The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1896-07-25
HEP. DAY OF LIBERTY.
BY LENA 8. THOMPSON.

Mrs. Caleb Greene imagined herse,
much-abused woman as she hustle
about in her tidy kitchen one bright q,
tumn morning. "I'm nothing but
household drudge drudge and moth
ing else! Who ever thinks / need
bit of pleasuring!" and here he
thoughts wandered to what her neigh
Dor, Mrs. Mallory, had said, and whic
was the real cause of her discomfort
you don't never go nowhere, do you
Mis- Greene? Why, IL / couldn't go +
the city every week, l should feel wa,
out of the world. You can't keep II
with the Prevailing style if you dom
see nobody but the village folks"-ant
then she told of the grand flower SHOW
in the great Casino, where everybod,
as is anybody" went, and of the new
cape and bonnet she had bought IL
town.
Though Mrs. Greene was as well of
as her neighbor, she did her own house
work, preferring to save in that way
something for rainy day, while Mrs
Mallory was considered by the village
people very shiftless woman, who de-
lighted in airing her knowledge of city
life, which consisted of year at board
ing school in town. Soon after her
marriage to Jim" Mallory she set up
housekeeping and kept one servant,
which prodigality and elegance caused
her to feel quite superior to her neigh
bors.
Martha Greene was devoted wife,
and usually thought the work she now
called "drudgery' the most delightful
thing in the world-for she enjoyed
making a happy home for Caleb, whom
sine had married two years previous.
OF late spirit of discomfort had grad.
ually crept upon her, and it's power
was more apparent after each visit
from Mrs. Mallory.
Martha was passionately fond of
flowers. When the flower show was
held the year before in the adjacent
city she was too ill to visit it, but now
there was no really good reason why
she should not go. AS the busy season
for the farmers had come, when she
asked Caleb to drive her to town he did
not see how he could leave his work
for even day.
He might go if he only thought so.
] wonder how he would feel to come
home some day and not find me here to
wait on him. Perhaps he might realize
then that / need little amusement
once in awhile, after working from
morning till night. / believe I'll try
it. I'd like to feel at liberty to do just
as please for one day!"
So, while musing on her troubles,
Martha prepared the MONDAY meal for
Caleb and the farm hands; for, how
ever much she thought herself deprived
of enjoyment, she was too good q house
keeper and homemaker to leave Caleb
to provide his own dinner. She pre-
pared everything with care, ready to be
placed upon the table. But it seemed as
IL fate was to be against her that MORN
ing. The stove was hard to manage
her doughnuts too brown and the
biscuit were not as light as usual-and
just as she was getting ready to dress
herself, old Mrs. Porter called, pre-
pared, as usual, to rehearse her "tale
of woe" to any sympathizing listener.
Hastily giving her a cup of tea and
telling her she was very busy, Martha
left the poor woman to wonder what
had come over Mrs. Greene--"she who
was alters SO good to a body!"
On her way to the station to catch the
noon train for the city she avoided the
public highway and took path less
frequented, for even in her reckless, |
independent mood, she did not wish her |
neighbors to notice that she was going |
her husband.
Since their marriage Caleb had al
ways driven her to town, which was
only ten miles distant, and while she
did her shopping he would wait at the
Travellers inn talking over farm mat
ters with kindred spirits; then what q
coy drive homeward they had to-
gether. In summer through the gath
,ring twilight, or in winter with the
full moon shining on the snow-they
we're full of happiness, and when they
reached home, how proud she was to
show him her purchases, in which he
was always deeply interested.
The steam cars passed through the
village to the city only three times each
lay, and as Martha took her seat in the
car car the bell at the factory was
inging the noon hour.