The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1897-04-16

Hpuce Noull ne just 10 spoil the water
Mother would never have a pump il
her day"
My mother used to say men are self
ism, and | begin to think she wa.
right" Mary muttered, as she went tc
the kitchen for the plate Of hot bi.
cuts John was so fond of for his tea
Her husbands appetite was good
but, from fatigue and overheating her.
self, Mary could not eat His ride and
the society of the genial squire had
acted like Il tonic, but there was 10
TOME i'll the air OF a hot kitchen.
a commonplace life, = she said; and
she sighed, as she cleared away the
dishes, while John tilted back in his
armchair on the cool, draughty porch
and talked over things with neighbor
Jones'
why don't you buy Widder Patch's
cranberry medder p asked Mr.. Jones.
1T is going dirt cheap, and you can
afford it," The sum was named
figures that astonished Maryland she
was more surprised when she heard
her husband say:
Il have half IA mind TO buy it. I've
had an old bill paid in, and, to tell the
truth, affairs in the money mark ct are
SO squally, l don know just where to
salt it down.
No tears came to MarylsstigsdseBss.
but her heart wsnt, out in one
mighty sob as she STOOD, Glis BAR FL
thought how i; chGapply, lslins mad mad SOLD
herself, really for her board and two
| dollars week, to a man who had
promised TO love andcheffsli heruntif
death.
The beautiful piano she had brought
to the farm had never been opened.
but looked like gloomy casket where
in was buried all the poetry of her
life. The closed parlor had long since
assumed the grimness and mautiness
OF country best parlors, of which in
her glrIhood days she had made such
fun. John was a rich man, in spite of
his marriage vows, was allowing
| burdens grievous to be born to press
on her shoulders, in order to salt
| down his dollars
Had she not a duty to perform?
Ought she to allow him to preach and
| never practise? Had she not rights
which were not respected by her hus-
| band? for, she reasoned, if he allowed
her 10 do what could be done by an
| ignorant hired woman at two dollars
a week, then he rated her at that
| price.
"Widder Pach has had rough time
ont said neighbor Jones; she is &C
ing West to Tom, if she sells the med
der, and Jane is going out to work.
She tried sewing, but it don't agree
with her. DIR. Stone recommends
sework,a as it's healthy business"
lis he3ithy busineness,h chimed
III John. Now my wife is It good
deal better than when married her.
Why, she never did washing in her
life until she came to the farm.
think washing and general housework
is much better than piano playing
and reading.n
so say to the girls who pesterme
to buy an organ; better play On the
washboard, enough sight" was the
elegant response.
Are you going to buy the cranberry
meadow, John2' Mary asked. as she
saw herhusband making preparations
to go from home.
''les-why?'
Can you afford it?''
I'VE will have to figure little closer
in order to do it, but it is going cheap"
You will have to give up Tom |
Birch, wont you, and do the chores |
YOURSELF"
Il have thought of it, but Tom is
poor, and to give him home is d deed |
of charity. No. we will save some
other way"
How much DO you pay TOM"
Three dollars and his board. And, |
by the way, he says you don't wash |
his clothes. Washing and meudius |
was in the bargain
Il think Tom will have TO 90, for | |
have hired dane PaLah. .stSAerWilI be
here tonight Tive dollars q aWeek | |
u to give. her You wap ,te. pra elise
Lear ye sans sasao ther,s Nhardeas, as |
yois - an aI+ tax my
az n RI iss ~ tse s Ea1sa |i dn
the chores. I think the time has |
come for some of my burdens TO be |
lifted. BY exchanging Tom for Jane, |
you will have one dollar q week for |
the cranberry me adow. You say |
strong, active Tom is in need of IL |
home; he can make one for himself |
anywhere. 1t is a deed of charity TO |
give Jane Il home, and an act OF mercy
10 give your wife Il little rest
Before John could recover from his
establishment, Mary walked out of his |
sight, and taking the children, went |
to tie shut up parlor. Throwing open
the windows 10 let in the soft summer
air, with the baby III her lap, she sat
down at the piano and began to play
song without Ords," a piece John
had loved TO hear when he used To
visit her III her home where she was Il
pretty girl. The song crept out
through the open windows and around
to John as he sat upon the porch, and
memory compelled him to give the
song words. Not musical poetry, but
rather sombre prose, wherein wash
ing and ironing, hard days at the
churn, hours of cooking for hungry
men, stood out before his minds eye
in contrast TO the fair promise he had
made the pretty girl he had won for
his bride.
Jane Patch came that evening, and
at once took upon eIself many of
Mrs Clark S cares, and no one greeted
her more cordially than the master of
the house. Nothing was ever said
about her coming, and Tom Birch did
not 60 away; so Mary knew that her
husband could afford the expense.
She told me how she helped to make
one man thoughtful and selfish, as we
sat on her cool piazza one hot August |
night; and | was glad one woman had
grit" enough to demand her rights.
If John Clark had been q poor man,
his wife would have borne her burden
with patience; but she had no right TO
make him selfish. At least, that was
her view of the case. Who will say
that she was not right?