Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1891-12-24

They were talking over the teacups.
"But," said the little mother, II get so
tired that haven't the heart, let alone the
head, to read"
"Do YOU know" said the doctor brusque-
", turning upon the shrinking little wom-
an and setting her teacup down on one side
of her saucer, women have no earthly or
heavenly business to get so tired"
81 know they haven't" she answered
meekly, "but then they do"
There was a look of assent among the
other four. There were six of them, all
mothers and housekeepers. The doctor
was young, acute, enthusiastic and little
severe.
at is a question of time, even more than
strength" said the eldest of the group. ~
am sure we women all want to read and
keep our wits shining but the days come
in full of promise and go out in postpone
ment."
"But you have all the time there Is" be-
gan the doctor argumentatively.
"No, we DON'T" spoke up the black
haired woman; there is all the time there
is, but we don't have it. The children,
and the butcher and the casual caller get
it. We have no share in it at all"
LET me tell you," said soft voice, with
"A southern accent. "A good many years
ngo found myself slipping away behind
in the world of books had always lived
in. | was a conscientious housekeeper,
and thought | must let no little point es-
cape me, and so the blessed leisure that
made me free of the world of literature
was frittered away. One day sat down
and thought it out. l made a little review
of how passed my time. This was about
the way the days ran. I rose at o'clock
Il Ia Cd Of Thot f,r
as my method carried me- After that
did various things, got the children off to
school, busted and set the rooms right.
Often | did a share of the chamber work.
At any rate there was always something.
If it wasn't active housework it was sew
ing And then there was fancy work
And then there were calls and callers, and
the entertainments that no woman ought
TO miss, because they do brighten and
hearten her So And these things filled
zach day to the brim, and made up the
weeks and the months and the years. And
now | was getting shabby intellectually.
1t would not do.
Something had to go, and didn't know
what it could be- 1T can't be the chill
dren, said, half in fun, half in Mysteries,
nor Tom, and so long as they're here
they'll have to be clothed and fed and
washed hence, what pertains to them
can't CO. AS for myself, l haven't any
time consuming comforts in life to give
up. haven't
"'Househod lnenr said something in
my ear, quite like a box on that useful
member. | sat up stiff. Yards of accusing
embroidery danced before me. l had a
perfect mania for bed linen and table
linen, hemstitched and monogramed and
stitched full Of ornamentation. 1t was the
pride of my soul and the torment of my
nerves, for l have kept myself in a bad
temper half the time stitching away at the
big pieces, and the little pieces, and The
useful pieces and the useless ones.
There were scores of monographs ant
hundreds of hours sewed into those things
thought about it a while longer. | really
couldn't see that | had slept better fo
my hemsttched sheets, or eaten better fol
my embroidered napkins and doilies, ant
] certainly wasn't richer in purse or healti
or brains.
"'Thank you, sir said at last as | 90
up to the something that had Whispered
that idea to me. Pm not so old and stupil
but can learn From that day to thi.
I've neverset another stitch in fancy worl;
It's pretty and it's tempting, and it's WORT
having. Butt get solid hour day fo
reading and Pm not ashamed to talk will
my betters, and my husband has more
respect for my opinions and so have |. AnC
as between having embroidered linen o
having intelligent ideas l don't see an.
choice. New York Sun.