Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1855-10-17
- -6LARKsBURG WEDNEsDAY, oCTOBER 9TH, Is55

leave undone 3"
/" Seriously Yes, very seriously. To
own the truth; it was to learn this / came
over here to-day There are thousand
things / long to do, because they would
mot only increase my own joys, but those
of my husband and household, but 1 can
not find the time. Yet you do them, and
you have more cares and duties than 1.
If you tell me your. secret, believe me, I
shall feel under the deepest obligations to
you"
Her friend hesitated moment. She
was not wont to speak very much of her.
self, believing that character should re-
veal itself by actions mostly. and cons
scious that it will too, whether it be a
perfect or faulty one. Yet there was
such an urgency, at length it conquered
the scruple Of modesty.
81 am afraid shall remind you of "great
l." if l can undertake il. she said with a
blush, "yet Lean hardly give you my ex-
perience without subjecting myself to the
charge of egotism. Yet as we are alone.
and as you seem to think have avoided
some of the besetting evils of this life,
why l will reveal to you what you may
call my secret.
"My mother early instilled into nv
mind and heart, by precept and example,
a few rules of conduct that have sedu-
ously endeavored to follow, and which,
believe, almost more than anything else,
has contributed to my domestic peace and
happiness"
lone of them is always to have time
for every ordinary duty, to have that time
at such day or such an hour Of the day
as is best adapted to its perfect ful6lment,
and always extraordinary cases only ex-
cepted, to perform the duty at the time.
" For instance, my general sweeping
day is on Friday, because to my mind it
is che most suitable one of the week.
And the best portion of the day to do it
in is very early in the morning, for then
l can throw open my doors and windows
to the freshest and purest breezes we get
at all, and am not disturbed by the din
oftravel, nor annoyed by the dust and then
Postponing my bath and breakfast toilet,
merely throwing on wrapper and cap
to sweep in, till the house is clean, why
l am tidy for the rest of the day.
"Whereas, if wait till after breakfast,
I must spend time to take another bath,
and make another change of dress. Now
| confess it is hard sometimes to keep this
rule. When my sleep has been broken
by the restlessness of the baby, or when
something has keptme up later than usual
the previous evening. feel strongly in
clined to lie in bed and let the sweeping
hour go by. But the direful consequent
ces always stare mo in the face so full :
ly, that sleepy and weary though may
be, l struggle, and tying down my hair,
buttoning on my wrapper, and drawing
on my gloves, as my old aunt used to
say, make business fly : and I assure
you always find myself enough happier
to compensate me for my efforts, hard
enough though they seemed.
" And then, for second rule, always
have place for everything. and always
put it iu its place, and thus waste no time
in looking alter things. For example.
perhaps you will laugh at it, but I al
ways make it a rule to put my thimble in
my sewing box, when leave any work,
no matter how great the hurry, and you
can have no idea until you have tried it,
how much is thus saved. Why have a
friend, vino says she lost SO much by
looking up her thimble, that she has
bought herself three, SO that when one is
mislaid, she needn't wait to hunt it up
Yet this rule, which would soon become
a habit, would have saved her time and
money.
'' The third and last rule necessary to
specify is this to be always busy, or
perhaps 1 ought to say employed. for
with housekeePers, generally, to be busy,
is to be in a worry over two much work. !"
&c But you don't mean to say you never
rest, that you never get tired %
by no means, both rest and tire, and
many times each day. But rest does not
always imply cessation from labor
Sometimes it does, 1 grant. and when. af-
ter any unusual fatigue, find myself in.
cIiued lay down and sleep, always in
dulge the feeling. 1t is one of Natures
promptings, which to insure health and
! Joy should be needed. And do not feel
that ever lose any time that way, for the
half or even hours sleep, SO invigorates
me That can work with twice the ability
afterwards, that could if l had striven
with weary limbs and fretted nerves.
! But many times, change of employment
or occupation will rest one as much,
nay more than idleness. You know your.
sell after busy forenoon on your feet that
it rests you to sit down in your rocker, and
busy yourself with your sewing. And
sometimes, when 1 have been handling
heavy clothes, such as coats and panIa-
looms for my boys, till my arms and fn-
gers ache, rest them by taking up some
light garment for my baby or little girl.
Or when my limbs ache severely, from
some arduous duty, and yet l have incli-
nation to sleep, as is frequently the case
after rocking wearisome child to sleep.
[ lie down on my old fashioned lounge
and res: myself in body by that course.
| y 4