Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1857-10-03
THE HUsBAND's LESSON

full life at the moment, a. he saw the pale face
before him, and, as tendsrly as though she were
the bride Of an hour, he lifted her to her bed,
and strovs to bring back the color to her white
lips and the light to her sightless eyes And
sweeter than any music that had ever thrilled
his ear were her first low, faint words All
anxiety, all affection now, he inquired eagerly
what allied her, and what be should do first
She had been sick she said. all night and when
she heard him rise, tried to call him, but was
too weak to make him hear. She had risen to
try and prepare herself little tea, but sank on
the floor ut once in Inconsistencies.
Should he 90 for physician"
90, no; il is rest, more than medicine, that /
need
How those simple words smote his heart
Rest! All had she not begged for ii days be-
fore and he would not give it, but required Of
her instead the faithful performance Of all her
duties! Repentant, sorrowing, fearful Of the
consequences, be would have given worlds now
to have recalled some Of his short stern words
He moiStened her lips with wine, bathed her
forehead with cologne, chafed her fingers, and
imprinted many sweet, soft kisses on her cheeks.
And poor Mrs. Lee, feeble and i'll as she felt,
was happier at that moment than she had been
for months The d,tracting fear that had
haunted her so lOng-the fear that by her
Shortcomings in menial labor, she had lost her
husbands love, was gone entirely, and n beau
tful peace was IN her heart, and soOthed by his
gentle care and dear caresses, she sank at length
into a quiet sleep.
Softly he stole from her with the babe and
George in hi, arms, and began the daily toll
he had ever so sternly exscted Of his wife. Re-
kindling the fire, he first attempted the wash
ing and dressing of the little ones and before
he had finished that task, he had ceased entire
ly to wonder that their mother was occasional
ly q few minutes behind with the breakfast
The greater mystery was how she ever got
through In season, for he, by the clock, was n
full hour In getting through with Rose and
Georgie, the little girl being so daubed with
molasses that he had 10 plunge her into tub
as the only way of cleansing her dimpled limbs,
and the little boy, taking advantage Of his
fathers back, having played with the coal -hod
till he looked more like a darkey child than the
son Of n thin vhite-faee.
BY the time those two were finished Off the
baby set up her claims to little attention she
having been kept quiet by Mr. Lees giving
her, not exactly the looking glass and the ham
mer, but his wife's spool box, with its hundred
and one neat balls Of cotton. A tangled web
they were now, more difficult to unrayel than
hfes mysteries, aud in CONSERVATION at the
evil he had done, the new nurse tossed the
whole mass into the glowing fire. Then he un-
dertook to feed the child, and by the time he
finished there was about as much pap on his
own and her garments, as in her little stomach
And then came the WearisOme task of putting
her to sleep. First he trotted her. then be
walked with her, then he whistled to her. then
he rocked her, and finally in despair tossed
her into the cradle and told her to lie still and
shut her eyes, instead of which she only opened
her mouth and cried Justify.
How on earth do women put babies to
sleep exclaimed he, as he again lifted it to
his knees
Il tell you, pa" lisped Rose, you must do
ss," cuddling the child to his bosom, " and
then you must rock very softly, and you must
sing, oh. 80 sweet and so little (meaning loYD
in AZ ika IL IL I,l.o n
Sleep
He tried the directions and succeeded at
length in lulling the baby into slumber and
prayed from the bottom Of his heart that the
nap might last all day.
Nine O'Clock. and no breakfast yet. He set
ready prepared. He had always boastad to his
wife about his culinsr talents, his latent tai
ents- He drew out some Goals and put down
the steak; then he put on the gridde and made
the coffee. And now, such nice cake as he
would bake. lie had always been particular
about having hot cakes for breakfast, and his
wife never could make him believe that II was
serious chore to stand over the stove to bake
cakes, tend 10 the other cooking and mind the
children. But he did believe her after the ex-
perlence OF that morning. First, his griddles
were too hot, and half a dozen black -a-moors
were flung into the swill pail then they were
too cold, and a dozen white-livered Jumps of
raw butter followed; then, when the heat was
just right, he forgot them while tending to the
steak, which had dried away in the consistency
of sole leather, and the cakes he had dropped on
to them fried away till they were as pslatable
as q mummy's cheek. "COnfound them - he
cried, finally, they won't bake this morning.
any way, and 1 believe I'd rather eat cold
bread than waste any more time on them -
And he flung the whole into the pigs mess
and sat down To his meal. Helping the chill
dren was another trying affair.
Goodness Inc, how you do eat this morn
Ing. said he; why, can't get chance to
put anything into my own mouth How under
the sun your mother finds time to eat, don't
see." Ah, Mr.. Lee, don't you begin 10 think
women have something to do,
Breakfast over, the table was to clear, the
dishes to wash, the pots and pans to soour, the
floor to clean. and all the morning work 10 do
The bells rang for twelve ere he had finished,
and then; he felt, IL was only half done But
believe I've got through" said he as he
wPed hl' hands Of the greasy dish water and
the whole affair
No you amt, pa said Rose, "you amt
blaeked the stove, nor filed the lamps. nor
made the beds, nor MIXED the cow nor got the
dinner; you be very lazy 10 what my ma is"
Out OF the mouth Of babes muttered he
guess, however, the stove and the lamps and
the beds can wait, but the COW, she must be
milked."
$ Yes, and you amt SKINNED the pans, nor
churned nor fed the piggy; you be'ent half 50
smart az my ma
Well, you hush up little chatter boz, ;" said
he, as he took the pail and went to the she'd
4" begin 70 believe women's work is never
done. L thank the Lord he made me a man."
When he returned, little Rose met him with
aPitiful lace: Her ma wascrying," she said,
g she feel 80 bad, she must die -
He hurried to the bedroom and found mucb
room for fear, his wife being almost frenzied with
agony. Hastily summoning nsighbor, he ran
for physician, and for twenty -four hours had
the misery Of seeing his dear one In all the iI-
eIpressibls pain which attends acute pIeurisy,
when aggravated by exposure and fatigue.
And for many weary days and nights he
watched with all the anxiety the tenderest
love inspires, the face Of DIR. Malcolm, ere be
read IN the cheering expression which told Of
hope returned
We spare you the recital Of his minor trials
with genteei nurses, who wanted dollar a day,
IL. i. IL IL