Bloomington Telephone, Volume 7, Number 23, Bloomington, Monroe County, 6 October 1883 — Page 6

TO COK10ESJ'ONXKNTS. AH communication for this papr sbuUld be scoom. puled by the nam of the author: not necessarily foi publication, but as an evidence of good faith on the part of tie -writer. Write only on one side of the paper. Be .particularly careful, la giving names and dates, to havo the bitten and figures plain and distinct.

TMX SKEiy WE WIXB. If you and I, to-day Should stop and lay Our lifewark down, and let our hand fall where they will CM1 down to lie Quite still And if some other hand should come and stoop to find The threads we curled, so that it should wind, Beginning where we stopped; if it should come tolceep Our lifework going, seek To carry on the good design, Distinctively made yours or mine, What would it find? Borne work we must he doing, true or false: Borne thread we wind; some purpose so exalts Itself that we look up to it, or down, As to a crown To bow before, and we weave threads Of different length and thickness some mere shreds And wind them round Rill the skein of life is bound, Sometimes forgetting at the time To ask .The value of the threads, or choose Strong stuff to use. Jio hand but winds some thread; It cannot stand quite still till it is dead But what it spins and winds a little skein, Hiod. made each hand for work not t.il-stain Is required but every hand Spins, though but ropes of sand. If love should come, Stooping above when we ate done, To find bright threads That we have held, that ibmay spin them longer find but shreds That break when touched how cold, Sad, shivering, portionless, the hand will hold The broken strands, and know Fresh cause for more. Sawkeye. How One Wife Managed. BI BB. DIO LEWIS. Deacon M., a rich, respectable man of G6, married for his third -wife, Katie C, a pretty sewing-girl of 22. Some weeks before the wedding, ILatie, who had been ray patient, came to ask my advice about her marriage, though, as she afterward confessed, she was already engaged. I frankly advised against the match, spoke of the Deacon's daughter's older than herself, and urged his well-known penuriousaess. Bat Katie was poor; the Deacon was rich, had a fine house, kept a carriage, and was the most considerable person in the neighborhood. They were married. The neighbors congratulated her. About two years after the wedding, Katie asked me, in a little note, to call, and mentioned that she wished to aee me confidentially. Sho was not very sick, but wanted to ask my advice about her troubles. With much sobbing she told me that after being Very kind for a few months, the Deacon had joined his daughters against her. I tried to comfort her, urging that in, every position in life there were trials which we must bear with Christian patience. But," said she, "I need clothing, -and have often spoken of ijj, but he always tells me of what the Apostle said about braided hair and gold, and pearls, -and costly array. jFearing a bitter quarrel, perhaps a separation, and thinking I might assist in preventing it, I encouraged Katie to confide in me, and begged her to keep her troubles from all the world beside. She remained "sick" a week, that she might have some one to talk to and cry to. She finally said: "I suppose even you think I am too fond of dress, and that the Deacon is right when he lectures me against the vanities of this world. When I was married I had only three good dresses. Our Irish servant has a better wardrobe thanI ever had." Katie's mind dwelt so much upon dress, that I thought it best to learn the facts. She at length convinced me that the Deacon's refusal was a piece of his characteristic meanness. After a good deal of thought I reached the conclusion for the 1,000th time, that a -wife has rights which the husband is "bound to respect. I advised a plain, Irank talk with the Deacon. The nest -day she told me that he had said she would better wait till he had paid the doctor's bflL before she talked about dress. It was clear that between the father rand the daughters this poor child was vsnre to be crushed. At length a plan of escape occurred tome. Katie could run a sewing-machine. Ptook good Mrs. G. into my confidence, and then said to Katie : "Earn money with your sewing-machine, and buy a dress, Mrs. G. is my friend. She is a prudent woman and irill furnish the sewing. paving a motive for getting well, tie. was up the next day. I dropped jri several times and found my patient ettingon famously. . At length aresplendent silk appeared in the Deacon's pew. The sister's were .astonishedl and after the "ninthly" had been safeM passed, they divided their time betweHthe- shining path to glory of which thejijood man was speaking, and the shining gown in the Deacon's jpew. The Deacon was puzzled! Here was

