The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1891-11-11
MisteIlamp.
What He Expected.

You see how it il, my dear" he
said, taking her soft hand, which had
never done very hard work, ar d patting
it reassrringly; "I'm poor-only a
thousand a year, dear, and we shall
have a struggle to get along at first"
81 don't mind that in the least" she
interrupted stoutly, rubbing her cheek
FLY against his hand.
And" be pursued graciously, hay
ing allowed her interruption, 1--WE shall
have to come down to strict economy !;
but If you can manage as my moth err
does, we shall pull through nicely"
And how does your mother me n
age, dear?" she asked smilingly, hut
very happy-at the notion of mother
in-law cropping out already.
"I don't know" replied The lover ra.
dainty; but she always manages to
have everything neat and cheerful, and
something delicious to eat, and she
does it all herself, you know; so that we
always get along beautifully, and ms Ike
both ends meet, and father and l still
have plenty of spending money. You
see, when woman is hiring her laundry
work done, and her gowns and bonnets
made, and her scrubbing and stove
backing done, and all that sort of thing
why it just walks into mans inco me
and takes his breath away.
:. Tie young woman looked for mo-
ment as if her breath was also inclined
for a vacation; but she wisely CT ncealed
her dismay, and being one of the stout
hearted of the earth, she determined to
learn few things of Johns mother, so
she went to the house for long visit
the very next day. Upon the termina-
ton OF this visit, one fire morning John
received, to his blank amszement, a
little package containing his enga ge-
ment ring, accompanied by the follow
ing letter:
81 have learned how your mother
manages and am going to explain
it to you, since you confessed you didn't
know. | find that she is wife,
mother, a housekeeper business man.
ager, hired girl, laundress, a seam
stress, member and patcher, a dairy
maid, cook, a nurse, a kitchen gar
dener, and general slave for family
of five. She worries from five in the
morning until ten in the night; and l
almost wept when l kissed her hand-it
was so hard and wrinkled, and corded
and unkissedl When l saw her pol
ishing the stoves, carrying big buckets
of water and great armfuls of wood,
often splitting the latter, l asked why
John didn't do such things for her.
Johnp and she sat down with per-
fectly dszed look, as if had asked her
why the angels didn't come down and
scrub fer her. Why, john she said,
in trembling, bewildered way, he
works in the office from nine until four,
you know, and when he comes home he
is very tired, or else-or else, he goes
down town. Now l have become
strongly imbued with the conviction
that l do not care to be so good man.
ager' as your mother. If the wife must
do all sorts of drudgery, so must the
husband; if she must cook, he must
carry the wood; if she must scrub, he
must carry the water; if she must make
butter, he must milk the cows. You
have allowed your mother to do every
thing; and all that you have to say of
her is that she is an excellent man.
ager.' do not care for such a reputa-
ton, unless my husband carr the name
also; and, judging from your lack of
consideration for your mother, | am
quite sure you are not the man thought
you were, or one whom | would care to
marry. AS The son is, the husband is
is safe and happy rule to follow"
So the letter closed, and John pom
dered; and he is bordering yet.-The
chronological Journal.