Muscatine journal. [volume] (Bloomington, Iowa) 1849-185?, 1853-08-12
UntIdincSS,


deavor to cure yourself of this disposi.
tion to un,idlness ! Just look what a
room A dirty handkerchief in one
corner, pair of slippers in another
your drawers half open. with strings
hanging out of some. and corners OF
tumbied garments peeping from others ;
your wash basin full of dirty water.
with the soap melting and wasting At
the bottom Of it; and your towels lying
about wet and crumpled, instead OF
being spread out neatly on the horse to
dry. And-really. Ellen, you are too
| bad 7--here is your best black dress
pushed into this band box, all in hea p
and the Grape full Of creases. On! child,
you will never be fit for anything
What state Of disorder your mind
muss be in, to judge by It's outward
NANTES ta,ions -
Ellen. during this well deserved lee.
Iture from her orderly and ca re ful moth
err. sat lounging in an easy chair by the
bedside. affecting to be too much ab-
sorbed in an interesting book 10 hear
half the reproofs addressed 10 her. At
length she looked up with languid
air
al wish, mamma she said fretfully.
"you would no, trouble me about such
trifes. have just got to such BEAU
TIFUL part of this tale. | must see hov
it ends. Do, dear mamma. Just go into
the parlor, and / will tidy away all in
good time. After all, it is only bed
room. No one ever sees it and what
does appearance signify One canno,
spend ones whole life in keeping things
neat.
"For ycur own sake. Ellen, you should
like 10 see them SC. Some day or other
you will sorely repent this disorderly
turn. Now do, my dear child, pay
attention TO what | say. and arouse
yourself from that absorbing book -
The morning, when active duties have
to be discharged, is no time for drea m
ing over fctions, however beautiful.
You know that we cannot afford to keep
two servants, and you do not consider
how much carelessness adds To Sarah's
la bor, unless, indeed when your mother
makes up for your deficiencies.
Ellen made no reply, but throwing
down her book with half groan. as
much as to say, "Oh mamma, what a
very dreadful bore you are - sulkily
began to effect sundry reforms in her lit.
tered apartment. Mrs. Leece, satisfied
to see that she had at length reused her
daughter TO partial performance of her
duty. left the room. and proceeded to
the kitchen to give orders for dinner.
Time went on. and Ellen, absorbed in
a species Of dreaminess and sentimen-
tality that caused her to despise what she
called :.trifles," which term included all
the small but necessary decencies Of
life. became more and more slatternly.
Conscious Of neglected tresses, trodden
down slippers, aud stockings out at
heels, she invariably disappeared when
callers were announced and thus it
happened that she missed one called
whom she would have given worlds to
see, namely, lieutenant, a friend of
her brothers and an old acquaintance
OF her own. who paid a hurried visit to
Mrs. Leece on his way to his new quar-.
tars in the north. On this occasion.
Mrs. Leece followed her daughter up
stairs. where she found her before her
glass frantically endeavoring to ge: her
self in order TO appear before dashing
young fellow, who had a critical eye
for dress, and would have detected any
deficiency.
Come. Ellen make haste," said the
mother, "Henry Wilkins has inquired
for you, and he has not long to stay. 1t
would seem SO odd if you did not come
down to see him, yon used to be such
good friends
81 am making all the haste can,
mamma. Do look me out some clean
stockings they are in that drawer.
oh dear there is not one without hole
in it; aud remem ber tlenry used to be
SO parucular. and he sees every thing.
Go, and keep him amused. dear ma m ma,
while | mend pair. BY the by, did
you see my new slippers! | think l
left them in your room last night. l
will put on my clean lilac muslin. Oh
dear l shall never be ready"
Ellen's efforts were in vain. 1t took
her SO long to make herself unexcep.ion.
able in appearance. that the lieutenant's
time had expired. and he was forced
TO go. Just as she FASTENED down
stairs, the street-door closed behind him.
She threw herself on the sofa. and burs,
into tears.
As for the young gentleman, he said
to himself as he strobe down the street.
81 thought my former playmate retain
ed some pleasant recollections of me-
supposed she would have remem bered
our last parting beside the old well
Perhaps she does, but is evidently with
desire to avoid fulfilling the pledge then
given. Very we'll. Ellen. I was de.
termined that no other than yourself
should become my wife. but your con.
duct has dispelled that dream. Not
even to wish to SEQ me She must
be changed indeed"
FouED.-That disorder and untidi.
ness, while they are nuisance to all
well-disposed persons. may, in certain
cases, exercise fatal influence on the
prospects Of the individual lndulging in
them.
A NAN by the name of George w.
Houston. living short distance from
Sparta. Va, has a COW, which has
brought forth q most uncommon calf
The ~.lc ;s NOR t,,o ,.ooLo -