as much as might Mrs. Russell looks
70 happy and contented Wonder II
she had as much 10 do as Mandy this
morning?" as sudden thought struck
him.
! After service, he returned homo 70
Apd a,clean house, beautifully shining
stovo and delicious dinner, but wor-
ried and irritable wife.
"IHs been 80 warm" she said: "it
tired mo all out cleaning up. haven't
sat down minute since you've been
gone" with the air Of martyr who
fnces duty at whatever cost