Saving Mother

Ttie farmer at in hls enay cbair, Between Uie lire and the lamp-llght's glAre : Sis face was ruddy and fnll and fair. Hi tliree sinall boys In the clilmney nook 'onned the Unes 01' a picture book: Hls wife, the prlde of hls home and heart, Baked the biscuits and made. the tart; Lald the table and steeped the tea, Deftly, swlftly, BllenUv, Tired and weary, and worn and falnt, Sbe bore her trials without oomplaint, Iilke many another householdsalnt- Content, all selflsb bliss above In the patiënt ministry of love. At last, between the (! juds of smoke l'hat wreatbed hls Upa, the husband spoke. "There's taxes to raise, an' interest to pay, And ef there shouldcome a rainy day, Twould be mlghty handy. I'm bound to say T'bave sumtbln' put by. i'or folks must die, in' there's funeral bilis, an' gravcstuns to buy- Enongh to swamp a man, purty nlgh: Besiaes, there's Edward and DIck and .loe To be provided for when we go. 80 'f I was yon, 111 teil you what I'd do, l'd be sa ving of wood as ever I could- Extra flre don't do any good - I'd be savin' of soap an' savin' of lle. And run up some oandles once and a wlille: I'd be rathpr sparin' of cotl'ee an' te, Forsugar is bigb, And all t,o buy, And eider is good enougn for me. l'd be kind o' careful about my clo'es, nd look out sharp how the money goes- Qewgaws Í6 careless; natur' knows; Extra trimmln' 'S the bane of women. "l'd sell the best of the cheese and honey. And eggs 19 as good, nigh about, 's the monoy ; And as to the carpet you wanted new- I guess we can make the old one do; Andas for the washer and sewing machine Them smootti tongued agents so pesky mean You'd better get rid of 'em slick and clean. Wtiat do they know about woman's work? Do they calkilate women were bom to shirk?" Dlok and Edward and lltlle Joe dat in the corner in a row. rhey saw the patiënt mother go On ceaseless errands to and fro. They saw that her form was bent and thln, Her temples gray, her cheeks sunk in, They saw thequiver of her lip and chin- And then wlth a warmth he could not smother, Outspoketheyoungesl, frailest brother: "You talk of savln' wood and lle, An' tea and sngar all the while, Bilt you never talk of savin' mother!"