Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1850-04-25
S E lie CT TALE.
From the Hartford Daily Times
" Company Every Day."


cold winters evening, in whut was styled
nv The household the little back chamber
They called il little, not only because It's di-
meusons fairly entitled it 10 that adjective,
but also 10 distinguish il from the back
chamber OF the main house.
The little one was an ell directly over the
kitchen, and originally designed, one might
suppose, TO serve IN the capacity oil safety
valve for it, as, when the steam, smoke, odor
or heat, (Which last, though was not often
the CASEY became disagreeabe 10 the hired
help she had only 10 open The back stair
door and the lower room was speedily re-
lieved of its surplus moisture, vapor, smell,
or clurIc, as the case might be.
This little back room, which, by the way.
had been the cause OF considerable conten-
ton during the three years Mr.. Elton had oc :
cupied the house, was ol an iudetinable
shape. Ii was neither square or round, yet
it had both straight lines and curves. The
ceiling was low, and, IN consequence of the
culinary clouds winch swept 50 often across
il, OF an iron-9ray hue while The walls,
which in common parlance were 'iUhlte-
tc1shed y1Ler,' had from The same cause as
sumed shade similar to that which dl stin-
gushes an old cent.
The furniture was very simple, nothing
but what seemed actually necessary finding
a place there. The floor, or middle por-
ton of il rather, was covered with rag car
pet, in which one, might see, not only every
color, but every shade of color under the
sun while the hooks and corners were
pieced out with bits of oll-coilr, green baize,
and worn out druggetS. An old fashioned
up hed,tead occupied ore corner, con
cealcd by curtains made. from old calico
dresses, ard like delicate drapery shaded the
two windows. A three legged stand, which
had been the crOwnIng ornament OF Mrs.
Eltons grandmnthers square room; hive
chairs, no two of which We're alike, and all
so antquated and touling as to lead one to
suspect they came OUT of the Maytower, il
not out of The ark ; dumb stove, and a con-
pie of wooden stools, comprised the inven-
Iorv.
Every thing was scrupulousy neat. except
the ceiling and walls; every thing was in
perfect order, and YET the room wore any
thing but an inviting look, and produced any
other than pleasant sensation upon entering
il. One felt when seated there. that he had
a roof 10 shelter him /; but TO farther sense
of comfort, there was none. Yet Ihls room
this little, low, ugly, chilling, grease scent
ed hole, with its dingy walls. and anGetlllu-
vian-hke furniture e-was during the day and
evening, used ms parlor and sttingroo by
all the members of Mr.. Enon's family, and
in the night us sieeping-room for the two
daughters.
WHY. think YOU /? Because il was the
poorest, neunest apartment in the whole
house, and it saved labor, time, light, fuel,
wear ana tear, and ct ceteras lunumerable,
TO occupy il as they did. Aud, moreover
and lhls was the climly of. all the reasons
aud had been advanced time and again by
Mrs. EhOn-'it kept the lront part OF the
house in such nice order for company!
Thi. Mrs Elton was woman OF many
excellent qualities. She was pattern
housekeeper. active, industrious, frugal, neat.
II would have been difficult 10 have gathered
=; spoonful OF Jirt' in her whole house there
was never dish appeared on her table.
spoiled in the cooking never garment
laid away unmended; ; never anything losi Or
wasted. She was called, ,oo model wife
and mother. There was no man in the
town whose linen was so white, or whose
clothes were so well brushed and cared ior,
as her husband's there were no children,
who in appearance or behavior excelled hers.
Were her family i'll, she forgot her own ex-
isence IN the care she bestowed upon them,
and whether SICK Or well herself labored (or
them necessarily work seeming indeed the
object for which she lived.
Much of thsir present prosperity was evil
IDENTITY owing to her good management and
skill in household affairs. They had began
at the root of the ladder, but, after a union
of nineteen years. had left many a round
behind them. They dwell in spacious, ell
egant house, furnished lone room excepted
with taste and splendor had comfortable
sum al Interest, ard were doing prosperous
business. The world had looked on, and its
comment had always been Elton is lucky
fellow /; but no wonder, he has such capI-
tai wife ;; aud more Than one maa hal Sc
cre,ly euved him his treasure. Every body
told him he ought 10 be very happy man /;
that his ought to he a very happy family =
He thought SO too, and tried 10 imagine they
were but years Of stern reality had con-
vinccd him that such was not the case, and
often he feared it never would be. And
why reason there was, strange one,
too. He was Mrs. Elton s husband, and the
Young boys and girls, that clustered around
their fires ide her children. Do you stare
Let me STATE it, then, in another form Tie
and his children were only her olOn family
they ,psre not companyn
Mrs Elton with all her good qualities,
and they were many and fine Ones be onged
to that class, (aas. tbs; should have TO add
H., that large class, who think nothing too
good Tor cunpany, nothing too poor for their
family. There was no need of Warming the
parlors every day and lighting them every
evening inst for her own folks the liule
back chamber would do quite as WE'LL
There was no need of using The dining room
nj every meal spreading the table with n
damasK cloth and china and silver, aud the
kitchen win coarse, brown linen. cheap
crockery and plated spoons. And SO on. nd
irufnitum. Her own family must not take
the comfort ot their wealth ,hecause fnrs,o,h
something might wear out. Yet she yo,lJ
give parties. though the company did mr.,
injury TO her house and furniture in n s;n,,.
evening Than her own family would do in a
whole year. A plain table would do for
themselves vet she would furnish an enter
iainmenr for visitors, the cost oi winch would
spread their private board with luxuries for
many months. She loved her husband and
children dearly, but there was no use o
making fuss for them that must be re
served for company. She must do her duty
to her family, not strive to make their home
happy one. Her house must be pleasant
when friends were gathered there, it was nc
concern Of hers how dull, when they were
absent.
They were assembled as have said, one
cold winter evening, in the little back cham
Der. Mr.. Elton sat in the corner, his chair
leaned back. his head resting on the wall,
his arms folded listIessIy. His eyes were
cast upward with steady gaze, riveted
probably on some imaginary picture, His