The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1854-02-08
THE THREE HOMES:
sHa .sf OH *ij - it2tse3
THE MAGIC NEATNES s.
BY FINLEY. JOHNSON.

II; had been an uncommonly' warm and
saltry day, and as the cool air OF the eve
ming swept onward, and tanned 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 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. '1f
There was not cleaner or neater abode
in Bell Air, than that awaiting the recep-
lion OF Jones. Not .speck OF dust dim
med the brilliance OF the windows; every
article OF furniture was polished till II
shone like a mirror; fresh flowers breathed
forth their fragrance from the chimney
place; spotless cloth covered the little
sumner table, and Mrs. Jones and the chill
dren were as .seat as it was possible to be:
Fan different the sseene which awaited
Yates; his house was in diSsoraer' MS cr,l'- III,
dfen untdy, and his wife abse. "'
last named evil was. however. soon ren.
died, Tor one of the children despatched IN
quest of his mother, soon returned with !
her.
"You here already, Billl'' she exclaim-
ed. rushing in, breathlessly in dim and
dirty gown. Il had no idea it was SO
Hate. Light the FIRE. that's a good boy.
and we'll have supper"
81 am so tired. Mary, that I'd rather do
without supper" said Yates, throwing him
sell upon seat.
Are you! Well, then, III 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?" asked Yates.
i sJust next door, to see poor Mrs. Bro wn 8
sick baby" =.
"Mother has been gone ever since two"
chimed in youngster.
| "You 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 sup.
) per. The children became cross and
sleepy, and when tea was at last ready,
she had TO 90 up stairs and put them to
bed, then returning swallowed her own
meal hastily. and, putting aside the dirty
plates, declared that now she must 60 and
wash. e
! .Wash!''' exclaimed her husband, in
astonshment, Il thought you were to DC
that yesterday"
"Well, so | meant, but Mrs. Brown
: came in and prevented me. And now
must wash, for neither nor the childref
q have clean thing to put on
$50 it seems" said Yates, sarcastically
: $50 it seems-indeed." she cried. an
r grily,-s'I suppose you expect me TO be a
y clean and neat, as il kept twenty ser
S wants.
!. mo, Mary said her husband, grave
ly, 81 form no such extravagant notions
all ask is, that the hours am working +
y earn our bread. may be spent by you in
II manner more profitable than sossipine
l. and so let me find a quiet and orderl
hl.ouse on my return, and companio
such as you used to be in the earlier day
Of our welded lite."
e. But the affectonate tone OF the la
" words exercised no soitening influence o
= the biased spirit of the indignant wife, an
a Quarrel ensued, which ended in Yatt
er taking his hat, and finding atthe publ
a house the comfort he could not find in h
a. own.
lie Meanwhile, Jones passed through b
.,f trim little garden, entered his pretty CO
= tape home, and setting down his baske
seated himself by the window.
rs, "Oh, Jones, you never wiped yo
ey shoes when you came in.'' was his wife
"Well. my dear, and if did not, the
80 could be no mud on them"
lat ..No-but III be bound there's plen
ar of dust on them," she retorted, crossl
for "and YOU know how | hate dust. Al
-. hereford bless me, if your dirty basil
= aint set down on the clean waxclo
To- What is the use of me being slave,
US this is the way you act''
an "But, Nell. Pm SO tired" !.
90 .Tired-forsooth, and don't you thi
-. that | get tired, working ebout all day
-" -, | dol' @
md "You are indeed a very industrio
uty wife. Nell, yet even as ne spoke.
ov. sighed. for his home. though it was pie
70 ant to look at was very uncomfortable.
Mrs. Jones was a conscientious and
industrious woman. and she esteemed
we her duty TO work hard for her husband
ub- children. But she'perceived not how
les, spirit of house worship interfered with
that duties as a wife. and mother. The
70 tier demanded her house should be hol
'o' the former that it should be an idol,
can she bowed INTERESTINGLY down to the NJ
ble. age she had herself set up, without o
0. suspecting that the magic word chou
was in her keeping but an empty sou
Her husband, when his hours OF ls
with were over, ielt as if he had fairly ear
card happy evening, but he was ever offene
card against her rules Of propriety, and tn
dia. fore betook himself to the public no
,b- where he was an object of considerat
lath. which he never was at home. And
YOU though Mrs. Jones was considered
die. ter wife than Mrs. Yates. they both
mar. very different means, accomplished
J end-of driving from their homes dol
~ lticated husbands.
card Fields, too, had gained his hom,
d by neat little cottage, like those OF his iel
,tress workmen. Within, all was clean