South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1891-03-20

anu 10 Copstent motiou was to m
trying 10 converss in an unknov,
tongue. And so now, without an,
adequate knowledge OF work and it
responsibilities. We found ourselves
Fith . mountain OF diffIc ultiss to sur
mount. aud pretty mess we male o
1t for a few days. too.
II Was not difficult to get through
supper, for, thanks to mothers prov
ident, hands, there was enough pre-.
pared for tha. meal; but when; mex,
morning. We found The bread was out.
cookies all gone, and not stray pie
i9r dinneS our troubles begsn-and
they brpadened with every passing
m9wept', as We became pain fully
awake to the fact that making bread
and pastry was branch OF our eiu
cation which had been terribly neg
Iected and when> at ten o'clock.
fa,ber, in blissful ignorance Of the
nov'ces at home. sent up sirloiu
roast aud the informs alton that a
stranger would dine with u, and fif.
teen minutes later the washerwoman
brought IN the clothes for US to IRON
1 was ready to melt into tears, and
Kate was 50 cross it was dangerous
to speak to her. Oh. that weary.
weary day! But only the beginning
OF many similar ones that followed.
How we longed for mothers skill.
full hands to straighten the tangled
threads our awkward fingers had
managed 10 produce. There was
something to be d,ne from early
morn Till late al light; 80 that NJ
sooner did we fancy on selves free
Tor hall an honr than some duty I'm.
done would stare us in the face, or
the children would come in with clam.
oripg tongues aud empty stom achs,
and in few days became addicted
to chronic fretfulness, while Kate
wasj transformed into q veritab ,e
scolc. John scowlei over the mis-
cradle meals; but poor, patient father
pitied our often infismities, and ate
what we set before him for CONSCIENCE
sake.
1t went on 10 this way for alb ,ut q
fortnight when, after a very quiet
day, We took out books asd sat down
ior quiet evening, but alas for our
hopes! onlv ten minutes of peace
aapd then an honest 'ahem' from faith.
et caused ns TO look up.
Do you know, girls, hi inquired.
whether mother mended. my pants
before she went awayp I should like
them to pat on in the morning. Sue
generally did her nnending once o
week, l believe.
There burst out Kate, shutting
her book with bang. while I, win
one despoudlng glance at The fasci :
mating pages oil David Copperf3ld,'
went to eximine the mending baske.
1t was full to the brim shirts,
socks, little ginghan coats with the
pockets tom down and the buttons
pulled baif off, with shreds of cloth
hanging TO them fathers pants and
Nellie SCHOOL dress, with q great
rent clear across the front.
With doleful sigh ] lifted the
basket and without a word we sat
down lie the unwelcomo task. Nine
ten O'Clock came and went, and the
basket was not half emptied OF it's
contenis Father, John, Ross and
Nellie gaped ald stretched, and one
By one followed the children off To
bed. Eleven, and still we sat, 81
lent and grim as ghosts. solemnly
stitching away at the endless rent:
Cad, eaid Kate, at last jerking GU,
che words as il she hated them, how
do you like FTP
Like what9 | asked In astonish-
ment.
This life OF slavery. This hum
drum, everlasting stick.to-it, :, u sat
isfactory existence. Without d specE
OF spice in the way OF vsriety abou
It. Ju't over and over. round aht
round. until We seek our rest low II
the ground.
On, Kate 1 exclaimed; almost
shocked not 80 bad as that; no
nearly so bad as that.
Yes; worse than that with MANY
very many, Cad Rouncewell. NJ,
pain opinion, very plainly express
co i. is that women are fools.
Why, Kate?
Don't why Kate me. Just look a
the mending basket il has beef ill
Cd aud emptied year after year; ell
ed by our carelessuess aud emp,ier
6y our mothers salvish toll, aud "
great, healthy, over grown gifls "a
calmly by and saw her do it. Az
The weak, unselhsh woman that sh
Is, hadn't snap about her 10 rap .
over our heads for our ngliuess.
/ opened my mouth to say some
thing, but she made a dab at me wit
her needle and 1 desisted.
Don't expostulate she exclaimed
Il have Il. Look at yourself az yo
are aud as you have been ever sine
you we're born. a little helpless Bit Z
furniture, aud sec II you don't loo
> ugly. have been taking Just sue
view OF myself ever since we'v
found ourselves trying 10 fll mother
place, ADD found we couldn't and
have got 90 full Of Indignation az ms
self Tor being so bind, and at molnl
, Tor ootng so foolish, Tat ! cha
, burst IT don't right out with it.
! Bat We cannot help II now, Kate.
! ventured to demonstrate.
No, OF course We can't. you COOS
NNasa "a l..