Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1897-06-04

to work. She tried sewing, but 1t
don't agree with her. DE-. Stone
recommends housework, as us a
healthy business
'Tis healthy blslness,' chined
IN John. Now nv wife is a good
deal better than when married
her. Why, she never did a wash
ing in her life until she came to
the farm. | think Washing and
general housework is mnch bet
ter than piano playing and read
ing
80 say to the girls who pester
me to buy an organ; better play
on the washboard, enough sight
was the elegant response.
Are you gong to buy the Gran
berry meadow, JOhnY Mary asked
as she saw her husband m iking
preparations to 90 from home.
'Yes-whyP
'Can you afford lt9'
we will have to figure a little
closer i'm order to do il; but it Is
going cheap
You will have to give up Tom
Birch, won't you, and do the
cnOres yoursellF
Il have thought of 1t, bnt Tom is
poor, anl to give him a hone is a
deed OF charity. No, we will say"
some ether way
'Hog much do YOU pay TOmF
'Tnree dollars and his board
Aud. by the way, ne says you
don't wash his clothes. Washing
and meuding was in the bargain
Il think Tom viii have to go.
tor have hired JIne Patch. She
will 3e here tonight. Two dollars
week | am to give her. NJu
want to practice Bear ye one ali
others burdens, as we'll as preach
from the text; so I will give you
a chancp. | shall take my turn
In sitting on the cool piazza with
a nelghbOr after tea, while you do
the chores. | think the time has
come for some Of my blrdenS to
be lifted. BY exchanging Tom
for Jane, yon will have one dollar
a week for the cranberry meade ".
You say strong. active Tom is in
need of a home; he can make one
for himself anywhere. 1t is a deed
of charity to give Jane a home.
and an act Of mercy to give yonr
wife little rest
b fore John could recover from
his astonishment, Mary walked
ont of his sight, and taking the
children, went TO the shut-up par
lor, Throwing open the windows
to let in the soft summer air, vi th
the baby in her lap, she sat down
at the piano and began to play a
song without words piece John
bad loved to hear when he used to
visit her in her home where she
was a pretty girl, The song erept
out through the open windows
ard around to John as he sat upon
the porch and memory compelled
him to give the song words. Not
musical poetry, but rather som
bre prose, wherein washing and
ironing. hard days at the chnrn.
hours of cooking for hungry men,
stood Oul before his minds eye IN
contrast to the fair promise ne had
made the pretty girl he had won
tor his BRIDE.
Jane Patch came that evening.
and at once took upon herself
many of Mrs. ClarS's cares, and no
one greeted her more cordially
than the master of the house.
Nothing was ever said abOnt her
coming and Tom Birch did not 60
awav; so Mary knew that her
husband could afford the expense
She told me how she helped 10
make one man thorpughlfui and
selfish, as We sat on her cool plaz
one hot August night; and l was
clad one woman had 'grlt enough
to demand her rights. If John
Clarke had been a poor man, his
wife would have bOrEe her bur
den with patience, but she had no
right to make him selfish. A.
least, that was her view OF the
case. Who Will say that she wa'
not right2
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Both WaVS.
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