River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1890-03-06


horse was good one and usually won;
but one day after a very successful race
on Deacon Asher's track. he and Jed
ard some intoxicants father declared
solemnly that it was nothing bat cider.
but Jed winked at me when he was tell
ing il, so knew Deacon Asher's hired
man had evened up with him by put
ting stick in it") became mixed up
with the race horse and another
mans carriage, and the result
was that the trotter Law down
and died, and when father So
bered up he founL hat he had q
thousand-dollar note to pay which Jed
had gotten him to sign with him for the
horse. lie now wanted an excuse 20
get angry SO he could have the better
heart to refuse her request and con-
tinued:
jed has always done the best he
could an shall help him The money
in mine
''Stop, Joseph
The voice was that OF ~ little mother.
but so changed with the emotions that
were stirring her heart that had not
been looking into her panied face. il
would have seemed as il il were
stranger who was speaking when she
commanded him to stop. The idea of
his meek little wife assuming ever to
question his right TO domineer over her,
had never entered my fathers head.
He had ruled SO long and with such
high hand in all family matters that his
mere word he regarded as law. Now he
stood in open-mouthed silence while my
mother with heightened color on each
OF her thin checks, spoke with a vehe-
mence he never before imagined she
possessed.
'SJr nave always assumed to control
every thing, Joseph Astery. Our boys
have, with the exception of Preston,
been nodded by yourself into what you
consider the true ideal of manhood. My
life has been passed in hard work
for fifty years, thirty of them as
your wife, and all that have
received in return for this hard. I'M
been my board and the few clothes that
have been begrudgingly doled out to
me. Don't start, Joseph. you are going
10 hear the truth for once in your life.
Three OF our boys, while they have al
ways had an affectionate feeling for
their mother, early learned 20 pattern
after their father and have come to
treat me with . rough regard such as
one might assume toward an obliging
servant / have taken this treatment
without a murmur, believing the boys
whom / had so loved and so toiled and
struggled for through the helpless years
of infancy, really loved their old mother
when once you probed the coat OF care
lessness they had put on towards me.
My heart has been faithful 70 them all;
but, Joseph, IL you think that Jed and
the other two seen nearer TO you. be-
cause they are more like you in charac-
ter. can you blame me IL my heart beats
with perhaps a deeper love for our
youngest son. who, while he so re-
sembles You in his physical strength,
has always been so tender and con-
siderate of his old mother that while
they add to her heavy cares and bur
dens by their csrelessness, he ightens
them by his thoughtfulness? You
have found me a faithful, uncom-
planning wife, Joseph Astery, for
thirty years. We have, as ! sup
posed until you spoke. been labor
ing for mutual benefits. Many times I
have thought your decisions not gener-
Gus ones, but never until now have / re-
beled against them. Now. l demand
that Preston be given a thousand dol
lars of our. not your, money before
Jedediah is given another like amount"
My mother. usually so sweet-tem-
pered. was now thoroughly aroused and
determined TO throw off the yoke and
assert her independence for once, IL she
suffered for it When / now think how
she braved the storm of wrath surely
expected TO follow her words, through
love of myself. l can not resis. the
temptation to stop. even as l write these
words. and gently stroke the gray hairs
OF the one who has endured so much for
me. Surely one can not measure the
depth OF = mothers love. But l di-
gress-
II was the first time nv father had
stood quietly under rebuke. Perhaps
the Justice of her remarks forced their
way through the years OF selfishness,
or may be the picture Of the little wom-
an, as she so saucily faced him, brought
back the memory OF the days so long
dHO nAAtA Aat WAN nOOAhS bnC
eyed lass, and this tempered the hot
words that at first rose to his lips.
Whatever the influence, / was compelled
TO admit that did not understand the
power that controlled my father, for the
big, strong man Was suddenly subdued;
the overbearing air disappeared, as IL
by magic. and, instead OF an angry word,
he quietly said:
you may be more than half right,
Phebe, but don't know as would own
il except "a between ourselves. Ii il
was for emmy other purpose-to buy a
farm, a Neutrality-suspicious., or emmy
thing of emmy account, why, l YUM, I'D
be sorry ] promised Jed an let you have
the money for Pres; but l can't reconcile
myself TO seem him throw away thou
sand dollars, good money. let alone all
of his time, in Jest gettin' an education
that don't see ever done emmy one emmy
good"
What about the thousand dollars?"
questioned my mother, ignoring his
protests.
faint no use, Phebe, can't con-
sent. and have given my word to Jed"
Very well. then, replied my mother.
quietly. Preston shall go to school
and without the use OF your money. I
am sorry you can not see the question
in the same light that I do. You re-
member | had a small sum OF money
left me from my fathers estate. This
has been out at interest for twenty
years. The amount was so small you
thought it was not worth accepting. when
you were disappointed because the larger
sum was left to my brother. ] was thank
full for small sum that could call my
own. and have used neither principal
nor interest The sum will more than
answer Preston's needs, and | shall ex-
pend it for him freely. You may as