Press enter after choosing selection

Selfish John Clark

Selfish John Clark image
Parent Issue
Day
6
Month
May
Year
1885
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

The meptlag ni a goort ono, n ipita f the lítense heat, and the re was more inging dono by the mosquito! thau the minan !-icci( s. John Clnrk sal by au open window, vliere what breezo there was canic In iid kept liim coinparatlvely comfortaIe; umi Uien hu had on a clean linen uit wllich bis wif'i; had wusheil and r meel Ihat duy, DOtwIUlStanÜIng Ilie iercury niounted high in tlie ninetlw, nd itH fre&hnesa wai an addltlonal coisort. His fiïst erop of liiy, mucli larger than susal, luid been pat ín his ppiwton barns vithout damage by so mueli as a drop of al n. Be was well, ftroiigi prosperoua, nd theiefure happy. The ritle hume was eliariniii?, and :is ie nevv lioreé took them through Cainley Vootl. with suie, flei't feet, he telt that fe was verv hright; and as he Ibouyht f Brother White' remarka ubout wunry urden and feet tiied with tlie niaicii f lite, he concluded that the afoiesaid irolhcr was not in the enjoyment of re((011. Jol, u's wife 8at back In tlie carriage, est ing lier tited hody and ttirning over n her mmd the remarka her John bad lade at the meeting. "Bear ye M6 nol lier's burdeos,'' liad been the sub cel of the eveninj{'s talk, and JohnV peech had been lietened to witli evident elteh. ¦ oor buahand has the root of the ïatter in lilm," Raid the pantor M she ij - ej out, "I hope we shall all take leed to hU wcll-timt'd words." "1 think of blrinjK Ti un Birch as a pare bil lid or call-bny generally. I Önd nis hot weather takea the starch out of ie," Jobo Mtld H.-i the hore troued nroiiirh the cool pine grove, amt.J fllckr.s ol moonlight. " Will you board hlmf" asked Mary Jlark in a constraineil voice, with the leiiiuiv of her liushand's exhortation lili in her ni i uil. " Of toarse. I want 11 lm evenings to ake tlie bofte hen we come borne fmu neeting, or it I bid a friend out lt is ather hard to h.ive to o right to work iiccily oue jjets home. 'You are KU'UK to hire him to help iear uum ol your hurdens," said Mu u the same hard voiee. " Just au, wite. It stands me In hand o practlce', it 1 preach; don't you think o?" "I do. I am glad you are going to iitve help; as you say it is hard to go o work the minute you jcet home. I ïave been loolish enough to have thiide fpoiled by 1 1 '¦¦ s ¦ l""Hd to mix. "' DHSKêU ol Clothes to fold bctore I leep, for the ironinr to-mirrow, and dinler lo jfet for tour hungiy men, and baby O Wil c for." ' Otm't crowd to-monow's burdens n to tbis present ride. And it 8eeins o me that it would be better to gel all he liousewüik done before meetinime.'' "If I culd; but that is impossible Hük to strain, dislie- to wnsh, [Jenny and ittby to put to bed - all tbese duties come ({ether, and then I am tired euough to go to bed niyself."' "Take it easy, Mary; keepeool; avoid all the hut work you can.1' "I vvish tliut I could have a girl, John " " Mother used to sny girls were more ilndrauce than help. Iguess you would lad them so. And then, they waste and jreak more than their wages. I don't ee bow I can afTord a girl. Do what ou can and leave some thinïs undone, hat's tlie way to work t," and Joiin s n iack witb a satislied air, and Maiy ,hou;;ht of her husbaiid's glowing words n the prayer meetiNg. " I will do what I can," said Mary in a weary eoice. "What I am oblijíed lo do s mach beyond my strength. The three neals come near together, washlng and ronine; must le done, baby stiall Dot be lejfli cted, and, of course, I must keep the clothes well raended." "One thitig at a time is the way to think of your duties. l'iek up all the ;omfort you can as you go alony. I have made u. my mind that 1 will do so In the future." " tío I see; you are thinking of baving au extra hand.'1 " Yes. I feel that I must take care of ny healtb for your sake and the children." "Certatnly," Mary answered in a sarcastic tone. " How tboughttul you are tor iis." John made no comnient, but nwardly wiöhed that prayer meetings did Mary the íood tliey liad once done, and won deied why his wife had so clianged. I am going with 'öqiiire Town to see a new reaper. He saya lie hard y wautl lo buy wit Linut my opinión.'' Tuis was [he uext day. Jo lui lelt Iris wife ironing witli the lult klok baby mi ti i gat isbte, in the uompa:.y of au army of tl i es, and, In pite of the home-stene, enjoyed hls rule ilonji the pleatant shaded road, well pleaied to be seen in the coinpaiiy of such a big man of the town. At fupier time lie oame home with a new reaper behiud tbe rayon " Liy takinjr two, wo made a handsoni" MVlnjr, and M I Intended to biiy "lie I tbought I uii-rht ui wcli tcke it dow," he ramarked by way of eXptanatlon. " li will save time and strenglh, and pay for itself in a yetvr." Mary made no comment, but set her teeüi tljrlit ly togetbnr when siie remembere'l that blie bad laked in vuin for sometliing to make lier wurk easier. A scwiiijf-nvichine had been pronounced "linitful; better have fewrr chances of cldthinir thiin run a machine,'1 John had dicided when the subject was discussed; " a clothes-wringer would be conslanlly jtfttin out of order. To bring the WMter inlo the house would bejustto spoil the water. Mother would never have a pump in her diy.'' " My mother used to say that all men are seltih; and I begin lo think she wiis right," Mary muttered, n the went to the kitchen Cor tbe plateof hot blscuit Johi was so fond of for his tea. Her husband's appetite was good ; bu from fatigue and over-lieating henelf Mary COUld uot iat. Hia ride and tlu wjeiety of the xe"ft' 'Squlre had actei like n tonlo; but there Is DO tonic In the air of a hot kitche n. " A commonplace life," ?ho 8:id ; atu she highed, as she cleaied away the tea dishes, whilo John tilted back iu In arm-cbalr on the cool, lrafty poroh and talked over things with his Deighbor Jones. 