the new dress which he had refused to buy. How did she get it? He was ashamed to ask. Katie said nothing. The daughters interrogated the dressmaker. She said the silk came, she made the dress; the Deacon's wife had paid her; she presumed the Deacon furnished the money; he certainly was rich enough. The merchant was quizzed. The young wife had paid him for the silk and trimmings. That was all he know. There were only three of us who knew where the money came from. The Deacon and his daughters were not likely to find out about it until we chose to divulge. In another month a pretty hat was added to the young wife's wardrobe, while the gorgeous silk shone on in all its glory, mocking alike the cariosity of her family, and the ambition of the sisterhood. "And now for pity's sake, where did the vain, silly thing get that ridiculous hat? "I wonder if she has forgotten that she is a deacon's wife?" Various articles of clothing appeared from time to time, and we were developing our "little game." Kiltie knew nothing of our ulterior purpose. We did not dare to give her the least hint of it; it would have frightened her. She went on for months earning money with her sewing machine, and buying coveted articles of dress and ornament. Of course it was very silly, but the poor child was not a bit of a deaconess. She had joined her husband's church, but the work of grace did not go deep enough to touch the love of French flowers. After a time Mrs. G. whispered to a gossiping neighbor. Everybody in town, except the Deacon and his daughters, knew the whole affair within twenty-four hours. Soon the Deacon received an anonymous letter, saying : "You aTe disgraced. Your wife is sewing to earn money to buy clothes. The whole neighborhood is sneering at yon." The Deacon went straight at hi? young wife. "Where did you get the money to buy your new clothes ?" "I earned it by sewing !" "Who have you been sewing for ?" "I cannot tell you !" "But I must know, and I w ill know !" "If you ever find it out, it will be through somebody besides me. I wouldn't tell to save my life!" "But do you know what you are doing? Does not the Bible command wives to obey their husbands? You

will be sorry for this." "That is possible; but my mind is made up." "But my dear Katie, if you wanted money to buy clothes, why did you not come to me? You know if you neel money, all you have to do is to come right to me. I would not have had you done this thing for $10,000. The world's people will never stop talking about it. "I am surprised," said Katie. "You can't have forgotten that I have asked you again and again for money -to buy clothing, and you have not given me a dollar since we were married." With mingled anger and shame, the Deacon exclaimed: "Well, now I want you to understand that if you need any money you must come right to me. This scandal, which is sure to spread all over town is a burning shame. I can't see" what you were thinking, about. It will be an eternal disgrace to us all. The girls won't dare hold up their heads. My wife taking in sewing ! Pretty story ! I had rather have given you a satin dress every day in the year than to have had you done this thing ! Why in the world didn't you tell me you wanted some money? I would have given you $1,000 aay day." "Why, Deacon, what makes you say that? Dont you remember that day when the dressmaker was here making dresses for the girls, I begged for a dress, and at last was foolish enough to cry about it, and you pushed me away, and said you didn't think you had married a cry-baby. That is the last time I ever asked you for money. I fear I am not as useful as you expected, and I don't see why I may not earn the little money I need. I am sure I don't want to be a burden to you. "Katie, don't talk in that way. Why, the world's people will never stop poking at me. My wife taking in sewing ! Don't that sound nice ?" "Then why won't you set apart whatever you think is necessary for my clothing? If you will give me an allowance, as you do the girls, I will be very thankful. You know what you give them. If you want me to dress as well as they do, and you will allow me me the same, it shall not be wasted!" "Would it not be better, Katie, to look upon our purse as belonging to both of us alike, and whenever you want anything you go to it the same"4 as I do. I am sure a man's wife has just as good rights as the man himself! Katie, sha'n't we leave it just as it is, and you spend whatever yon please?" "Of course, Deacon, I shall have to do just as you think best, but I ought to be honest, and tell you that I think

