Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1859-07-27
IS 3Don1e-GirtIe gtorp,
THE WIFE,s EXPERIMENT.

"Ma, why don't you never dress up?'
asked little Nellie Thornton, as her mother
finished brushing the chiid's hair, and tying
her clean apron.
There was momentary surprise in Mrs.
Thornton's face, but she answered carelessy.
"Oh, no one cares how look"
"Don't Pa love to see you look pretty? p
persisted the child.
The mother did not reply, but involuntarily
she glanced at her slovenly attire, the faded
and worn calico dress and dingy apron, both
bearing witness to an intimate acquaintance
with the dish-pan and stove-the sllp-sho,di
shoes and soiled stocking-and she could
not help remembering how she hal that morn.
ing appeared with uncombed hair, and pre-
pared her husbands breakfast before ne left
home for the neighboring market,town.
"Sure enough!' unused she, how l do
lookr And then memory pointed back a
few years to a neatly and tastefully dressed
maiden, sometimes busy in her fathers house,
again mingling with her young companions, but
never untidy in her appearance-always fresh
and blooming and this she knew, full well, was
a picture of herself when Charles Thornton first
won her young heart. Such was the bride he
had takeI to his pleasant home-how had
mature life fulfilled the prophecy of youth :?
She was still comely in features, graceful IN
form. but few would call her handsome or
accomplished woman; for alas all other
characteristics were overshadowed by this
repulsiye trait. Yet she loved to see others
neat: and her children did not seem to be.
long to her. so we'll kept and tidy did they
always look. Asa house.keeper she excelled,
and her husband was long in acknowledging
to himself the unwelcome fact that ne had
married an incorrigible sloyen.
When, like too many other young wives,
she began to grow negligent in regard to her
dress, he readily excused her in his own mind,
and thought I" she is not WE'LL" or, she has
80 much to do" and perceiving no abatement
in his kind attentions, she naturally concluded
he was perfectly satisfied. As her family at.
fairs increased, she became still more careless
of her personal appearance, and contented
herself with seeing that nothing was lacking
which could contribute to the comfort oil her
husband and children, never supposing that
20 trivial matter as her own apparel could pos.
sibly affect their happiness. All this chain OF
circumstances, hitherto unthought OF, passed
before her, as the little prattler at her side re.
peated the query-"Don't Pc love to see you
look pretty 2"
ayes, my child" she answered, and her
resolve was taken-she would try an expert
ment, and prove whether Mr.. Thornton was
Indifferent to the subject or not. Giving
Nellie picture book with which to amuse
herself, she went to her own room, mentally
exclaiming, sat any rate, I'll never put on
this rig again--not even washing day." She
proceeded to her clothes.press, and removed
one dress after another-some were ragged,
others faded, all out of style, and some unfit
10 year--at length she found one which had
long ago been laid aside as "too light to wear
about the house." Itwas nice French print,
rose colored and white, and she remembered
had once been favorite with her husband.
The old adage, fashions come round in
seven years." seemed true in this case; tor
the dress was made in the then prevailing
atyle. .,,. ID
fastened to perform her toilet, saying to her.
self, "I must alter my dark gingham to wear
mornings, and get it all ready before Charles
comes home"
Then she released her long, dark hair from
jts Imprisonment in most ungraceful twist,
and carefully brushing its still glossy waves,
she plaitedit in the broad braids which Charles
used so much to admire in the days Of her
girlhood.
The unwonted task brought back many re.
tniniscences of those long vanished years, and
tears glistened in her eyes as she thought OF
the many changes time had wrought in those
she loved, but she murmured, "What hath sad,
mesa like the change in ourselves we find p
In that hour she realized how an apparently
trivial fault had gained the mastery over her,
and imperceptibly had placed barrier be-
tween her and the one she loved most on
earth. True, he never chided her-never ap-
,parently noticed her altered appearance-but
she we'll knew he no longer urged her going
into society, nor did he seem to care about
receiving his friends at his own house, although .
he was sor' I man, and had once felt proud
to introduce n. ing wife to his large circle
of .ac9uaintanC.s.
Now they seldom went together excepting
to church, and even dressing for that was
generally too much of an effort for Mrs.
ThoSnton--she would stay at home to keep
house." after preparing her little ones to ac-
company their father, and the ueighboss soon