River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1895-04-25
PRUE'S MANAGEMENT.
By MARJORIE RICHARDSON.

IL uhat ~ NAAA[A Y AAt f1AAff- 80
way 20 South Daneville is straight up
the turnpike till you get u house with
the paint all worn off-you can't miss
it-and then turn To the right
a fresk-faced young woman. who
was standing near the counter in the
village store. Redeemed slightly as she
heard her new home thus designated.
and VIII IN the grocer turned To her and
said, sIniIinglv: Now. ma'am. what
can I do for your she Strengthened
herself with little touch OF dignity.
Il am Mis- James Rice" she began
'-Shc.' exclaimed the shoplSeeper.
with great interest. You don't say.
Wall. I don't blame him one mite, -
added. gallautly.
4 smile stole, across the brides pref
" face. and her severe expression re-
laxed little.
Jim. he told me he did all his trad
in' here. 50 ! thought III gust step
down this mo-nin' ANA order a sew
things. I want two pounds OF brown
sugar and a bag Vf -four sent up right
away
.BriSal Veil. Of course" laughed Mr.
Barnes. with confidential wink and
he hurried away To the back of the
store to give the order
Two pounds of brown sugar and
bag of -four up 20 Rice's right off-Jim
Rice's on the turnpike road, Peter
The red haouse with the paint all
wore of streaked?r drawled the boy.
That's the one" And Mr.. Barnes
returned 10 the door 10 bow out his
new customer.
Mrs. James Rice walked thong htfully
down the village street with her black
brovs knitted in a little frowu. II WAS
the second time within Il ftecu minutes
that She had heard JIm's house re
ferred 20 in that disrespec;ful manner.
The day before. when she. and Jim had
returned from iheir to weeks honey
moon and had driven mp to the large
dingy-loolSing house, it had occurred
TO the bride that her new dwelling
was sadly in nccl of paint. l;ut she
would not allow this thou ght to be put
into words. Il - emed almost dislOyal
To Jim u aclS uowledgc even to herself
that she was unsatisiied with anything
in her new home.
But now sh. felt justified in calling
his atten tion to this oversight
II guess men don think much about
outside thiugs.~ she added. doubtfully.
"TlI just paint ont To Jim N.Y. if
there amt he mother standing in the
doorway now"
A tall. Misunderstanding woman,
dressed in mournfui biacl. gown,
stood in the harrOw hallway
Il thought I'd come over ard see il l
couldn't help you some this mornin',
Prue.' She SAID. staring 1l-mn.y AT her
daughter-in-law Jim i dreadful
particular about his food and YOU bcin'
SO Young AMI inexperienced
She was interrupted by gay laugh.
land calculated Prue- why, ON
our farm down in Stovhegan there
was four hired men, besides father and
my three brothers. and mother and me
did the dairy work. besides gettiu' all
the meals ourselves. guess if ] could
cook for eight great hearty farmers /
can look ont for on-' plain man.
1T was hull wear afore Jim learned
Lucy u cook accoriin' u his likin',
said her mothcr-in law, imperturbably-
Prue gave "a col;teU.ptuous sniff.
''Well. of all sarS,, Ia like In see a
man tryin' To learn me anything about
my own kitchen. ia as soon think az
goin' on; and undertaken to learn i.iri
how To curry horse
There was a moments silence. while
Mrs. Rice regarded her new daughter
with some curiosity. Prue,s brown
head was bent over her work and her
eyes were hidden. but there was a de-
te-spincd curve about he~ red lips
which decided the older woman In
drop that topic of conversation FOR ;he
present.
Was you pIannin' IL do your pre-
servin' next week. she asked. Coz il
you was I've got "a lot of eurrantS that
you can have just as well as not
No. guess won't begin IL just
vet. returned Jim's wife. carcles>ly-.
''ThercIl Ie ~ much else goIngon- I'm
goin' To- git Jim u have the house
painted II needs IL terrible"
Then for the first time Prue heard
her mother-iu-iaw laugh. 1t was a
short laugh with no mirth in il, but il
was very expressive.
Land uf e osbs.r. child, you3l never
'compli-h tnat- III - soon 'hinS
Why. that's enc of .Iim's >otte>t points
Prhap> you amt found IL out Vet. bat
he's terrible closc-f,scd lie was alluz
master hand for s,viu'. even whcn BE
was a boy. and In afraid Z he keeps
ON he'll L,. regular miser by the timC
he's old I'd have warned you about
this faiiin' of his afor~hand. as l done
Lucy, Il ia ever seen you"
rrue laughed
We'll. It's - This house : a rc.-u
lar town joke. We pestere0 the lie
out Of him for years. me and Lucy, Il
make him paint II. but ne wouldut {.
and now it, got to bc sort of stub
born pride with him not 70 have ii
touched. That's Jim all over.
u guess he'll paint it, said Pruc,
calmly.
Old Mrs Rice Drilled ''WelI. if his
own mother and his fust Wife couIdn't
make him do it"
Ills second wife viii" l'ruc finished
firmly Il gBcss-this house will bc
painted
In the week that followed Prue had
chance of seeing for herself the truth
~ Mrs. Rice's assertions ia regard &
her sons character.
James Rice was an unusually clever
man. and his respect for anyone whc
could get ahead" of him was nv
bounded I.ucy's weak nature had
bowed naturally bcfu-S her husband
dominant will. tie had ruled he- in
the same way that ne had ruled his
mother. merely because she had me elk
" submitted. without protest, To his
tyranny. But Prue was different. She
seemed 70 have brought away with heI
some If the spice and strength of mel
own pine woods. and Jiin was often
surPris,i ~ ind n the end OF an argu-
meut that he had IN ,onsc iously yielded
TO her wishes.
In an unframed way Pruc was n nat
ural musician. and tie harsh. lunches
notes of the thirty-yes-r-oli melodeon
grated on her sensitive ear. Jim was very
fond of listening ID her fresh young
voice, and after supper. while hs
smoked his evening pipe by the open
window. he always asked FOR his favor
lite Old-time songs
But Prue objected To the descendant
accompaniment which the meiodeou
furnished.
Jim. You'd ought u 81 me a new
pianner.~ she said. per>uasirely. ons
evening. Its real sin - sing Hue
Ha~aH