it would be better to arrange a definite sum, and then I shall not be obliged to lie awake thinking about it." "Well," said the Deacon, "I will tell you what. Ave will do. I will hand you $10 dollars every three months, which you must use for pin money, and when you want to buy a dress, or any other such large thing, come right to me." Katy made one more effort. "Deacon, I am sorry you can't see it as I do. I shall use all the nieney you may give me in a very prudent way, but if there is less than I need, I shall earn it vy.th my own hands. I will not beg again as long as I live." This was exactly what she had promised to say. "Well, " angrily interrupted the Deacon, "as I am dealing with a Jew, I must come down. Madam, what are your terms?" "I have no terms; I only want a email amount of money to buy a few garments. I will not humiliate myself by begging for it. If you will arrange to furnish me with it, I shall be grateful, and give you in return all there is of me. If you do not give me the money when I need it, I shall work for it. If there is any extra work in your family which I can do for pay, I shall prefer to work for yoxi ; but if not, I shall, with every precaution to save your feelings, ask for work outside." "Madam,, will you be kind enough to mention your terms ?" "If you will give me $200 a year, and will be kind enough to let me have a quarter of it every three months, I will make it pay for my clothing. You give each of your daughters 300, but I will make $200 do, and I will never ak for more. If you Avill be so good as to allow me this sum, it will relieve me of a great trouble." "Let it be so," angrily exclaimed the Deacon. As he went out, lie muttered to himself, "My wife taking m sewing! The world's people will never stop sneering at me. Taking in sewing! Pretty story ! Never can tell what a woman will do! Most unreasonable creatures in the world! Taking in sewing! Wouldn't had it happen for $10,000! The world's people will never stop laughing about it." With persons in comfortable circumstances this is a good and wise expedient. Most happily I have known it to work in a number of cases. It has many advantages; it is honest, convincing and effective. It challenges the respect of the husband, and if done in a gentle spirit awakens Ids sympathy and sense of justice. With a little patience I think it will prove uniformly successful. Most hsisbands will indignantly denounce all such interference with the management of their families. If a husband goes astray, nine men in ten are furious at the tale-beare. who communicates with the wife; but let the wife go astray, how full of sympathy and hell) for the wronged husband these same nine men are. Gentlemen, fellow-husbands, has not this auimal, brutal selfishness gone about far enough ? Has not the time come, in the race of life, to remove all obstacles from the pathway of those whom we call "the weaker vessels ?" If either of us must be handicapped, which do you, brave men, say it shall be? Dio Lewis' Monthly. IX A CHIXESE BOCTOIi'S OFFICE.

A sick Chinaman walked into a I Chinese store in Mott street, New j York, pressed his hands against his stomach, ran them across his forehead, and, in the Celestial tongue, informed a wise-looking, fat Mongolian behind I the counter that he was sick. Tho wise-looking man regarded the sick man through his big, round, hornrimmed spectacles, inspected has tongue, placed his hands on his head, faced him to the four points of the compass, chanted mysteriously at him and motioned him to a seat. Then he weighed out, in delicate scales, a dozen ingredients, wrapped the mass in sis little cornucopias, tied them up with dried grass,pocketed a silver doHar and dismissed the patient. "What did you give that man?" a re j porter asked. "Man he heap sick," said the doctor, casting a lugubrious glance at his questioner and jerking his words out at rail, road speed. "Been heap dlunk 'cause he hear him monther-'n-law die in China. Him heap glad. Give uni mandlake, give him lu-barb, give um shlnnp and little bit dried snake; makee eat plenty glub. Me good doctor. You like some medicine?" New York Sim. BABY'S FXJ2. The awful prevalence of pie in this country is illustrated by the remark sent to the "Drawer" by a grandfather, proud of his grandchild of .$ years who is visiting him. Enthroned in her high chah', she waited at table for the appearance of dessert. The family pie was duly Bet befor grandma, and baby's eyes were directed that way, when a small pie mnde for her majesty was slipped before her. Equal to the occasion, her eyes darning with delight, she burst out with, "Oh, auntie, I'm mamma of this pie!" "Editors Draw'er," in Harper's.

THE BAB BOY.

