St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1897-07-24
Mr.. Wilson'S Supply.
BY Mrs. May B. Brown.
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
1GT9 / could only go out and do some

10 could only go out and do some
a thing to help earn money!" said
Mrs. Wilson, wistfully.
Mr.. Wilson laughed fondly, as one
shows amusement at the vagaries OF
child, and patted DIS wife's cheek play
fully.
"The idea of little woman who has
been sheltered all her life, as you have,
going into the world as money getter!
You make first-class wife 8Dd mother,
but that doesn't demand a knowledge
of the principles of business No, we
will get along with. what the man Of
the house is able to earn, even ii we
cannot buy the corner lot; SO do not
aet your mind stray from the province
an which you dwell SO successfully to
work that you would not be able to
perform. My wife does not need a
business head
AS her husband left the house Mrs.
Wilson walked to the window and
looked after him, with her mouth
drawn into firm scarlet line.
$50 I do net need knowledge of
business principaes, Asbury Wilson!"
said she, apostrophizing his retreating
form. "You must have forgotten that
u have had to make use OF them for
number of years; that twice year 4
hook up the tax receipts and pay the
taxes, often out of my own spending
money; that look after all our insur-
lance; that always kept up the in
terest on the mortgage until we paid
lit; that I keep all the accounts of the
family, and that every claim is submit
tied to me for payment, to say nothing
!of the business knowledge necessary
! to make one dollar do the work of two
la problem that man seldom tries to
solve. Its. all right, of course, and
must put up with being considered
business cipher; but if there is any
thing in the doctrine of reincarnaton,
Il hope you will be reborn as woman,
to see if brains are not as. necessary for
a wife and motherGs for husband and
ifather!"
After this spirited speech Mrs. Will
son went about her work, which. that
stylish spring jacket for 12-year-old
Edna out of Mr.. Wilson's light overcoat
of 6wo seasons back, meaning a saving of
from eight to twelve dollars toward
the June tax assessment.
Mr.. Wilson occupied the position of
travelling salesman for grocery house,
and had been able to provide his family
with comfortable home and good
living. It was no bsIslness crisis that
brought forth Mrs. Wilson's wish to
earn money, but the chance to pur-
chase certain piece Of property at a
most advantageous price. She could
see the adyisability of such transac-
ton, and q her desire to see the in
vestment made was born her wish. Mr..
Wilson was proud to term himself a
'self-made man,, and the idea that his
wife's work might have commercial
value, or that he might be compelled
to receive such aid from her, would
have been distasteful to him He was
most generous man, giving freely and
unasked, yet always conveying the
feeling that he considered the money
used by the family as his alone.
Through all the afternoon Mrs. Will
son could mot help alittle feeling of re-
sentiment against her husband for SO
coolly setting aside the idea of her eapa-
bility; but the feeling vanished sud-
denly, when, at supper time, a closed
hack drove. to the gate and two men
took from it a stretcher. She few to
meet them. and the man they were car
! Espying opened His Eeyes to say to her:
ssIts only d Yroken leg, Chick, don't
be frightened
1t proved to be s'only a broken leg,'
but how serious the effects would really
be to him she only knew late that night,
after the broken bones were set, and the
dqctoEF gone
''.I'he worst Of it is, Chick. he said
dolefully, between groans. II was to
start tomorrow on that two weeks trip
up north, and it's the most important
one of the season, 1t takes in Great
Bow, Hinesville, Robinson and several
other smaller towns, all comparatively
new to our house, and had timed my
dates Just ahead of the man from the
Occidental Grocery company. He'll get
every one of them, for the house
u
my place, and it may be the means OF
putting me on a poorer route. since
lost last month for them, because oi
that 10 grippe
In spite of his wife's efforts to quiet
or cheer him, the man worried himself
through a restless and feyerish night
The next morning, when he opened his
eyes, Mrs. Wilson stood beside him, in
her out-of-floor costume.
sl'ye found your supply, Asbury.'
said she II sent over for mother last
night, you know, and she win stay here
while go up north in your place.
You goin my place? Great heavens!
Mary Wilson, you do not mean such q
thiagl'