Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1859-05-13
THE wIFE,S EXPERIMENT

apron There wss momentary surprise on
Mrs. ThorntOn's facei but she answered, care
lrsSly, ''oh, no one cares how look -
Don Pa love to see you look pretty ," per-
.i,Ied the child. The mother did not replv bnt
Inyoluntsrily she glanced at her slOvenly attire.
the faded and worn calico dress and dipyy
apron, both bearing witness 10 an intimate ac-
gnsintsnee with the dish-pan and stoye--the
slip-shOd shoes, and sOiled stOckings-and she
could not help remembering how she had that
morning appeared with uncOmbed hair and
prepared her husband $ breakfast before he left
home for the neighbOring msrket-town. s.Sure
enough unused she, 9 how do look y" And
then Memory pointed back a few wears to A
neatly snd tastefully dressed maiden. some
umeS busy IN her fathers house, again ming
ling With her young companions but never un-
tlIy III her appearance always fresh and bloom.
ing. and this she knew, full well. was a picture
Of herself, when Charles Thornton first won her
youn: heart. such was the bride he had taken
% his pleasant home, how had mature life fuI
illed the'prophecy of youth! -
She wac still eomely in features, graceful in
form, but few would call her handsome or an
accomplished woman Tor, alas all other char
aeteristicS were OvershadoWed by this repuI-
five trait. Yet she loved to see others neat
and her house and children did not seem tu be-
l"ng to her. 50 we'll kept and tidy did they al
ways look As a hOusekeeper she exccIIed and
her husband was long in acknowledging to him
self the unwelcOmo fact that he had married an
ineUrriglble SlOven.
When, like too many other young wives, she
began TO grow negligent in regard to her dress
he EesdIly excused her in his own mind and
thought she Il not well, or, 'she has so much
10 do; and pereeiying no abatement i'm his
kind attentions, she naturally concluded he
vas perfectly satisfied. As her family cares
IEeFcaSed, and she went less into company. she
becahe sun more careless OF her personal ap-
ard Lo--.lr
that nothing was lacking which could eoutri
bute 10 the comfort OF her husband and children.
never supposlHS that 50 trivial 4 matter as her
own apparel could POSSIBLY affect their bappi
MS All this chain Of circumstances hitherto
EhihYdEht OF passed before her. as the little
bfa1'lcr az hor side repeated the luery,-"DOn't
Ia l1ye 4" see You luok pretty9'>
Yes, my child - she answered. and her re-
solve WIS takcH,-She would tTy an experiment-
ana prove whether Mr.. Thornton were really
lAiInerent ON the subject or not Giving Nell
lie Plcture-boOk with which to amuse herself
she went to herOwn room, mentally exclaimed
at any rate. l III never put on this rig again
not even washing day" She proceeded to her
eiotheS-Press and removed one after another
come we're ragged, others faded. all out of styIe.
and some unit to wear,-at length she found
one which had long ago been laid aside, as too
llSht TO wear about the house" 1t was a 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. for
redress was made in the then prevailing style
:" This IL just the thing" she thought. and
she hastened to perform her toilette, saving to
herself, Il must alter my dark gingham to
wear wear, hoIhings' and get II All ready before
Charles comes home" Then she released her
long. dark hair from its imprisonmentin in a most
ungraceful twist and carefully brushing its still
glossy waves, she plated it in the broad braids
which Charles used so much to admire i'm the
days of her girlhocd.
The unwOnted task brought back many re-
mInI>eences of those long vanished wears and
tears glistencd in her eyes as she thoIobt tho
many changes. time had wrought i'm those she
loved, but she murmured What hath sadness
Ike the charge In ourselves We find 3' In that
hour she realized how an apparently trivial
fault had gained the mastery over her and inn
Percepubiy had placed barrier between her
snd ihe one she loved on earth. True. be never
tHidcd heF.-ncYcr apparently noticed her al
leTed %ppehTancc,-but. she well knew he m,
longer urged her gaing into society nor did he
seem :" care about receiving his fricn,is at his
""h mousse, although he VIZ a srciai man. and
h"i once lett proud b. introduce his young wife
10 MS large circle of acquaintance
Now, they seldOm went out together eyeent
ing church, and even dressing for that W as gen
orally tOO much Of an effort for Mrs Thornton
she would stay ut home .. to keep house - after
preparing her little ones to accoInpapy their
father. and the neighbOrs spon ceased expecting
10 meet her at public worship or in their social
SatherIngs-snd so, one by one, they neglected
10 call on her until but very few of the mum h,
continued to exchange friendly civiiifies with
her She had wondered at this had fel, NOR
uhed and panied heretofore; now she clearly
saw 1t Was her own fault, the vail was reno, ed
from her eyes, and the mistake uf her life WAS
revealed In ITS true enormity. Sincerely did
sue repent ot her past orror, calmly and Ser-
1Gsly resolve on future and immediate amend
meut.
Meanwhile her hands were not idle and n
lehgl the metamOrphOsis was complete. The
hrlgnt pink dTapery hung gracefully about ber
l'rm. lmPartlng an unusual brilliancy To her
.'inpleXion,-her best wrought collar was fas-
tened With q costly b. o och her husband well
d'rg gift which had not seen the light for many
day Glancing one more AZ her mirror to be
certain her toilette needed no more Finishing
coaches, she took her sewing, and returned to
The sitting room.
Little Nellie had wcaried uf her picture
book. ami was now playing with the kitten
A. Mr. Thornton entered she clapped her
hands IN childish delight, exclaimed. :.Oh. Ma.
now pretty-pretty - and running 10 her
kissed her again and again, then drew her lit
tie chair eiDse to her side, and eagerly watched
her as she piled her needle, repairing the ginC-
ham dress
'uS' Dtl'Ic IL WAS Completed, NeIlle brothers
came from school, and pausing at the half
opened door, Willie wispercd to Charlie, Il
guess we've got company, for mothers all
dressed up 1t was with mingled cmutions of
pleasure and pain that Mrs. Thornton observed
her children were unusually dOcilc and Obedi-
ent, fastening to perform their accustomed
aniies without being even reminded of them
Chlldren are natural and unaffected lovers of
the beautiful, and their intuitiye rercen,ions
viii not often suffer from comparison with The
upinions OF mature worldly wisdom. IL Was
with feeling of admiration that these cbiJd ron
how looked upon their mother, and seemed to
c'n,Iier II privilege to do something for her
l. w"> let me get the kindIings 'e.I will
inake the hre, and may fill the tea-ket-
ue Instead of. as was sometimes the case
"Eeei do it t?'-'.I don't want to,''-"gLy
can't WilIiel"
Nellie was too small to render much assis-
lance, but she often turned from her frolic with
Ler kitten. 10 look at her mother, and uttor
come childish remark expressive of Joy and love.
IT last the clock struck the hoar when Mr.
Thornton was expected, aud his wife preceded
10 lay the table with unusual care and to pIac.
thereon several choice yiSnds of " hich She tn.,y
he Was particularly fond