The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1894-05-08
Our falnilp 5torp.
A FARMERS WIFE.
BY KATIE WILLIAMSON.
ae Home and Farm.

Iell, sweetheart, here we are at
o." shid Hurbert, /" and now 1 will
@ TO leave You for q few moments
go out and o how things have
Seen carried OF in my absence. Have
aseat and when you have warmed and
lrested you may take q peep into the
cook-soom and give Sal any directions
you may wish to-"
So saying, he kissed me and left me
alone with my own thoughts for the
first time In several days. We had
an that l had known and loved from
my earliest recollections and come
among strangers for Hurbert's sake.
This i had done willingly, for / loved
him and knew that he loved me with
all the devotion OF which his gentle,
noble nature was capable. l was n
7, school teacher when 1 met and learned
To love HGrbsrt and IL was with many
misgiyings that had finally consented
to marry him. l knew that / WAS
totally unfit for q farmers wife, as /
had spent all my time In the school
room and knew nothing of the practi-
cal duties of life. However, the last
few months before our marriage |
had endeavOred to learn something of
the duties upon which 1 was about to
enter.
After resting q few moments I went
out into the c0ok-room and looked
around, as Hubert had suggested. Sal
had commenced preparing supper so l
gave no orders as / was afraid | would
betray my ignorance. When supper
was over | stayed in the dining-roOm a
few minutes and assisted Sal in clean
ing away the table. When she asked
me about breakfast I told her that she
had ~ n ,o.,, -. -
she could get what heliked for break
fast, and then 1 went into our cozy
little room where l found Hubert.
WELL, sweetheart" he said, show
do you think you will like your new
duties ~
"You must wait awhile before
asking me that, 1 haven't had time to
learn what they are yet but 1 intend
to like them for your sake. | fear
that l have done you an injustice in
c~onsenting to marry you. You could
have married a nice girl who has
.%wcn accUsromed to farm life, and in
stead you have chosen an ignorant
school marm.'"
that a contradiction of terms, but 1 am
perfectly contented with my ignorant
school marm,' for 1 know she can learn
whatever she sets her wise little head
to learn"
20, l mean to try so hard, darling,
and II you will be patient with me
perhaps / may learn to be q model wife
and housekeeper."
Then W. talked of how we had first
met and learned to love each other
and INDUCED in happy dreams of the
future, as all young married people
are wont to do.
Lo @~ " Al. ~ C "
negro woman that Hurbert had en-
plOyed, informed me that she had
only been employed for a week. I had
also. learned that none of my neighbors
kept a cook, SO l decided to undertake
the cooking myself, with the under
standing that Sal was to assist me some
every Saturday.
The first months Of our married life
passed like a happy dream. l would
often go to the ginhouse and watch
Hubert ginning cotton, a sight of
which | tired as / was raised in
a tobacco country. Sometimes we
would ride horseback over the farm
and Hubert would tell me of his plans
and how he hoped to W the farm in
II few years. He had only made u
small payment on it then. / managed
to get on nicely with the housework, n
fact which greatly elated me. Hubert
was lavish in his praises Of my
culinary skill. Time passed rapidly
away and soon the busy spring months
were upon us. 1t was then that the
first clouds came over IL married life.
Hubert informed me one night that
he had hired n negro boy and he would
u-besgin work the next day, 30 | could
prepare breakfast for him. Although
i had never been accustomed to seeing
ladies do their own work I knew it
was the custom here, but / had never
me to cook for "hands." 1 said moth
ing, however, and had the breakfast
already In due time the next morning.
AS the farm work became more press
ing Hubert was away from me from
u up until sun down, only spending
q short time while at meals. How
lonely | a June came and then I
had to cook for five "hands" instead
of one. The weather was mnch
warmer than [ had been accustomed
to, for l was raised in another State,
and as l had eve spent many hours
over o cook-stove before my marriage
the combined heat was almost more
than / could bear, for my health was
gentle and kind, but naturally he was
absorbed in his work and | broOded
over my cares and troubles, as 1 termed
them, until grew sad and silent. One
day when | was more sad and silent
than usual Hubert drew my head down
on his shoulder and said:
~"Sweetheart, married life is not
what you thought it would be; you are
disappointed, are you not?"
/ did not answer in some time and
then / said
What makes you think am dis
appointed Z"
Because you are so sad and quiet,
so different from the gay, light heart
ed girl OF a few month ago"
~ am not very we'll and you don't
know how tired | am sometimes. darl-
ing" I sobbed out.
"Hadn't you better have o cook for
awhile then ?" he said.
Now, one Of my neighbors had cooks
and L wanted to be as smart Gs they
were, so ! said: ono; | will try to do
without one"
December came around and it was
the anniversary of our wedding day. |
was seated in my room with my little
baby girl, Mabel, in my arms. Hubert
came In and said
katie, we have been married u
year to-day"
Yes, | was just thinking OF it'll
replied.
Then We reviewed the past year
together.
Il have fallen so far short of what
T pxDectad IN he. u and nov