The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1891-10-07
What He Expected.

you see how it is, my dear" he
said, taking her soft hand, which had
never done very hard work, and
patting it reassuringly; "I'm poor
only thousand year, dear, and we
shall have struggle to get along at
first"
~ don't mind that in the least,n she
interrupted stoutly, rubbing her cheek
softly against his hand.
"And," he pursued, graciously
having allowed her interruption, 1--WE
shall have to come down to strict econ
omy; but if you can manage as my
mother does, we shall pull through
nicely"
"And how does your mother man.
age, dear?" she asked smilingly-
but very happy at the notion of
mother in law cropping out already.
II don't know" replied the lover
radiantly "but she always manages
to have every thing neat and cheerful,
and something delicious to eat, and
she does 1t all herself, you know 80
that we alawys get along beautifully,
and make both ends meet, and father
and still have plenty of spending
money. You see when q woman is
hiring her laundry work done her
gowns and bonnets made, and her
scrubbing and stoveblacking done. and
all that sort of thing, why itjust walks
into q mans income and takes his
breath away" ..i
The young woman looked for a
moment as if her breath was also
inclined for vacation but she wisely
concealed her dismay, and being one of
the stout hearted of the earth, she
determined to learn a few things of
Johns mother. 80 she went to her
house for long visit the very next
day. Upon the termination of this
visit, one fine morning John received,
to his blank amazement, a little
package containing his engagement
ring, accompanied by the following
letter: o.. \
~ have learned how your mother
manages and l am going to explain
it to you, slmce you confessed you didn't
know. 1 find that she is wife,
mother, housekeeper, business
manager, hired girl, laundress,
seamstress, mender and patcher, a
darymaid, cook, nurse, kitchen
gardener, and general slave for
family of five, She worries from five
in the morning until TENN the night !;
and almost wept when I kissed her
and corded, and unkissed When ]
saw her polishing the stoves, carrying
big buckets of ater and great armfuls
of wood, often splitting the latter, /
asked why John didn't do such things
for her. John y she repeated, John |!
and she sat down with a perfectly
dazed look, as if I had asked her why
the angels didn't come down and
scrub for 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 I have Become
strongly imbued with the conviction
that do not care to be so good
manager 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 everything, and all that you have to
say of her is that she is an excellent
manager I do not care for such
reputation, unless my husband earns
the name also, and, judging from
your lack of consideration for your
mother, am quite sure that you are
not the man 1 thought you were, or
one whom I would care to marry. AS
the son is, the husband is,' safe and
happy rule to follow"
So the letter closed and and John
pondered and he is pondering yet
1.-THE Phrenenolgical Journal"