Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1892-09-29

had the best wife in the whole coun-
try"
And then, searching her memory,
Mrs. Bradley gave faithful report of
what she had heard
1t was curious to note the effect of
her words in the light which came into
the sad eyes, and the faint flush which
stole over the faded checks
Ibid Daniel say that?"
The wistful tone and the starting
tear were pitifu1 to the other woman,
who affected not to see or hear any
thing. She broke off spray of flower
ing currant and said, as she tucked it
in her belt and moved away:
''Yes, he did, and quite agree with
him, and then remarked to herself:
"Poor creature, she has heart after
ALL"
1t was an hour later, when Mrs.
Bradley sat alone on the front piazza,
that Deacon Bates, his chores all done,
came and sat on the upper step. He
was a man of much shrewd intel
ligepce, who read his weekly religious
paper from end to end. and liked occa-
sionally to discuss an article or a doc
trine with a bright woman like Mrs.
Bradley.
His wife was still busy in the kitchen,
as the rafting of milk pans occasionally
testified Mrs. Bradley's thoughts fol-
lowed the tired worker; her kind heart
lopged to make the weary life of this
woman different. If only somebody
would speak few plain words to her
husband, she reflected, and get his eyes
opened.
why not do that YOURSELF" said her
though, telling her conscience that per-
haps she would sometime if she got
good opportunity.
The deacon, taking off his hat, ran
his fingers meditatively through his
gray locks, and opened up on an article
he had read that afternoon on the COM
parative merits of trade or profession
compared with farming.
sin nv opinion" he declared, after
descanting at some length upon the
subject, 1.-The farmer has the best of it
every time; it's n healthy, independent
sort of life, and he doesn't have to work
like a slave the year round. In the
winter he can get time to tinker at odd
jobs and do a sight of reading besides
if he's so disposed"
Then Mrs. Bradley could not resist
saying:
''And the farmers wives? They, too,
have a good rest in the winter-fairly
idle, aren't they?"
''Oh, no, there's plenty of work, but
it isn't hard. In the fall, after the ber-
ries are put up, comes the drying OF
hnr
sausages to make and lard and tallow
to try out. When all that's done there's
lot of sewing and knitting and carpet
rags. My wife makes her own carpets,
and my clothes and the boys, all but
our Sunday coats. Then it takes lot
of cooking to keep three or four
healthy appetites going, and we don't
have any help in winter"
His listener could scarcely keep in
dignation from her tones as she replied:
us it possible that all this is added
to the work of the summer? / do not
wonder that according to statistics a
large proportion of the women confined
in lunatic asylums are farmers wives.
1t is a dreary life, making a woman
into perfect drudge"
swered, musingly. 1--WE must earn our
bread by the sweat of our brows. The
Bible says that works good for us. l
guess it is, and wise provision of
Providence. I don't knows it's any
worse for women than it is for men,"
''But il seems to me that the lot of
the farmers wife is less desirable than
that of her husband. According to
your own account she has less leisure,
and then he seems to have more variety
in his work, and it is relieved by small
pleasures. In summer his work is
mostly out of doors; then he jumps into
his wagon and is off to town two or
three times a week on errands; and his
neighbor often happens along and leans
on the fence ana talks. At noon he
takes nap in his chair or reads his
paper a few minutes; but according to
my observation a farmers wife is a
drudge. She seems to have no time for
these little rest places, and the conse-
quence is, all is dreary and monotonous-
1t is no wonder she loses her mind and
has paralysis, for her work is never
done"
Deacon Bates sat silent minute
while he thoughtfully stroked the gray
stubble on his chin; then he said. slow
ly: Il DIN know, may be it's SO. never
thought about it in just that way"
Mrs. Bates came around the corner of
the house just then and took down
some clothes from the line in the side
yard. Her husband watched her me-
chanically as she folded and placed
them in the basket.
''Your wife is a marvel to me, accom-
said as she watched her: but she looks
worn; she will break some day sudden
ly. fear. 1t would make wonderful
difference in this house to have her
busy hands and feet still forever,
wouldn't it?'
The deacon turned and looked at
Mrs. Bradley half wildly, as if such
thing had never before crossed his
mind Then he got up, strobe over to
the line just as his wife was about to
lift the heavy basket of clothes, and
taking it from her carried it into the
house. She followed, amazed.
Not since the first years of her mar
ried life had DAMP offered to do any
of her work. What had come over
him?
When Deacon Bates had anything
special on his mind he was wont to be-
take himself to the orchard. He went
there now and sat down on a low
gnarled limb, and, leaning his lead
against a tree, tried to think over the
words Mrs. Bradley had
cd 10