do the Chores as well as the House-Work, because Henry could not afford to hire a Girl.  At last her Back gave out, so that she had to sit down and Rest every Once in a While.  Henry would come in for his Meals and to let her know how Hearty all the Calves seemed to be, and he began to Notice that she was not very Chipper.  It Worried him more than a little, because he did not care to pay any Doctor Bills.  He told her she had better go and get some Patent Medicine that he had seen advertised on the Fence coming out from Town.  It was only Twenty-Five cents a Bottle, and was warranted to Cure Anything.  So she tried it, but it did not seem to restore her Youth and she got Weaker, and at last Henry just had to have the Doctor, Expense or No Expense.  The Doctor said that as nearly as he could Diagnose her Case, she seemed to be Worn Out.  Henry was Surprised, and said she had not been Complaining any more than Usual.

Next Afternoon he was out Dickering for a Bull, and his Woman, lying on the cheap Bedstead, up under the hot Roof, folded her lean Hands and slipped away to the only Rest she had known since she tied up with a Prosperous and Respected Farmer.

[Illustration:  THE FAMILY]

Henry was all Broken Up.  He Wailed and Sobbed and made an Awful Fuss at the Church.  The Preacher tried to Comfort him by saying that the Ways of Providence were beyond all Finding Out.  He said that probably there was some Reason why the Sister had been taken right in the Prime of her Usefulness, but it was not for Henry to know it.  He said the only Consolation he could offer was the Hope that possibly she was Better Off.  There did not seem to be much Doubt about that.

In about a Month the Respected Farmer was riding around the Country in his Buck-Board looking for Number Two.  He had a business Head and he knew it was Cheaper to Marry than to Hire one.  His Daughter was only Eleven and not quite Big Enough as yet to do all the Work for five Men.

Finally he found one who had the Reputation of being a Good Worker.  When he took her over to his House to Break Her In, the Paper at the County Seat referred to them as the Happy Couple.

MORAL:  Be Honest and Respected and it Goes.

THE FABLE OF WHY SWEETIE FLEW THE TRACK

Once there were two Married People who used “Lovey” and “Pet” when they were in Company, and as soon as they were at Home they Threw Things at each other.  She used to watch him through a Hole in the Curtain to see if he Flirted with any Women as he walked up the Street, and he bribed the Hired Girl to tell him Everything that happened while he was off the Reservation.

They did not Mocha and Java worth a Cent.

The Cardboard Motto in the Dining Room said, “Love One Another,” but they were too Busy to Read.

He had a Clearing on the top of his Head and wore Side-Whiskers and bore a general Resemblance to the Before in an Ad for a Facial Treatment, and yet she suspected that all the Women in Town were Crazy to steal him away from her.