South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1892-09-02

al. There was silence for miunts
while she worked SIS il her life de-
pended upon getting done Mt GER
tain moment. Mrs. Bradley was
just thinking how useless it was 20
try TO get anything out OF such =
wooden woman, When suddenly
Mira. Bates, without lifting her eyes
from her work, jerked out q ques-
ton.
MRS. Bradley, should like to
knov-would you mind telling ms
what it was Daniel said that day
mp t. Berkshire ?''
"Who? Mr.. Bates ? Oh. he
said he had the best wife in the
whole county"
And then, searching her memo
~, Mrs. Bradley gave faithful 70.
port OF what she had heard.
IL was curious to note the effect
of her words in the light which
came into the sad eyes, and the
faint flu,h which stole over the fad
ed cheeks.
''Did Daniel say that p,
The wistful tone and the starting
tear were pitiful to the woman,
who affected not to see or hear any
thing. She broke of spray OF
towering currant aud said, as she
tucked it in her belt and moved
away:
eyes, he did, and 1 quito agree
with him." and then remarked to
herself "Poor creature. she has
heart after oil 7"
1t was an hour later, when Mrs.
Bradley sat alone on the front pi-
azza, that Deacon Bates, his chores
all done. camo and sat on the ur-
per step. He was a man OF much
shrewd intelligence, who read his
weekly religious paper from end to
end, and liked occasionally to dis
cuss al article or doctrine with
bright woman like Mrs. Bradley.
His wife was still busy In the
kitchen, as the rafting OF milk pans
occasionally testified. Mrs. Brad
ley's thoughts followed the tired
worker; her kind heart longed to
make the weary life Of this woman
different. IL only somebody would
speak few plain words to her hus-
band, she reflected, and get lis
eyes opened.
"Why not do that yourself?v said
her inner voice. She shrank from
that, though, telling her conscience
that perhaps she would sometime if
sho got good opportunity.
The deacon, taking of his hat,
ran his fingers reditatively through
his gray locks, and opened mp on an
article he had read that afternoon
on the comparative merits Of trade
or profession compared with farm
ing.
ain my opinion.D he declared
efter descanting at some length up
on the subject, "the farmer has the
best of it every time it's a heal
thy, independent sort of life, and
he doesn't have to work like slave
tho year round. In the winter he
can get time to tinker ct odd Jobs
and do sight Of reading besides il
he's so disposed.
Then Mrs. Bradley could not re-
sist saying:
"And the farmers wives? They,
too, have good rest in the winter
fairly idle, aren't they ?"
ooh, no, there's plenty OF work,
hut it isn't hsrI. Ia the fall, after
the berries are put up, comes the
drying Of apples and pumpkins.
Then there's sausages to make, and
lard and tallow TO try out. When
ell that's done there's lot OF sew.
ing and knitting and carpet rsgs.
Ny 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 eppetites going, and
we don't have any help IN winter. >
HIS listener could scarcely keep
indignation from her tones as she
replied
'Is it possible that all this is add
ed to The work OF the summer? 81
do not wonder that according 20
statistics, q large proportion Of the
women confined in lunatic asylums
are farmerS' wives. IL is drearY
life, making woman into q perfect
drudge"
"Well, I don't know" the far
mer answered musingly, 1--WE must
earn our bread by The sweat Of ouf
brows. The Bible says that works
good for us, I guess it is, aud q wise
provision Of Providence. don't
know 3 ITS any worse for womeh
than il is for men,"
"But it seems to me that the lot
Of the farmers wifs Is less desirable
than that Of her husband. Accord
ing TO your own account she has
less leisure, and then no seems Is
have more vari ty in his work, and
it is relieved by small pleasures. In
summer his work is mostly out Of
doors then he jumps Into his wa.
gon and Is OF to town two or three
times a week on CrTauds and his
neighbor often happens along
and leans on the fence and talksf
At noon be takes a nap IN his chair
Or roads jas paper e few inmates
j.