The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1893-02-18
Highest of all in Ieavenng Govt Report Aug n, 1880
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ABSOLUTELY PURE

on errands, and his neighbor often
happens along and leans on the
fence and talks. At noon he takes a
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
consequence 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 a minute
while he thoughttully stroked the
gray stubble on his chin; then he
said slowly:
! don't know, maybe it's so. l
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 mechanically as she
folded and placed them in the bas-
ket.
Your wife is a marvel to me, accom-
plIshing all she does. Mrs. Bradley
s1id as she watched her, but she looks
worn ; she will break some day sudden
ly, fear. 1t would make a wonder
full difference in this house her busy
hands and feet still forever, wouldn't t
it?
The deacon turned and looked at
Mrs. Bradley half wildly, as If such a
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 year of their
married life had "Dan'r' offered to do
any OF her work. What had come over
him1
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 head
against tree, tried to think over the
tormentlng words Mrs Bradley had
Just spoken. They nettled him. He
told himself she had ought 10 mind
her own business. But after all he had
himself to blame. By his own con-
fession his wife was hard worked
woman. 1t was too humiliating He
had prided himself upon being kind to
animals and considerate toward help.
Was it possible he had been cruel to
his own wife1 1t must look so, or a
good woman like Mrs. Bradley would
not have spoken as she did.
The deacon was good man. He
was not going to spare himself now
that his eyes were getting wide open.
He went back over the years when
they first came to this farm, when
"CyEthy" was Young and bright. She
used 10 talk and laugh then. What
had changed her into the silent woman
she now was? If her busy hands and
feet should be still forever? What
awful words He had no more cal.
culated on any change Of that kind
than that the old eight day clock which
had tickeG on for forty years should
suddenly leave its place. And ther
that dreadful thought about farmers
wives becoming insane. He had read
enough to know that melancholy is one
species of insanity. What if that state
should be slowly coming upon his wife.
for certainly she grew more silent ano
sad year by year. 1t must be that she
did work too hard, for when he came
to reckon it up and tell over to Mrs
Bradley all the work she done summer
and winter, it was more than he hao
supposed. How could she get any
time for reading or going out? Anc
now that he thought of it, she never
went anywhere, except to church, anc
not always then because often she wa:
too tired. How different it used to
be Once she frequently went tc
town with him and they OCCASIONAL,
took tea with neighbor or drove in to
the sewing society. But lately worl
had been so pressing that there hac
been no time for going or invitins
company. He had just gone on buy
ing more land and more COWS anC
employing more men, SO adding tt
her labor, while she had but one helpe
they used to have when the farm wa
small. And as if this was not enougI
he had encouraged her to go on takin!
summer borders occasionally, as sh
had herself suggested long ago, on
wear when the crops had failed. Ant
he, pretending to think she did it a
because she loved work so much
That was all stuff He had seen he
stand in trc door and look after hin
when he rode off to town on pleasan
afternoon, and he had heard some
thing like a sigh just as he started
The dear patient woman had not com
planned or said sharp words he wishe
she had, then maybe her pig-heade'
husband might have seen things a
they were. The truth was the love {
money had taken possession of hin
and he had sacrificed everything.
He had not even hinted to his viii
that she must spare herself, and he ha
forgotten to speak words of prais'
He hated himself For although h
had been mean and selfish and GRASP
ing, he still loved the wife of his you'll
What would all the money and land h