The Lambertville press. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1858-1???, 1859-06-30
g) lafGll u " En 1t g .
From the New York Mercury.]
Home influence.
BY CELL

| wish, Ararintha, you would try to dc
something without assistance. | never saw any
one so stupid. None SO hard to teach as those
who do not wish to learn"
Thus angrily spoke Cecilia Burton to her
future sister-n-law, Avarintha Peyton, a South
eruer, of good family, and one accustomed,
from childhood, to have her wishes undisputed.
1t was hard for her to brook the illusions, con-
tinuaIy made by the family Of her lover, to her
want of energy and domestic knowledge
She had been but short time from school
when she first met Philip Burton, the brother of
Cecilia. He was fine looking, high spirited
and the especial fayorite of his sister, Of whom
he was very fond, and somewhat proud-she
being the acknowledged belle of the town in
which they lived. He was her fright hand
man." as she used to say, and she could not for
give Avarintha, whose black eyes had won the
heart of her only brother
The girls were as unlike in appearance as in
disposition Cecilia had beautifully clear COM
pexion; her light brown hair, worn ia ringlets
waved gracefully above her fair brow; her
straight nose, with its delicatelY cut nostrils.
denoted the pride and sensityeness Of one who
was called the cold, naughty, and heartles beau
ty. Avarintha was tall, well formed and grace
full girl. In the dance, she was without peer
her small feet seemed made to trace the may
figure; her small, white, and well shaped hands
showed the gentle blood from which she sprung
huf hnrn thn ottr
looked into them you forgot everything else
Very black they were but so melting, yet
merry without the cold glitter of most black
eyes, hers were, indeed, mirrors of the soul :"
The family of Philip Burton were not veal
thy; by industry and prudence, they lived COM
fortably His mother, an excellent housekeep-
er, was stern parent, yet strange enough, the
children seemed to love her better than their
father, who was completely ruled by her. and
who never dreamed Of interfering with her man
agement offamily affairs He regularly brought
to her his earnings, supplied plentifuly the
wants of the household, and was content then
to be forgotten, so he could enjoy his evenings
peacefully, his wifes tongue being sometimes
used for very different purpose than consola-
ton.
In spite the opposition Of his family, Philip
Burton was married to his betrothed, and they
commenced housekeeping near his mothers who,
finding opposition vain, had SO far testified her
consent as to appear at the wedding. Any one
but her would have been won by the innocent
attempts Of her new daughter to win at least,
her good feeling But she was determined as
her son had married against her wish he should
reap the fruits ofhis folly. Knowing her daugh-
ter-in-law's entire want Of domestic knowledge,
she instead of kindly giving her advice and
instruction Glove would have made her an apt
pupil) was continually contrasting her sons
home with her own, and, of course, the conpari-
son was not favorable to his wife,
He could not afford to keep a servant, he
said to do the work for t,oo persons, when his
mother, who had a family Of six-fye now
managed, with little help from her two daugh-
ters-Cecilia was too pretty to do the drudgery,
as she called it, the sewing for the family being
her employment-to keep her house in such
mother as a pattern and buttonless shirts were
beginning to remind him, rather unpleasantly
that the possession of beauty does not always
confer happiness
The young wife could not understand how it
was that her husband had money to spend for
cigars and theatre tickets, yet could deny her
the assistance one so much needed. He did not
intend to be unkind, but his mother-ah there
was the dificulty-every time she visited them
her undisguised contempt Of her daughters
menage, her covert sarcasms and EXPLANATIONS
such as told you SO, I know how it would
be, began to have their effect-her son thought
he was a martyr to bad housekeeping though
he knew his wife's deficiency, in that respect
before marriage.
His wife felt that all her efforts ofreform