The Belmont chronicle, and farmers, mechanics and manufacturers advocate. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1848-1855, 1853-01-14
From Arthur's Home Gazette.
A SCENE FROM REAL LIFE.
by MRS. ALICE ATKINSON.

| BY MRS. ALICE ATKINSON.
my wife feels as though she was laborine
very hard for the benefit of Others.
| This was spoken by a man who considered
himself good husband; but if he had been
one in reality, would his wife have been
troubled with such, fe elingsl
Let us consider the subject, and take an
occurrence from everyday iife, to'iilustrate it.
\ Mr.. B arises in the morning with
the intention of going to the city, distance
Of twenty miles, and back the same day. In
his haste to be gone he does not observe tha,
his wife is paier than usual. Her health has
been poor for long tine, and h er altered ap-
pearance now, is noteven noticed. Although
they are in comfortable circumstances, vet
neither feel able to keep hired help. AS the
husband loves neatness and order, for which
the wife is remarkable, the latter determines
that her washing shall be done in his absence.
But many things arise to hinder,-the wood
| is poor and will not burn-the babe requires
more care than usual. The sun has passed
the meridian and is fastening on its daily
course; but the work is not half done. She
pictures to herself the children quietly sleep
ing in their snug little bed, the floor mopped,
fire bright and cheerful, the table spread with
its snowy cloth, and her husbands favorite
dish prepared ere his return.
But, alas! bright anticipations vanish; the
day is passed, and evening shades appear, ;
the babe becomes more troublesome and now
takes all the mothers time. She has nearly
succeeded in quieting it, when she hears the
well known step on the thresholds; her hus-
band enters; he sees the unfinished washing
with all its accompaniments of tubs and pals;
the fire has nearly gone out, and his little
boy, two years old, is splashing water from
one thing 70 another, in great glee. Mr..
B seizes the child, and places him in
choir in the corner, with so much violence
that the room quickly resounds with his
screams. He then whips him to still his
cries, that his own voice may be heard.
Every blow pierces the mothers heart, but
she knows remonstrance is vain, and lets
things take their course in silence.
- Her turn comes next, and he can hardly
: inc words strong enough to express his in
dignation; among many other things, he tells
her she never has anything in order, he never
knew her to have fire; or meal in season
By this time, the babe was fairly aroused,
and it needed considerable exertion to hush
its plaintve cries, but by carrying it about in
her arms the mother was at last triumphant
She next prepared their evening meal
with as much alacrty as exhausted nature
would allow; and, as her husband slipped his
tea, and enjoyed the genial warmth of the
fire, the irritability Of his temper passed off,
and with it all thoughts OF the late unhappy
occurrence. He soon retired to rest, and in
refreshing sleep, forgot the tolls of the day.
His wife had now her washing to finish, and
everything to put in its place, even her hus-
bands bootjack; for, with all his love of
order, he frequently forgot to put up his own
things. When she had accomplished all, she
too retired to rest, but not to sleep-no; every
nerve was unstrung; and, as she laid her
throbbing head on its pillow; and vainly at
tempted to sleep, the events of the day would
crowd themselves into her mind Yet she
would not allow herself to think unk:adly o
her husband.-She tried to reason thus
Have | not good husband! Does he not
provide for my actual wants, according to the
best of his ablity!'
But, notwithstanding all her endeavors
the crued words which had been uttered by
him in wrath, would rush into her mind, like
unbdden guests, until tears began to flow il
profusion, and memory became busy. Ther
she thought of the happy home of her girl
hood. of the mother that watched over her, 0
the days when the rose of health bloomed OF
her cheek, and her brow was unclounded b!
caro put r,not Of oil bar p,nrv rnvnrfp,
to the bridal day, when her lover promised
; in the presence of God and man, to love
cherish and protect, until death should then
part. She asked herself if she had ever beel
unfaithful to the marriage vow; conscience
answered no, had she not studied her hus
; bands happiness with unerring zeal, unit
self was all forgotten, health gone, constitu
tion enfeebled! And, now, as she felt hel
self less able to perform the duties requires
of her, she felt that her love had been i'll
; repaid-Thus, after a day of overtaske
: labor, and nearly night spent in tears, tn
wife sunk into an uneasy sluInber, to be dis
turbed at intervals by her babe, until tn
dawn of another day, when the we'll reste
husband called upon his wife to rise, no
: doubling but she was as much relresheh q
: himself
Now, what had that husband gained by a
: this! Had not his wife done her best, an
what could she do more! 1t is true, he kne'
not of her grief and tears; he knew not tina
i such treatment was Fastening her to tn
grave, she daily sunk under the accumulate
weight of care, he knew not that the caus
was in any way attributed to himself.
:. Yet, it would have required but little fo
u bearance on his part to have spoken a kin
word or sympathzed with her little. Sh
would then have performed the same dutie
with cheerfulness, and considered herse
happy in the possession of such a HUSBAND
u And when her head rested on its pillow, al
she strove to hush its throbbiugs, no imag'
e but such as affection brings would ha'
'e haunted her imagination; and her slumbe