South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1891-08-14
THE PATIENT MoTHER.

4
RUDY, stood at his door one morning
as Holt, his nearest neighbor, passed
down the road. Holt drove a mule
SO thin and gaunt that it's bones al
most pierced the skin. The wre,ched
animal staggered under the weigh, OF
several bags OF grain.
Isn't Jack overloaded a triie ?
Snovden called.
No, said Holt. He's used to It.
He likes IL.
That beats me, said Snowden, in.
Elegantly, TO his wife. How any
Christian man can work a brute to
death 1 cant understand Is nv
basket ready, mother ?
Mrs. Snowdeu haatilv 6n;shad
packing the basket OF sandwiches
and pie for the luncheon in the field.
aud gave 1t to her husband, who f,l-
lowed his haymakers d)wn the road
Inc Kitchen was in disorder. IL
was scarcely day, bat Mrs. Suo yden
lad already cooked breakfast for
three hungry men. The dishes must
De washed. dozen pies made. the
ironing done, and The house set in
order.
she began 70 work, but stopped
presently TO prepares delicate break.
last and arrange it prettily upon a
table In the parlor. Hcr daughter.
VIC I'M OF some nervous ailment,
came down. aud languidlv tasted it.
1 nave no appetite. she moaned
L think perhaps l could eat a bit of
broiled chicken.
Mrs. Snowden hurried to make
ready the new dish. When Laura
had eaten it-and she finished every
morsel-her mother helped her to
creep out TO the hammock In the cool
shade, brought her a book, O fan. a
pillow and q dish of fruit.
Laura spent the morning there.
out OF sight OF the kitchen. She was
an educated girl. fond of painting
and oil beautiful things. She decla..
ed that the heat. the cooking and the
work made her III. Mother had been
used to it all her life. She never
tired OF it. She liked turmoil.
Presently Laura managed TO walk
as lar as the post 'office, aud brought
back letter. II vas from her broth .
er zoe who was In store 10 Boston,
and was full of amusing gossip about
parties, club meetings and concerts.
In a postscript Joe said:
Ask mother If she will make me a
set OF new shirts as soon as possible
IL does not lake her long &, rua them
OIL on the machine, and It sayss me
some dollars. Poor clerks in Boston
have to look after the penniesl
Mrs. Snowden gave a wan smile as
she received the message. 1 am
glad Joey ia sossaviDg, she said {; but
as she oiled her machine for The york
she sighed quietly. 1t was harvest
time. She was busy in the ki,cbe,
all day. The shirts must be male
after night fall.
Day after day went by, The fam
ny and tn two hired men we're fed.
the house was kept in order, the wash ,
ing and ironing were done Laura was
nursed and hlmored-all by the one
quiet. gaunt woman.
When night came, she sat down AZ
the machine TO make the shirts. with
loving thoughts of her boy.
fhe doctor says that need erer-
else, said Laura, feebly, one day. |
shall try riding horse back, | think.
Joe, when be received the shirts
merely wrote back that lhey were
not as neatly finished as those in The
shops. Mothers machine must be
wearing out.
He often spent 10 a supper. given
to bis friends. more money than
would have bought the shirts
When harvest was done, Farmer
SnoWden congratulated himself on
oi' profits. Some OF hts neiZhbors,
ne said. hired help in The kitchen
during harvest. Bot l told them
mother undertakes IL all herself She
IS used to work. She likes IL.
He took pleasure 10 abusing Holt.
who had worked his mule almost to
death. Bat when ho saw bis yifs's
lace grow more lean and sallow each
day, II never occurred TO him nor TO
his children to consider the drudpery.
the dullness, the absence of hope.
amusement and cheer from her life.
or TO think that they we're urging
her, step by step, each day nearer 10
her grave.