"Hello, got back again, have you?" 3aid the grocery man to the bad boy, as ho came in the store looking tired, with his clothes soiled and a general appearance of having been sleeping in freight cars with cattle. "Your pa told me he expected you had run away for good and that you might not come back. Where yon been?" "Chicago," said the boy, as he took out a toad-stabber knife and proceeded to take the ulster off a smoked herring. "Been playing Prodigal Son, 'ji two acts. But times havo changed since that young fellow in the Bible went off on a tear and came back, and the old folks killed a young cow fo him to eat, and fell on his shirt collar and cried down the back of his neck. They don't receive prodigal sons that way in our ward. They fill a prodigal son's eoat tails full of boots, and he can't find ;old veal enough in the house to make t sandwich." "I thought your folks were pious and would be inclined to overlook anything," said the grocery man, as he charged the herring and crackers to the bad boy's father. "Y'ou don't mean fco tell me they went back on the teachings of the good book and warmed your jacket ?" "You have guessed it the first time," said the boy. "This prodigal son business is all right in theory, but in practice it's a dead failure. You see at Sunday-school the lesson was about the prodigal son, and the minister told us all about how the boy took all the money he could soraje up and went awfy to a distant country and painted the towns rd, and spent his money bike a countryman at a circus, and how he took in all the sights, and got broke, and got hungry, and took a job at the stock-yards feeding pigs, and he was so hungry he used to help the pigs eat their rations, and finally he thought of his home, where they had pie, and he went home expecting to be fired out, but his pa was tickled to see him, and sot up a free lunch of calf on a half shell, and hugged the boy, and made him feel bully. When we got home pa and ma talked about the lesson, and pa 3aid it was one of the most touching tilings he ever heard, and told me to think of it, and it would do me good. Well, the more I thought of it the more I felt like trying the prodigal business on, and I told my chum about it, and he said he hadn't had any vacation, and he would go off prodigaling with mo if I would go, and we could see the country, and have a good time, and come back and be received with open arms. Well, we got all our money together, and a brakeman on a freight-train, that goes to church, cause his wife sings in the choir, he hid us in the caboose and. we went to Chicago. Oh, my, but we had a good time! I never saw money wither the way it did with us. We eat about twenty times a day, the first two days, and then our appetite left us, because Ave didn't have any more money. The first two nights we slept in a 2-shilling lodginghouse, the third night Ave Avalked around, and the fourth night Ave slept in the police-station. When our money was gone half the fun was gone. If a felloAv can walk around Avith money in his pocket he feels good, even if he don't want to buy anything ; but when the money is gone he feels bad and Avants to buy lots of things. We Avaited two days for our brakeman, and Avhen we got on his train he put us on a cattle-ear, and it Avas vile. I traded my collar-button for a postal-card and wrote to pa timt the prodigal would put in an appearance at 9 p. m., and for him to prepare to fall on my neck, and to send down to the meat-market for a hind quarter of fatted calf and have plenty of gravy. You wouldn't believe it, but there Avas no carriage at the depot, and we had to Avalk home. I could have overlooked that if there had been anything to eat when I got to the house, but there Avasn't enough for a canary bird. Pa Avas there, however, and I Avas just going to hold out my neck for pa to get on to Aveep when he grabbed it Avith his hand and came near twisting it off, and then he turned me around and began to play the bass drum on my clothes Arith his feet. I never was so annoyed in all my life, honestly. It was not the treatment I had a right to expect after Avhat they had told me about the prodigal son of ancient, tunes. As quick as I could catch my breath I asked pa what he thought the prodigal son of Bible times Avould ha ve thought if his pa had mauled him Avhen became home, and Avhatkind of a story it would have made if it had told about the old man taking him by the neck and kicking him all over the ro:.m, ins lead of falling on Lis neck and weeping, and giving him a veal pot-pie. Pa said he Avasn't running any old back-number prodigal sons, and he tiiought his way was the best, and he sent me to bed Avithout any supper. That settled tho prodigal business with Emmery. No more fatted calf for liank, if you please," and the boy got ip and dhook tho herring eelings ff lis lap. "Well, hoAv did your chum come

