The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1858-05-19

/ dirt and grease. The remark was evil
i IDENTIFY not intended as a reproos, but
Julia answered sharply
i I think you might have known better
than to get such girl as Biddy-eau't
I learn her ?-I never was brought up
to such drudgery.'
you know / could get no one else,'
spsRsred the husband, still pleasantly !.
aud. moreover, always supposed lady
should know how to superintend house
aold affairs herself.
You might have known wasn't ac-
quainted with such work.
it would have been better if you
had = was the quick reply.
Yes, 1 suppose you would like to
make mere drudge of me- answered
Julia, sharply.
This is your o. inion.'
DO you insult me, Mr.. Harvard?'
'Just as you please TO term it,
1T is pity you hadn't married some
one to your mind
We do not know how much longer the
angry husband and wife would have
talked had Biddy not entered the room.
Mr. Harvard took his hat and left the
house, while Julia threw herself upon
the sofa and burst into tears: poor girl
those were the first unkind words that
had ever passed between them.
Long did Julia lay there; nine-ten--
eleven n-twelve-and still no husband
the agonizing wife pressed her face upon
the window pane and listened for. his
we'll known footsteps; but in vain; then
she opened the door and looked out into
the night; then walked down the mar
row path and leaning over the gate
gazed down the street. At last sense
of chilluess warned her of the danger
of the damp air and returning to the
house, retired to her room, threw her.
self upon her couch and tried in vain to
sleep. Where was he? Why did he
not come? Thesheart of the young wife
was filled with strange and dread emo
tiohs. At length when the little clock
on the kitchen mantle shelf rung out the
hour of two, and the well known foot
step was heard in the hall, Julia's first
impulse was TO meet him him kindly and COZ
fess her fault. but when she saw him safe
at home, her pride arose, and remark
touching the lateness of the hour was
the only greeting.
Thus commenced an estrangement be.
tween those two once loving hearts -
Julia, discouraged and vexed, after Try
ing in vain to fud better girl settled
down into sort of desperate calmness
aye, moroseness-endeavo neither
to make herself or husband happy. while
he, worried and annoyed, weary with
daily care and anxiety, returned to his
home, where he should have found rest
aud happiness to ind everything gloomy
and disordered an untidy room, miser
able meal; and frowns, and sometimes
unkind words for welcome.
At last he staid from home almost
entirely; his dinner was eaten at the
village tavern, his evenings spent over
social glass, with few friends in the
club room and after few weeks it was
reported through the village that the
young lawyer, Mr.. Harvard, had taken
to drinking
'Poor fellow, if he only had lit
tie comfort at home; but his wife is too
stuck up to descend to such meanness as
making it SO !
+ The sentence was spoken sadly, in a
slightly sarcastic tone; the speaker did
not know Julia was walking directly be-
hind aud heard every word; but could
one have looked into the countenance of
the young wife they would not have
doubted it y a4.a
y Has it indeed come to this, she whis
pered to herself, and pressing her hand
over her heart and pausing in her walk,
'am the cause of all this ? Because of
my negligence that my husband is for
saking his home and turning daily from
me? Oh, the mistaken ideas that once
possessed me but for false gentility
might now possess the undivided affec-
tions of my husband, and instead of
cherries uutidy home, have one of neat
ness and order. But it is never too late
to learn l will commence now yes, |
will put an end to this and strive to the |
utmost to again be to my husband
what4I once was and more, learn what
I once despised to be, good house
keeper
The next morning Biddy was dismiss
ed, and without informing Der husband |
of her intentions, Julia went to wnrk /;
she was in good spirits, for she wished |
TO surprise her husband With neat home
and nice supper, SO she did not stop
to wonder if rolled up sleeves were be-
coming, if broom and dust pan were
unfashionable articles, but commenced |
with great energy. But Julia knew
nothing of that part of the housework,
for in few moments such dust was
raised as to almost blind and suffocate |
her, settling upon books, furniture, and |
curtains, much to her discontinue
We will pass over washing dishes,
,,,,l,;,c bads and otbor. thin0a whiob |