The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1853-01-27
TF.om the Northern Light.
The Three Homes:
OR THE MAGIC OF NEATNESS.
BY FINLEY JOHNSON.

".
inward. and fann'd the brows of the heated =
Iabore.s, they, one and all, thanked heaven !;
hat the toll of the day was over. But 10 .
none among the homeward- bound, did the
evening breeze seem more refreshing than 10 ,
three. whose baskets of tools borne over thelr
shoulders denoted them carpenters. Al the ,
entrance of the village where they nved.
Jones, Yates and Fields separated, each TO
seek his own dwelling.
There was not cleaner or neater abode In
Bell Air, than that awaiting the reception OF :
Jones. Not speck of dust dimmed the bril-
lance of the windows: every article OF lurni-
ture was polished till it shone like mirror;
fresh flowers brcathed forth their fragrance
from the chimney piece; aspotless cioth COW
cred the little supper-table, and Mrs. Jones
and the children were as neat as it was posi-
BILE to be. :. al
Far different the scene which awateu
Yates; his house was in disorder, his children
untidy, and his wife absent. The last named
evil was however soon remedied, tor one Of
the children despatched in quest OF his mother
soon returned with her.
"You here already, Bill!'' she exclaimed,
rushing in breathlessly in dim ana dirty
gown. 81 had no idea it was so late. Light
the fire, that's good boy, aud wen have
supper"
IL am so tired, Mary, that I'd rather 90
without SUPPER" said: yates, throwing himself
upon seat.
"Are you! Well then, I'll make it," and
ms she hurried to light the fire, more than one
piece of crockery was broken, which had, Tor
the time, been put in an improper place.
"Where have you been!" inquired Yates.
! "Just next door, to see poor Mrs. Browns
sick baby
"Mother has been gone ever since two"
chimed in a youngster.
"You aboniinable y-teller-take that
end here the mother boxed the ears OF the
child.
OFF went the child in crying fit, and of
went Mrs. Yates to prepare the supper-the
children became cross and sleepy, and when
tea was at last ready, she had to go up stairs
and put them to bed, then returning swal-
lowed her own meal hastily, and, putting
aside the dirty plates, declared, that now she
must 60 and wash.
"Wash!'' exclaimed her husband, in aston
, shment, ~ thought you were to do that yes
terday.''
swell, SO meant, but Mrs. Brown came
in and prevented me. An now | must wash,
. for neither nor the children have clean
: thing to put on"
: $50 it seems" said Yates, sarcastically.
$50 it seems-indeed," see cried angrily
IL suppose you expect me to be as clean ant
: neat as if [ kept twenty servants"
n mo, Mary said her husband. gravely, %
/ form no such extravagant notions-all asi
S is, that the hours am working to earn on
dread, may be spent by you in a manner more
e profitable than gossiping; and 50 let me I'M
N a quiet and orderly house on my return, an
J. q companion such as you used to be in tn
e earlier days of our welded life,
-tvrercrscu no softening influence ON the rouse
IT spirit of the indignant wife, and quarrel EN-
IS sued, which ended in Yates taking his ha,
IF and finding at the public house the comfort h
is could not find in his own.
n Meanwhile, Jones passed through his trir
m little garden, entered his pretty cottage home
ofl and sitting down his basket seated himsel
r by the window.
" "Oh, Jones, you never wiped your shoe
id when you came in," was his wife's salutato
,e as she entered the room.
N swell, my dear, and if did not there coul
,e be no mud on tliem,' said he.
&c "No-but I'll he bound there's plenty Q
ID dust on them;" she retorted, GROSSLY, san
N you know how hate dust. And here-Lor,
= bless me, if your dirty basket amt set dow
\. on the clean wax-cloth. What is the use @
D. me qeing slave.f this is the way you act!
'. "But, Nell, I'm SO tired.''
"Tired-forsooth, and don't you think tha
get tirod, working about all day as do,
"You are indeed very industrious wife
, Nell',-yet even as he spoke, he sighed, 70
:; : his home, though it was pleasant to look a,
% was very uncomfortable.
Mrs Ioups was combinations ocJ ~
:" dustrous woman, and she estimated it he
- duty to work hard for her husband and chill
:. dren. But she perceived not how her spiri
\ OF house worship interlered with her dutie
=, - as a wife and mother. The latter demande
= her house should be home, the former tina
- it should be an.idol, and she bowed unres.stne
ly down to the image she had herself set uI
e without once suspecting that the magic wor
y ''home," was in her keeping but an empt
. sound. Her husband, when bis hours of la
u Dor were over, he felt as if he had fairly earn
y ed happy evening, but he was ever offend
ing against her rules OF propriety, and there
~ fore betook himself to the public house
70 where he was an object of consideration
VI which he never was at home. And thus
though Mrs. Jones was considered bette
wife than Mrs. Yates, they both, by very diff
$ terent means accomplished one end-of driv
N ing from their homes domesticated husbands
'e Fields too, had gained his home-a nea
S. little cottage, like those of his fellow work
men. Within, all was clean and neat, and a.
re orderly as he gambols of the children woul,
IL permit, and the wife who advanced to NEE
him, was as neat person as the eye coul,
wish to rest upon.
Z swell, Carrie" cried Fields, gaily, "here
J. am, tired hungry, wanting my supper; do you
l. mean to give me anyl'
D "Why, il you behave Yourself, WILL" she
: replied in the same tone; sand as it is al
J. ready, you might well have it now.
IS should think you needed it, after SO no. ,
day."