Sowing and Reaping: A Temperance Story

E-text prepared by Juliet Sutherland, Andrea Ball, and the Project
Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team
A Temperance Story
A Rediscovered Novel by
Frances E.W. Harper
Edited by Frances Smith Foster
I hear that John Andrews has given up his saloon; and a foolish thing it was. He was doing a splendid business. What could have induced him?
They say that his wife was bitterly opposed to the business. I don't know, but I think it quite likely. She has never seemed happy since John has kept saloon.
Well, I would never let any woman lead me by the nose. I would let her know that as the living comes by me, the way of getting it is my affair, not hers, as long as she is well provided for.
All men are not alike, and I confess that I value the peace and happiness of my home more than anything else; and I would not like to engage in any business which I knew was a source of constant pain to my wife.
But, what right has a woman to complain, if she has every thing she wants. I would let her know pretty soon who holds the reins, if I had such an unreasonable creature to deal with. I think as much of my wife as any man, but I want her to know her place, and I know mine.
What do you call her place?