Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1859-05-04
THE wIFE's EXPERIMENT.
ny KATE CAMERON.

ny KATE CAMERON.
|
" Ma, why don't you ever dress upl" asked
little Nellie Thornton, as her mother finished
brushing the child's hair, and tying her clean
apron. There was a momentary surprise on
Mrs. Thornton's face but she answered, care
| lesslY, Oh, no one cares how / look"
Don't Pa love TO see you look prettyl per
sisted the child. The mother did not reply, but
involuntarly she glanced at her sloveny attire.
the faded and worn calico dress and dingy apron,
both bearing witness to an intimate acquaint
ance with the dish. pan and stove-the slip shod
shoes and soiled stockings--and she could not
| help remembering how she had that morning ap-
peared with uncombel hair, and prepared her
husbands breakfast before he left home for the
neghboring market-town. "Sure enough !"
mused she, e" how lookl" And then Memory
! pointed back a few years TO a neatly and taste.
| fully dressed maiden, sometimes busy in her
fathers house, again ming ling with her young
| companions, but never untidy in her appear
ance, always fresh and blooming and this she
knew, full well, was picture Of herself when
Charles Thornton first won her young heart
! Such was the bride he had taken 20 his pleasant
| home--bow had mature life fulfilled the prophe.
| cy ot youth
She was still comey ia features, graceful in
form, but few would call her handsome or an
accomplished woman; for, alas all other char
| acterstics were overshadOwed by this repusive
trait Yet she loved to see others neat, AMI her
house and children did not seem to belong to
| her, well kept aud tidy did they always look
! As housekeeper she excolled, and her husband
was long in acknowledging to himself the un-
welcome fact that he had married an incorrigI.
BILE sloven.
When, like too many other young wives, she
| hnunn Ia -,
| he readily excused her in his own mind, and
thought "sho is not well, - or, "shc has so much
to doi and pcrceiying 40 abatement in his kind
| attentions, che naturally concluded he was per-
tectly satisfied, AS her family cares increased,
and she went less into company, she became
still more careless of her personal appearance,
and contented herself with seeing that nothing
was lacking which could contribute to the com
fort Of her husband and children, never suppos
lug that so trivial matter as her own apparel
could possibly affect their happiness. All this
chain of circumstances hitherto unthought of
passed before her, as the little prattler at her
side repeated the query,--"DOn't Pa love to see
you look pretty 7"
"Yes, my child" she answered. and her re.
solve was taken,--she would try an experiment,
aud prove whether Mr. Thornton were really
Indifferent ON the subject or not Giving Mel
lie a pcture-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 oHe dress after
another,--some were ragged, others faded, all
out Of style, and some unfit to wear-at length
she found one which had long ago been laid
aside, as "too light to wear about the house" "
IL was a nice French print, rose colored and
white, and she remembered had once been
fivoriio with her husband. The old adaqe
fashions come round in seven years." seemed
true in this case for the dress was made ia the
then prevailing style,
This is just the thing" she ethought, and she
hastened to perform her toilette, saying TO her.
self 81 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 its imprisonment in most ungrace.
ful twist and carefully brushing its still glossy
waves, she plated it in the broad braids which
Charles used 30 much to admire in the days Of
her girlhood
The unwonted task brought back many re
miniscences of those loDg-vanished years and
tears glistened liz her eyes as she thought of the
many changes Time had wrought in those she
loved, but CHE mgrmuFed, "What hath sadness
like the change that IN ourselves we find 7" In
, that hour she realized how an apparently triv
Z al fault had gained the mastery over her. and
imperpeptihiIIty had placed haFrier between
her and the on0 she best loved on earth. True,
he never chided her,--ncver apparently noticed
her altered appearance, but she well knew he
no longer urged her going into society, nor did
he seem TO care about receiving his friends at
his own house, although ha w65 a social man.
aud had once ielt proud 10 introduce his Young
wife TO his large circle Of acquaintance.
. Now, they seldom went out together except
ing to church, and even dressing for that was
generally too much OF an effort for Mrs Thorn.
ton, D,--Rhe would stay at home rto keen house. /"
after preparing her little ones to accompany
: their father aud the neiqhbors soon ceased eT.
g pectirg TO meet her at public worship or in
their social gatherings-anl so, one hy one,
they neglected 10 call on her until but very few
Of the number continued TO exchange friendly
0 civilities with her She had wondered at this,
felt mortified and panied heTetoiorel now she
q. clearly saw Il was hRr own fault, the Veil was
removed from her eyes, and the mistake Of her
; life was revealed in its true enoTmity Sincere
. ly did she repent Of har past error, calmly and
E seriously resolve on future and immediate
amendment. .s
Meanwhile her hands were net idle. and at
length the meiamoTphose was complete. The
bright pink drapery hung gracefully about her
form, imppTtipg ON unusual bFllianey to her
a complexion, ,--her best wrought collar was fast
ened with costly brooch, her husbands we'd
ding gift, which had not seen the light for many
q day. GlancEg once more at her mirror, TO be
> certain her toilette needed no more finishing
touches, she took her sewing, and returned TO
the sitting-room.
3 Little Nellie had wearied Of her poture.book
n and was now playing with the kitten. A Mrs.
), Thornton entered she clapped her hands in
childish delight eTelaiming, "Oh, Ma, how
pretty-pretty !" and running 10 her kissed her
again and again, then drew her little chair elosf
10 her side, and eagerly watched her as she piled
ber needle, repairing the gingham dress,
/, just before II was completed Nellia's broth
ers came from school, and pausng at the half
!, opeued door, Willie whispered TO Charlie, "a
e guess we've got company, for mothers all dress
ed up" It was with mingled emotions o.
pleasure and pain that Mrs Thornton obseHet
u her children we're unusually doqils and obedient
fastening TO perform their accustomed dutiei