Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1859-12-15
9SksttB Of 8eal ylfe,
AN NINCIDENT In MARRIED LIFE.

ma, why don't you ever dress upT as
ked little Nellie Thornton, as her mother
finished brushing the child's hair, and ty-
ing her clean apron. There was a momen-
tary surprise on Mrs. Thornton's face; but
she answered, carelessly, 'Oh, no one cares
how I look .
Don't Pa love to see you look pretty?'
persisted the child.
The mother did not reply, but involunta-
rily she glanced at her slovenly attire, the
faded and worn calico dress and dingy apron,
both bearing witness to an intimate acqualn-
tauce with the dish pan and stove-the slip
shod shoes, and soiled stockipgs-and she
could not help remembering how she had
that morning appeared with uucombed hair,
and prepared her husbands breakfast before
he left home for the neighboripg market
town. Sure enoughp unused she, chow |
do lookp And then memory pointed back
few years to neatly and tastefully dressed
maiden, sometimes busy in her fathers
house, again mingliug with her young COM
panions, but never untidy in her appear
ance, always fresh and blooming; and this
she knew, full we'll, was picture of herself
when Charles Thornton first won her young
hsart. Such was the bride he had taken
to his pleasant home-he had in mature
life fulfilled the prophecy of youth.
She was still comely in features, graceful
in form, but few would call her handsome
or an accomplished woman; for, alas all
other characteristics were overshadowed by
this repulsive trait. Yet she loved to see
others neat, and her house and children did
not seem to belong to her, so we'll kept and
tidy did they look. AS a housekeeper she
excelled, and her husband was long in ac-
knowledging to himself the unwelcome fact
that he had married an incorrigible sloven.
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 'she is not we'll, or 'she
has so much to do and perceiving no a.
batement in his kind attentions, she natu-
rally concluded he was perfectly satisfied
As her family cares increased, and she went
less into company, she became still more
careless of her personal appearance, and con-
tented herself with seeing that nothing was
lacking which could contribute to the COM
for. of her husband and children, never sup
posing that so trivial a matter as her own
apparel could possibly effect their happiness
All this chain of circumstances hitherto un-
thought of passed before her, as the little
prattler at her side repeated the query,
Don't Pa love to see you look pretty?
Yes, my child she answered, and her
resolve was takeu-she would try an exper-
iment, aud prove whether Mr.. Thornton
were really indifferent on the subject or not.
Giving Nellie picture-book with which to
amuse herself, she went to her own room,
mentally exclaimiug, 'at 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 to wear-at length she found
one which had long ago been laid aside, as
stoo light to wear about the house. 1t was
a nice French print, rose colored and white,
and she remembered it had once been IA
vorite with her husband. The old adage,
fashions come round in seven years. seem
ed true in this case for the dress was made
in the then prevailing style.
This is just the thing she thought, and
she hastened to perform her toilette, saying
to herself, Il must alter my dark ging gham
to wear mornings, and get it all ready be-