out ?" asked the grocery man, with much interest. "Oh, he hasn't come out yet. He is in the lockup, " said the boy. "His ma put the police onto him, and when he showed up they run him into the police station for a tramp. I think we have both demonstrated that this cHmate does not agree with the prodigal business, and however much they may try to teach us the beauties of such stories, they do not expect us to try to imitate them, When I go to Chicago after this I shall go in a parlor car, with lunch enough to last me, and a return ticket. I don't understand it at all. Now I didn't do half the mean things in Chicago that the Prodigal son of old did in the far-off country, ' and yet he got taffy Avhen he got heme, and I got my spine broke. It may be all right, but they do things different in the old country, you knoAV." "If I understand the kind of a prodigal son you are," said the grocery man, as he sprinkled the floor from a washbasin, preparatory to the semi-annual sweeping out, "you have got even with your pa before this, for his outrageous treatment. That is, mind you, I don't suggest anything for you to play on him, but from what I know of you, the account is even up before now. Am I right?" "Well, I should remark. Any person who thinks I cannot resent such. an insult, makes a mistake as to the sort of a prodigal son I am. We had company at dinner to-day, and pa is always in his element when we have company. He prides himself on his carving. We had a roast of beef, and before it went on the table I took the steel that pa sharpens the carving-knife on, and made two holes right through the roast, and then I took a rawhide whip that pa basted me with once, cut it in two, and run pieces of the rawhide in the holes of the beef. Pa bagan carving with a smile, and asked the minister if he would have his beef rare, or an outside piece. He was bearing gently on the carving knife, when the knife struck the rawhide and it wouldn't go any further. Pa smiled and said he guessed he had struck a barbed wire fence, and he turned the roast around and cut again, and he struck the rawhide. The minister drummed with his fork and spoke to ma and said 'we had a splendid meeting last Wednesday night,' and ma said it Avas perfectly gorgeous, and pa began to perspire and turn red in the face, and he said some words that would sound better in a breAvery, and he tried to gouge off some meat, but it Avouidn't come, and the minister said, ' Brother, you seem to be having a monkey and a parrot time with that roast,' and that made pa mad and he said he could carve his gavii meat without any sky-pilot's interference, and ma said, 'Why, pa, you should not be impudent,' and pa said he could AArhip the butcher that sold him that piece of work ox, and he sent the beef out to the kitchen and the company ate cold liver. The girl set the meat in the icechest, and pretty soon I went down cellar 'cause I didn't like cold liver, and pilied out the rawhide, and I had all the fatted calf I wanted, and I gave the rest to that lame dog you see me have here a spell ago. Oh, a boy can get enough to eat if he has got any originality about him. I think if pa would show a Christian spirit, and wear slippers when he kicks me, I would do anything to make it pleasant for him, but when a man wears out huntingboots on his own little . prodigal, I think the prodigal is apt to get hard. Don't you?" The grooeryman admitted that perhaps the boy Avas right, and he raised such a dust SAveeping out that the boy coughed, took a few peaches off tha top of a basket, and went out Avhistling, "Home Again, from a Foreign Shore."

P ech?$ Sun, UJE MEMEMBEKED SALLY JTAXE BEXDERLET. Jim Shiverly had been absent from Walla Walla for several years. He returned not long since, and one of the first men he met was Bill Tinkerson. They had just taken a social drink, Avhen Bill remarked : "Do you remember Sally Jane Benderley?" "That great big, gaAvky, red-headed girl, with freckles as big as a dime all oyer her nose?" "Yes, that's the gal." "Of course I remember her. Nobody could ever forget her. It is impossible to duplicate a face like that. She had a mouth like a catfish. What of her?" "Oh, nothing, except that she is my wife, that's all." "Is that so?" exclaimed Bill, a little confused; "then let me congratulate you while we drink to the health of Sally Jane. She may not be handsome, but she'll make you a good Avife. Here's to her." -Walla Walla Watchman. To be flattered is grateful, even when Ave know that our praises are not believed by those who pronounce them; for they prove at least our power, and show that our favor is A'alued, since it is purchased by the meanness of falsehood. Johnson. The Oil City Blizzard supposes thail Macduff was a hen, because he Avas told to lay on.