11 Why don't you buy Widdor Patoh' cranbeny meduerf" asked Mr. Jemes " it is Koi"g cllrt cheap and you can atl'on it." The 8U!)i was uamed, figures tha attonUhèd Mary, and she was more sur prtted when sho heard her buvband s y "I have half a mind to btiv it. l'v had an old bill paid in, and to teil th nuil, nflalr i" the inoncy market are so qually, I don't kuow just where to salt it o n." No tears carne to Mary's tire'l eyes, but ler beurt went out witli one niiglity sob s slic stnixl, dish-pin 11 lüiiid, befo re 'lie isoidered uble.and though' liow eheaply lic had old Ik-imIi, reitlly for lier board lid two dolíais i week, to a man wlio nul pwmUed u love and clnri-h her ntil deaih. Thc beanttt'ul plano -lie i.id brought ti tbc larm was nevel" pened, bul looked like a glnomy caaket wheiein was burled all Ihe pootry of icr lite. Tiic "clowd parlor '' had long incu assiimed the trimness and mustien of onuntry beet parlura, of wliicli In ler cliildbood daya she had made sucli un. John WB8 a rioh man; and in -pile t his maniage vmts and bis gfowing rayer-merting talk, was allowlng burens grievous to be borne to presa on er tleoder shouldera, In order to"alt own " big dollar. Had slie not a duty to perform ? Ought de allow liuu tu preach and never to a'ik'eV Hul slie not rights to be r - pected? wliicli wen: not by lier husband: '.ir, she reas med, il' lic allowpil her to do vhat could bu done by a Idred wunian at vo dolíais a week, theii be rated her at li.it pi Ice. " Wulder Patch has had a tough time n't," ;iid nelglibor Jones; "she is goinjr ) thfi WesUvard to Toni, ir she c in s-ell lieuifdder, and June is goingmit to work. hut trled sewing, bilt it didn't agree with er. Dr. Stone reootfunende bouaework s itV healthy bosiDew. " ' 'J'is heiilliy busiiic.-s," chimad la olin. "NoW niy Wife is a guoü deal letter thuii hen I married her. Why Ue never did a washiug in her lite, Diitil nue to the tarín. I think vvasbinK lid general lioutevnrk is ïmich better han piano-playing i id re.id.ng." 'So I s.iy lo the gula wlio pe.-ter me to )uy uu (iiau ; beiter leani lo play on he waahboard enougli site," was the eleg.mt ïesponre. "Are you goin? tn buy th.it cranberry lieadow, John? " Miry askcd ;is she sav ier biubaitd maklng preparattoni to go rom home. "Tes- why? " "Can yo . alford il? " " We shall have lo ligare a little cloer n order to do ii, luit il is gnlttg uheap." ''You wil! have to flT up Tom Birch, von'l yon, and do the chores youisclf ? " "I have tlmught of it; but Toffl i )oor, and to give hllJl a honu: is a di-ed )f jhaniy. Nü, we will save some other way " ' Huw much do you pay Toni ? " "'fhree dolían and Ina board. And, bv tlie way, he says you didn"t wasb hia ciotlus .siiiug and mcudiug was lu the bargain.1' "I think Tnni will have to go, for I have hired Jane Patch. Öhe will be heie to-night. Two dolían a week I ani to live her. You want to practice 'Bear ye one another's hurdeu's.' as well as preach trom the texi; so I will give you a chance. I will sit on the cool piazza aller tea with a neighbor, while you do the chores. I think the time Ims come toi .-unie of niy burdeiif to be litted. By axcbaujdng Tem for Jane you will have one dollar n week for the cranberry ineadow. You gay uroog, active Tnm ld in oeed of a home; he can inake one for hlmself anj'wliere. It s a deed of charity tOjflve Jane a home, and an act ui' meicy to give your wife a lltlle rest." Ilcúire Jnhu could recover from his astonishinent, Mary walked out of his sight, and, taking the children, went to the simt up jiarlor. Thiowing open the Windows to let in the solt sutniner air, witb batiy in her hip, she sat down to the piano and bcgan to play a ''Song Without Wuids." ;i plece '.'obn had loved to hear whcn he uscd K! cnnie to vlilt her in her home where she was a pettcd girl. The song crept out through the open Windows :uul arouud to John as he sat on the poroll, and memory cmpelled liim 'O Ihe song words. Not musical poetry, but ralher sombre pmse. wheiein washing, ironing, bard days at ihe churu, hours of oonkliig for hungiy men, stood out before his mind's eye in contrast to the fair promlW lic had made the pretty girl he hüd won tor his Oi'nle. Jane Pa'ch Ciim ¦; that eveni ig, and at once took iiOii hertel! muiy of Mrs. Claik's cai es, and mi oue greeted her inore coidially (lian did the uiaster of limisc. Nuthiny wat ever s.iid about. her coming, and Tom liirch did not go a vav; ¦o Mary knew her husband could well afford the expeose. She told me how she heipad to make one man tbough;tul and unse fish as we sat on her cool pi.izza one hot August lilght; and 1 was lad that one wonian bad (trlt enougli to dt-m ind her r'uht-. It John Clark had heen poor hls wife vvnuUl have borne her hurden in pa tience; but she had no riaht to help niakc hiin sellish and iiid'.fl'erent. as to her liealth and comfort.

Article

Subjects
Ann Arbor Courier
Old News