Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1900-04-13

NI u grain on for the
mill and perhaps resented it. Mrs.
Dewey sat perched up beside her hus-
band on the high seat of the wagon,
drawing her shawl close about her, as
the chill March wind struck her sensi-
bIy, as she remarked to her husband,
with a protesting shiver. She was
pIump little woman who had been pret-
ty once, when her hair was brown and
curly, her eyes bright and her COM
pIexion fair and peachy, but since she
had married Lon Dewey, and gone out
to his big grain farm to live, continual
Aard work had aged her greatly, and
the brightness and bloom of her girl
hood days were almost crushed out of
her.
Mr.. Dewey was good man, for all
that he so thoroughly needed waking
up, but he had been accustomed to see
ing his mother and sisters turn off
great quantities of work with their ro-
bust health and strength, and it sim
ply did not occur to him that his wifo
was wearing her life away in n tread
mill which was taxing her to the ut
most limit of ker endurance.
"Wheat's bringin' dollar n BUSH
eI,r remarked Mr.. Dewey, as he flicked
his whip suggestively around Mats
heels. 81 reckon if / can get the crop
sold afore she drops, I'll be some hun
slreds ahead of what I've been ary year
before in some time"
Lion, don't you suppose, if you do,
that we could have new carpet in the
parIor? 1t seems like if could have
something real handsome to look at, it
would Tighten the work ever so much"
''Ain't / handsome enough?" asked
Mr.. Dewey, with unusual humor.
Mrs. Dewey laughed. Her husband
was not handsome man at his best,
and to-day lie had taken little time to
"siick up," and the March wind had
tousled his hair and Redeemed his nose
in addition.
''The rag carpet was pretty enough
when it wasI cw," she continued, but
someways I've got awfuIly tired of rag
carpetin'."
-'You wimmin folks get terribly tired
of things anyhow, it seems to me-" re-
marked Mr.. Dewey, refectively.
ayes, we do, Lon," replied his wife,
will, an unusual burst of feeling. I'm
tired to death of looking at the same
things, and Of wearing the same
clothes year in and year out. / get so
hungry for pretty things sometimes it
seems like I'd go Wild"
Mr.. Dewey turned and looked at his
wife in astoIishment.
''Well, i swan, Martha" he said,
slowly. "Pity you didn't marry rich
man that could give you all you
wanted" inf
NO, l dom; want no rich man."
Martha Dewey caught her breath in
a half sob. you're plenty rich enough,
only you've got a notion of thinking
L don't need nice things like other
women have them. Pretty things don't
cost so much more than humly ones,
either"
"Well, I snum, what's got into you,
Martha, all of suddenly"
Nothing new, Lon Dewey" replied
his wife in combative tone, "it's there
pretty much all the time, but some-
times it swells and surges, and sets me
going in spite of myself, like the water
turns the big wheels at the mill"
Ihey were i'll lne Town now, ana Il
young woman was tripping along the
sidewalk, clad in handsome tailor.
made suit, whose perfect fit and mate
rial added grace and beauty to form
and face no more to be admired than
Martha's in her youngerdays. Martha
looked at her with longing eyes. "If
L could be dressed up like that when /
go out, IwonIdn't mind the hard work
atween times So" she said.
The miller came out as the horses
trotted. up to the door of the great,
busy mill. lie had been acquainted
with Martha years before, and he
noted her tired face and shabby attire.
martha Hills didn't get much of a
snap when she married Lon Dewey" he
reflected inwardly, as he invited her to
snme into the Office and get warm while
hsr husband sold his wheat.
Martha forgot her longings in the
cwiosities of the Office, the telephone
the immense ledgers over which this
bookkeeper was pouring, the book