Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1837-01-05


II A FAMILY SCENE. From the Baltimore
Visiter. Wife. My dear l really think i,
time we had new carpet for our parlor; tina,
old red and green affair begins to look indif.
ferent.
Husband. Rather coldly) It's comfortable
enough, I'm sure-suits well the furniture,
and by no means offends my taste.
! Wife. (Afecting pleasant and soothing
.one) Why that may be al true enough. my
dear; but you know appearances must be kept
up.
Husband. That is, we must spend twice
elegant in the eyes of those who do not care
"a fig for US.
Wife. No, dont mean that at all, and
you know don't. But you know as we'll as
do, that if wo do not let people see that we
and look as well as our neighbors, they will
not respect US.
Husband. That (snapping his fingers en-
orgetically) for the respect Of such people,
What, is it other peoples business whether
have a richly furnished parlor or not? They,
certainly, have NO right to expect me to lay
ceive them in when they choose to honor me
in comfortable clothing for year, and 20 far
towards paying rent in the bargain.
Nonsense! This is another speci-
men of your outandish notions. If you were
to have your own way, you would have no
handsomely furnished parlor in the house un-
less you could sit in it yourself every evening.
Husband-May be wouldn't.
Wifc.-No, know you wouldn'.
4 al - L.
board which is never used, numbering up our
back parlor, which cost me 800. This sum
would have carpetted our chambers, replen-
ished our worn out beds, and purchased a
new hair matrass for summer luxury. And
there is James piano, which drained me Of
$3.50 more, and is no use to any body in the
house or out OF it. The sofa, too which none
but strangers are allowed to enjoy. was Ss5
more. and now you want new carpet for the
use Of those who would be more ready to say
an evil than kind word cfyou. fit wasn't
for these parlors, and ornaments and super
fuities might get along in the world without
all the embarrassments and perplcxitics that
now dog my outgoings and in coinings. The
one or two thousand dollars which have
already laid out in fnery and snowy furniture
for unoccupied rooms, if | now had it, would
make my business easy, and enable me to
add six or seven hundred year to my income.
[Just at this interesting moment servant
is summoned to the street door. -
Wife.-Bless me! there comes some one,
and this room is all topsey turvey. Here,
hand me the brush, this hearth Is covered
with Goals and ashes. There, Sally, straight
en- down the rug. do wish you would let
me keep fire every evening in the parlor; ii
is mortifyng to be seen in this way by visi-
tors. '..
tServan, returns from the door, and hands
in shawl that had been borrowed by a
young lady an evening or two before
Husband.-(ln a passion, and with great
warmth.) So you have sat all the evening
with every thing in disorder, and the Goals
and ashes strewn clear out to the fender; and
this was all good enough for me. But no
sooner is knock heard than every thing
must be put in IFS place, and the hearth made
decent for the comfort Of mere Strangers
III sell the piano. sideboard, sofa and all
confound me il dont III let you see