Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1850-05-10
" Company every bay"
BY MRS. CAROLINE A. SoULE.

Of the eldest son, were assembled one cold win
ters evening, in what was styled by the house
hold the little back chamber. They called it
little, not only because its Dimensions fairly en-
titled it to that adjective, but also to distinguish
it from the back chamber OF the main house.
The little one was in an ell directly over the
kitchen, and originally designed, one might
suppose, to serve in the capacity of q safety
valve for it, as whenever the steam. smoke.
odor, or heat, (which last, Il ough, was not Of
ten the case) became disagreeablc to the hired
help she had only to open the back stair door
and the lower room was speedily relieved of its
surplus moisture, vapor, SMELL or caloric, as
the case mi ght be.
| This little back-room, which, by the way,
had been the cause Of considerable contention
during the three years Mr.. Elton had occupied
the house, was of an indefineable shape. It
was neither square nor round. vet it had both
straight lines and curves. The ceiling was low,
and, in consequence of the culinary clouds
which swept so often across it, of an iror- rrey
hue while the walls, which in common par
lance were 'WhjtewaShed yallcr, had from the
same cause assumed shade similar to that
which distinguishes an old cent
The furniture was very simple, nothing but
what seemed actually necessary finding place
there. The floor, or middle portion of it rather,
was covered with a rag carpet, in which one
might see, not only every color, but every shade
of color under the sun while the hooks and
corners were peced ont with bits of oilcloth.
green ba ze, ard WORKOUT druggcts.
An old-!ashioned turnup bedstead occupied
one corner, concealed by curtain, made from
old calico dresses, and like delicate drapery sha-
ded the two windows. A three legged stand,
which had been the crowninr ornament OF,
Mrs Eton's gradmoherss square room five
chairs, no two of which were alike, and all so
antiqnatcd and tottling as 10 lead one to suspect
they came out OF the Mayllowcr, if not out of
the Ark; dumb stove, and couple of wood.
en- stools, comprised the inventory.
Everything was scrupuously neat except
the ceiling and walls; everything was in per-
feet order, and yet the room wore anything but
an inviting look and produced any other than a
pleasant sensation upon entering it. One felt
when seated there that he had a roof TO shelter
! him but as 10 farther sense of comfort. there
was none. Yet this roOm-this little. low nv
/ w. chilling, grease-Scented hole, with its dingy,
! sweatv walls and antideluvian-ke furniture
was. during the day and evening, used as parlor
and sitting room by all the members of Mr.
Eltor's family, and in the night at sleeping
room for the two daughters.
WHY, think youl Because it was the poor
est, meanest apartment in the whole house, aud
it saved labor, time. light, fuel, wear and tear.
and ct ceteras innnmerabie. to occupy it as they
did. And, moreover-and this was the climax
of all the reasors and had been advanced time
and again by Mrs. EIlon-'lt kept the trout part
of the house in such nice order tor company !
This Mrs. Elton was a woman of many en-
cclent qualities. She was "A pattern house
keeper, active, induSi rious, irupai, Ieai. l.
would have been difficult 10 have gathprcd -
spoonful of dirt IN her whole house; there was
never dish appeared on her table spoiled ~
! the cooking; never a garment laid away un.
mended; never anything lost or wasted. sac
was called, too, model wife and mctuer
! There no man in the town whose linen
was so white, or whose clothes were so well
brushed and cared for, as her husbands there
were no children who in appearance or teha-
vor exceled hprs.-Were her family ill., she
forgot her own existence in the care she be-
towed upon them, and, whether sick or well
herself, labored for them inc cessantlV-work
seemed indeed the object for whirh she lived.
Much Of their present prosperity WAS evil
IDENTIFY owing 10 her good management and
skill in household affairs. Tmy had begun
It, the foot of the ladder, but, after union Ct
.incteen years, had left many a round bel ind
them. They dwelt in spacious elegant huus,
! furnished tome room PNccptCt) WITH tGsle ~,
speudur; had IA cUmforabc~ TN at iitCrCs
ard were doing prosperous business. The
world had looked on, and t. comment had al
WAYS been Elton is "A lucky fellow bat no
wonder, he has such "A capital wife. ! and more
than one man had secretly cnvied his treasure
Everybody told him, lie ought to be a very hap
py man that his ought to be very happy f.
mily! lie thought so too and tried IA imagine
they were :-bu; years of ste. reatyhad con-
vinced him that such WAS not the case and Of
ten he feared it never would be.-And why
A reason there was, strange one too. lie wa:
Mrs. Elton's husband, and the young boys ani
girls that clustered around their frcsde, heI
children Do you stare? Let me state it then
in another form lie and his children were
only her omn .family mere nat c)mpany.
Mrs. Elton with all her good qualities, hnC
they were many and fine ones belonged Ia tina
class, (alas, that should have to adj it) tha
large class, who think nothing too good fo
company, nothing too poor for their family
There was M need Of warming the larlor every
day and lighting them every evening Just fo
her own folks; the little back chamber won
do quite as well. There was 10 need of usin!
the dining room at every meal ; spreading til,
table with "A damtsk cloth anI china and silver
and the kitchen with coarse brown linen, chea
crOckery, and plated spoons, would do just Il
well when they were all alone. And so on
uu HHHtHm' IicI wv III ldllllIN IluSl nbt TAX
the comfort OF their wealth, because, torsootl
f something might wear out Yet she woul
give parties, thoush the company did more in
jury to her house and furniture in a single even
I ing than her own family would do in a who'll
: year A plain table would do for lhemseIye-
yet she would furnish an entertainment for vi
I sltors, the cost of which would spread thel
Q private board with luxures for mauy month,
r She loved her husband and children dearly, bu
II there was no use of making a fuss for them
h that unst be reserved for company She mu,
e do her duty 10 her family, not strive to mai;
o their home happy one. Her house must b
n pleasant when friends were gathered there,
S was no concern of hers how dull, when the
a were absent.
,r They were assembled as | have said, on
O cold winter evening in the little back chambe
l. Mr.. Elton sat in one corner, his chair earne
g back, his head resting on the wall, his arm
ID folded liStlessly. His eyes were cast upwar
N with steady gaze, riveted probably on som
4, imaginary picture, for that ceiling surely coul
not arrest them His countenance wore one
those moody expressions so difficult to analyA
so unpleasant to behold. lie had dropped O
elt