PLEASANTRIES.

Blobson calls accompaniments "bald-headed music" because they haven't got any air. I Seexno a carriage full of belles and beaux drive by, Aminadab remarked that that reminded him of a load of , wooed. J China and Japan buy our dried-apples freely. Thus does American indus- . try help to swell the population of the . Orient. J Dibections to conductors of streeticars: The woman with the rubber waterproof should invariably be shaken . before being taken. "The difference," said Twistem, as . he thumped his glass on the bar, "between this glass and a locust, is simply . that one's & beer mug and the other's mere bug." Pittsburgh Telegraph. Mns. Homespun, who has a terrible time every morning to get her .young brood out of their beds, says she can not understand why children are called the rising generation. Boston Tranr script. A xouxa man went to see his ladylove one night and staid so late that the girl's mother brought in a dozen eggs and asked him to hatch them for her. He left, and declares he will never call again. Did you ever think what you would i do if you had Vanderbilt's income? Norristown Herald. Well, no; but we have often wondered what Vandercilt would do if he had our income. Philadelphia News. The independent damsels of Athens, Ga., formed a "Spinster's Club," which do men were suffered to attend. Then a Bachelor's Club was organized in self-defense, and at last accounts they were holding joint sessions. "Sam, how is it yer didn't git 'lected to dat new s'ciety de udder ebenin' ?" asked a darkey dude of an old moke whose head looked like a ripe egg plant. Passing his hand over the top of his head where the black wool ought to be but wasn't, he replied: "Dunno, Gus; but I 'spec' 'twas kase Tse black bald." He had at last screwed his courage to the sticking point, and had come determined to pop the question. "la Miss Blank in?" he asked of the new girl. "Indade she is that." "Is she engaged?" "Bless y'r sowL but you'd think so if yez could see her and that young man on the parlor sofa just now. Do yez want to see her?" But he had fled. ,the light fantastic, When the midnight hours cool, When the moon and stars are brightest, It Is then chafe he comts home full; It is then that he's always tightest. Angels scarce can hold the.r glee in. As he slowly homeward goes, And they rest- their harps te see him Trip bis light fantastic toe. Carl Pretzel's Weekly. "Hello," ejaculated a guardian to his pretty niece, as he entered the parlor and saw her in the arms of a sAvaio, Avho had just popped the question and sealed it Avith a kiss. "What's the time of day noAV ?" "I should think it was half -past 12," was the cool reply of the blushing damsel, "You see we are almost one." Mn. Jones had very large feet, but it did not prevent his being polite to the ladies. One day one of the girls said to another: "Oh, Sarah, do you know Mr. Jones?" "Yes, I know him," "Do you know him very well?" "Well, I should say so." "But, how well?'' "Oh, we are so thick that we talk about his feet as a matter of course, and are not a bit astonished at their size any more." "Ahem I didn't know you were engaged." Merchant-Traveler. A man Avho Avas about to be hung for murder Avas conversing with a reporter about his approaching end. "I have but one fear," he said. "What's that?" asked the reporter, in the gentle tones characterizing these worthies on such occasions. "It is that the man I killed will not meet me kindly in heaven." "Don't worry about that, my friend don't worry about a little thing like that; you are not going in that direction at all, and you might as well think about something nearer home." Merchant-Traveler. ' WHAT GENIUS MAX BE XX PART. ' I What it is that we call genius it is impossible perhaps to say; it escapes our best efforts at definition; if we could define it, we should not, perhaps, feel so sure of its being genius. But there i3, unless we are greatly mistaken, closely connected with the word always ail idea of truth and loyalty to an overmastering intellectual impulse, which rises above the petty motives that inspire the ordinary actions lof men, and determines a man's career for him almost independently of his volition. New York Evening Post. Thirty years ago Bismarck suppressed all public gaming tables in Germany; but, acoording to recent reports, there is now more deep play in that country -than ever, and Berlin is the center of the gambling interest. Lawns can be cured of ants by blowing Persian powder into the holes the ants make U the ground. Anyway, a Boston man who has tried it says so