Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1890-12-31

your help can manage without over
work Bridget and John form one
third of the family. and of course cause
us expense aside from their wages.
John has tried to do all the chores be-
fore and after school. You arc as
quick as John, and as you are not eX-
pected to go to school, you can devote
those six hours to helping me"
"But what can do? | know moth
Ing about homework"
"You can make the fires and take
care of the children while [ cook.
Then if it is really necessary, you can
wipe the dishes (here Charles made a
wry iace). Any honest labor is to be
preferred to debt" said Mary.
"But what about the washing? shall
have to run around and look up a wash
erwoman every week, and that will be a
bother"
"No Charles, we shall do our own
washing, you and |. The new method
of washing with kerosene makes the
work much easier; besides, you will do
the heavy work, draw water lift the
tubs, turn the wringer, hang out the
clothes and bring them in. | will not
ask you to iron il you will amuse the
babies while | do it.
Charles opened his eyes wide and gave
prolonged whistle.
''Well," said Mary, 81 have submitted
the plan, and | know it needs only your
sanction to be successfully carried out.
1t you do not agree to it, | do not know
of any way by which our finances can
be improved. Do not decide now; wait
until tomorrow, and then tell me your
opinion"
The morrow came and Charles an
nounced his willingness to try the pro-
posed order of things month. Bridget
and John were discharged with good
recommendations and Charles Percival
entered upon his new duties. The
kitchen and sitting-room fires claimed
his attention first in the morning, then
his horse, chickens and COW were at
tended to. He brought the milk into
the house and strained it; then pro-
ceeded to dress the children, while
Mary cooked the breakfast the chill
dren were also his care during the
greater part of the day, and he lea rned
to love them as never before; their
quaint speeches and charming little
ways bound him with the strongest
chords. Besides. he had the conscious
ness of doing the duty; il he could not
earn money in the winter. he could at
least save it. Mary's, management
was much more economical than
Bridget's and her cooking was
superior On washing days he
followed Mary's plan and instead of
being "demeaned" by it, as he seemed
to lear, he was conscious that the work
was ennobling. Was he not tightening
the burdens of the dearest woman in
the world?
OF course, there were times when, be-
ing in the village, the old longing to
linger at the store and listen to the
spinning of the old yarns would come
over him, but the thought of the noble
little woman and the dear children at
home never failed to conquer that long
ing.
Mary accomplishedIher object, which
was not so much to save money Though
that was no unimportant item) as TO
save her husband. She continued to fill
the days with work, and in the evenings
they sometimes planned the spring
work on the farm. The agricultural
papers were consulted for the best
methods of farm work She always
managed to have something attractive
to keep him at home.
By the time the spring work began
he had served SO good an apprentice
ship that labor was not SO distasteful to
him as in former seasons. That year
his farm fourished as never before;
they hired Bridget for the summer, but
the next winter went back to the order
of the year before. Mary had a hor
ror of seeing her husband idle J
The close of the next New Year Day
found Mary at the window, looking
toward the village, as before, not de-
pressed in spirits, but with the light of
happiness dawning in hereyes. Charles
drove into the yard, and she went to
the door to meet him. He handed her
some receipted bills and small roll of
bank bills. ''Happy New Year, Mary p
said he; thanks to you, we are square
Mary mentally contrasted the two
New Year DAYS and Mined the tears of