Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1853-03-10
9 ELEC TED STORY,
From the Northern Light.
THE THREE HOMES
OR,
THE MAGIC OF NEATNEss.
BIZ FINLEY JOHNSON.

ing swept onward, and famed the brows
of the heated laborers, they, one and all
thanked heaven that the toll of the day
was over. But TO none among the
homeward- bound, did the evening breeze
seem more refreshing than TO three,
whose baskets of tools, borne over three
shoulders. denoted them carpenters. Al
the entrance of the. village where they
lived, Jones, Yates and Fields separated
each to seek his own dwelling.
There was not a neaier and cleaner,
or heater abode in Bell Air, than that a.
waiting the reception of Jones. Not a
speck Of dust dimmed the briiliance OF
the windows, every article of furniture
was polished ill il shone like mirror;
fresh flowers brea,hed forth their fra
GRANGE from the chimney piece; spot.
less cloth covered the supper-table, and
Mrs. Jones and the children were as
neat as it was possible TO be.
Far different was the scene which a.
waited Yates; his house was disorderly
his children untidy, and his wife absent.
The last named evil was, however, soon
remedied, for one of the children Ges-
patched in quest of his mother, soon re-
turned with her.
You here already. Bill!" she exclaim-
ed rushing in breath!essly in dim aud
dirty gown. 81 had no idea il was so
late. Light the fire, that's good boy,
and we'll soon have supper"
IL am SO tired, Mary, that I'd rather
do wishou. supper" said Yates, throw
ing himselfupon seat.
"Are you? Well, then, I'll make it,
and as she hurried TO light the fire, more
than one piece OF crockery was broken,
which had, for the time, been put in an
improper place.
"Where have you been?" inquired
Yates. ..... ...
"Just next door, 10 see poor Mrs.
Browns sick baby"
"Mo,her has been gone ever since two o,
ehlmed in youngs,er.
"You abominable story teller-take
that"-and here the mother boxed the
ears of the child.
OFF went the child in crying fit, and
of went Mrs. Yates to prepare the sup
per-the children became cross and slee-
py, and when tea was at last ready, she
had to GO up stairs and pu: them to bed,
then returning swallowed her own meal
hastily and, putting aside the dirty plates,
declared that now she must go and
wash.
"Wasb!" exclaimed her husband, in
establishments, al thought J GU were TO do
shat yesterday"
"Wel, so | meant, but Mrs. Brown
came in and prevented me. And now
must wash, for neither nor the children
!. have clean thing TO put on"
$50 it seems" said Yates, sarcasti
cally.
$50 il seems-indeed," she cried an
grily. 81 suppose you expect me to be
as clean and neat as if kept twenty
servants"
me, Mary" said her husband, grave
ly, 81 form no such ex.ravagant notions
ALI / ask is, that the hours am wor-
king to earn our bread, may be spent by
you in a manner more profitable than
gossipping; and let me find quiet and
orderly house on my return. and COM
panion such as you used to be in the ear
lier days of our welded life"
But the affeciIonaie tone of the last
words excited no sofiening influence on
the reused spirit of the indignant wife,
and a quarrel ensued, which ended in
Yates taking his hat. and finding at the
public house the the comfort he could
not in his own.
Meanwhile, Jones passed through his
trim little garden, entered his pretty cot
ssge home, and sitting down his basket,
seated himself by the window.
"Oh, Jones, you never wiped your
shoes when you came in" was his wite's
salu,aiion. as she entered the room.
"Well, my dear. and if did not there
could be no mud on them," said he.
.No-but LII be bound there's plenty
OF dust on them;" she retorted Grossly,
"and you know how hate dust. And
here-Lord bless me, if your dirty bask-
es amt set down on the clean wax cloth.
VIVA, is the use of me being slave, il
this is the way you ac,!"
"But. Nell, I'm SO tired"
"1'ired--forsoo,h and don't You think
that get tired. working about all day as
! de-"
You are indeed very industrious
wife, Neil, yet even as he spoke, ne
sighed, for his home, though il was pleas
ant to look at. was very uncomfortable.
Mrs. Jones was a conscientious and
an Industrious woman, and she esteemed
j, her duty TO work hard for her hu sband
and children. But she perceived not
how Der spirit Of house worship interfer.
ed with her duties as wife and mother.
The later demanded her house should be
home, the former tina, it should be an
idol, and she bowed INTERESTINGLY down
10 the imsge she had herself set up,
without once suspecting that the magic
word ..home," was in her keeping but
an empty sound. Her husband, when
his hours of labor were over, felt as if
he had fairly earned happy evening.
but he was offending agains. her rules of
propriely. and therefore betook himself
10 the public house, where he was an OBJ
;ect If consideration. which he never