Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1853-03-16
From the Northern Ii
THE THREE HOMES,
VI AGIC OF NEATNEss
BY FINLEY JOHNSON.


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 refresh
ing than to three, whose baskets of tools borne
over their shoulders, denoted them carpenters.-
At the entrance of the village where they lived,
Jones, Yates and Fields, separated, each to seek
his own dwelling. -..-
There was not a cleaner or neater abode in
Bell Air. than that waiting the reception of Jones.
Not speck of dust dimmed the brilliance of the
windows; every article of furniture was polished
till it shone like mirror; fresh flowers breathed
forth their fragrance from the chimney piece;
spotless cloth covered the little supper table, and
Mrs. Jones and the children were as neat as it was
possible to be.
| Far different the scene which awaited Yates;
his house was in disorder, his children untidy and
his wife absent. The last named evil was, how
ever, soon remeded, for one of the children dis
patched in quest of his MOTHER soon returned with
| her. s~.---
"You here already, Bill .'' she exclaimed, rush.
ing in breathlessly, in dim and dirty gown. 81
had no idea it was so late. Light the fire, that's
good boy, and we'll soon have supper"
81 am so tired, Mary, that I'd rather do with
out SUPPER said Yates, throwing himself upon
a seat.
care 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 into an improper place.
"Where have you been !'' inquired Yates.
"Jnst next door to see Mrs. Browns little sick
baby.''
"Mother has been gone ever since two," Chin
ed in youngster.
ssYou abominable story-teller-take that
and here the mother boxed the ears of the child.
Off went the child in a crying fit, and off went
Mrs. Yates to prepare the supper-the children
became cross and sleepy, and when tea was at
last ready, she had to 60 up stairs and put them
to bed, then returning, swallowed her own meal
hastily, and putting aside the dirty plates, de-
clared that now she must 60 and wash.
s'Wash % exclaimed her husband, in astonish-
ment, 81 thought you were to that yesterday 2"
s'Well, sol meant, but Mrs. Brown came in
and prevented me. And now must wash, for
neither I nor the children have clean thing to
put on.''
$50 it seems,' said Yates, sarcastically.
so it seems ,''-indeed,' she cried angrily.-
81 suppose you expect me to be as clean and neat
if l kept twenty servants.''
"No, Mary said her husband gravey, 81 form
no such extravagant notions-all ask is, that the
hours that am working to earn our daily bread
may be spent by you in manner more profitable
than gossipping; and so let me find quiet and
orderly house on my return, and companion such
you used to be in the earliest days of our we'd
ded life.''
"But the afectionate tone of his last words ex-
ercised no softening influence on the reused spirit
of the indignant wife, and quarrel ensued, which
ended in Yates taking his hat, and finding at the
public house the comfort he could not find in his
own.
Meanwhile Jones passed through his trim little
garden, entered his pretty cottage, and setting
down his basket, seated himself by the window.
"Oh, Jones, you never wiped your shoes when
you came in," was his wies saiutation, as she en-
tered the room.
"Well, my dear, and if l did not there could
be no mud on them," said he.
'No-but I'll be bound, there's plenty of dust
OH tuCIl, oHC lCloiIcu CIOSSly, duu YOU huOW
l hate dust And hereford bless me, if your
dirty basket aint set down on the clean wax cloth.
What is the use of me being "a slave, if this is
the way you act! !''
''But, Nell, I'm SO tired.'
'sTired-forsooth, and don't you think that |
get tired, working about all day as do !''
'sYou are indeed, a very industrious wife, Nell,''
vat ha 10 bo cir for bic ol
though it was pleasant to look at, was very un-
comfortable.
Mrs. Jones was conscientious and an indus
trious woman, and she esteemed it her duty to
work hard for her husband and children. But she
perceived not how her spirit of house worship in
terfered with her duties wife and mother. The
latter demanded her house should be a home, the
INCREASINGLY down to the image she had herself I
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 fairly over, felt though he had fairly earn
ed happy evening, but he was ever offending
against her rules of propriety, and therefore be-
took himself to the public house where he was
an object of consideration, which he never was
at home. And thus, though Mrs. Jones was con-
sidered a better wife than Mrs. Yates, they both,
by very different means, accomplished one end
of driving from their homes domesticated hus-
bands.
Fields, too, had gained his home-a neat little
cottage, like those of his fellow workmen. With
in all was neat and clean, and as orderly as the
uamhols of the children would nerpo;t ond +bo
wife who advanced to meet him, was as neat /
person as the eye could wish to rest upon.
swell, Carrie,' said Fields, gaily, sshere am