The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1859-04-05
iron Dsckenss Househesd Words
PERCY o Il A X IL ~ > ECONom
y 49, -
4pRrL 8, 1859

This could not 90 for along. a. sne ps.ps. s an
Aunies release from bousenosa w.. - hsr ar
- ~, .n,ns IN III on her heart This was Annies
hanriest time of life. She mad never known
rssi emotion before: never felt real love. Her
ssshsr she had feared and SHRINK from. her hus-
<. "a .hs respected and obeyed; but her child
,snss a Golden world of hope and love that was'--
what treasury of diviness joy the waxen touches
ard warm soft lips OF that little life unlocked
she ~onld have been contented TO pass through
che felt she could nov face any grief with that
precious nesting ut her heart, 10 reward her by
its love and cheer her by ifs progress and we'll.
being Pretty she had always been; bnt now she
ives beautiful beautiful that the old nurse shock
her head and said she did not like the glory of her
young lady looks and then che msundered of
iato half dozen fatal experiences, which made
the servant giris cry; wherest the old dame was
sstisfied, and % went signing and shaking her
head mp stairs.
Mrs Clarke vas impatient 0. Annie's illness
She missed her 10 the household; she found that
the servants were neither so neat nor 90 thought.
ful a. Anu A. she used to call her spiteuily, es.
chewing the Annie as too coaxing aud refined, and
she could not bear that any one about her should
need more care than herself She had been so
long customed to be the first consideration, so
long accustomed, too TO the moral codding OF in-
vsidship, that she did not yield the right Of sa>
perier care and sympathy to any one Mrs. Clarke's
infirmities aud suadry diseases were her social
stock in trade, They wore her claims 10 regard
and attention, as some peoples riches, or pref.
fy weman's beauties She was forever urging
upon Annie the whoesomensss of exertop anu
the evil of giving way. So that Annie "put her.
self forward to soon," said the old nurse despair.
ingiy, and was stirring about the house at u time
when ether ladies would have been costly wrapped
10 white frilled dressing gowns and lying on bed
room sofas.
Percy noticed nothing. When, fortnight after
that new life had come among them. Annie ap
peared at the dinner-table just the same as ever,
ouly paler and more languid, bat infiEitely love.
iier-his sole remark was-shaking hands with
her and kissing her forehead 49, E" 1t scarcely
seems fortnight; Annie, since you were here; but
my mother says il is co." Yet his manner had an
understandable shade of softness quite unusual to
him: and Annie forgave the eoldness Of his spoken
welcome.
But Percy was not soft either in speech or in
manner; and, after to-day, be gradually reapsed
into his old silence and Indifference. Annie re-
assumed her household duties; and, in another
week all things were exactly the Same as before;
the old purse even leaving, called away ear lier
than was expected, owing TO error in dates
elsewhere. Aud then Annie had her treasure in
her sole charge, with no one to whom she could
trust him with confidence; therefore, without
sistance or relief. She had no nursemaid. and her
two servants not clever about babies. She
was surprised to fiad how that little creature
absorbed her time, and how scant was the leisure
lief for the busy house duties she undertook be.
fore his BIRTH Yet the memorable law bad to be
fulfilled, however unable she was to fulfill it.
When those terrible house books had beea put
ack into her hands again, and the mean sum once
more doed out, she hal received strict injunc
tion to be douby careful now with this heavy ex
pense before her, and to remember that she saved
for her child while she saved for her husband This
completed the circle of Annie's obligations. Pas
sionate love was now added to her former principle
of steady duty, aud she had not a wish to evade
observance of her task.
Still she could not spare SO much time fors
merly and she yet not strong enough for active
househo old work The consequence was tina, week
by week she fell gradually behind, until she was
In debt several pouuds all to be saved out of the
allowance that did not compass the inevitable ex-
pensssl 1t was hopeless to think of it. What
could she do? If she curtailed her husband of
any Of his special comforts, she feared he would
thought only Of her baby. Besides, ought she to
fail ia making her duty to her husband the first
thing 10 her lifei Exacting Mrs. Clarke, it was
impossible to cut down. BY virtue of that faliacy
the privilege Of old age-she must be pampered
and petted and preserved whoever failed or wanted,
aud worn out, useless life be Hursed up to Groom
away few idle years by the chimney corner,
though the young and the needed should perish
in its stead. Mrs. Clarke was impossible. What
could she give up further in herself She had not,s
IL was, of the ordinary ysical helps to young
mother, aud. if she reduced her regimen to within
strai,er limits, than at present, she must be con
tent with bread and water. What could she do?-
While in her own room. kueeling by her baby's
pretty little cot and longing for him to awake, she
suddenly remembered that she had handsome old
fashioned pearl necklace, of her dear mothers She
never II; it of no to her She would sell
il. and thus be saved from further anxiety and un.
happiness 1t might be pain; but 1t was only
a pain of sentiment at the worst; while to vex her
husband, aud perhaps lose his confidence, would
be a crime. That very day she paid up all her
hack bills aud started fair again with balance in
hand.
Bat this must not happen again. She must
work, as she did before; for che was strong now,
aud must bear tier part with the rest. And she
did work before, improvslng all sorts OF porta-
BILE cradles for her darling. So that he should be
watched over the while she Was busy, as Zsalously
If she had nothing else TO do than care for him
aud guard him. She worked ill her limbs ached,
and her head dull, and heart depressed. She work.
ed till she was faint and giddy and oyerwrought.
But no. one saw il; she looked always neat aud
glossy for dinner and Percy did not scrut'niZe her
narrowly enough to see how pale she was, nor bow
thin; how her lips quivered when she spoke,
aud her eyebrows lifted themselves up as if to lift
u heavy weight from her eyes. He saw her just
as she used 70 be with her placid smile, and her
low, sweet voice: with her dainty costume always
m8rvelously clean and choice, though simple.
He saw nothing beyond all this and as the house
went on exactly as it did before. he was never
weary ofcongratulating himselfin secret that be
had taken his mothers advice, aud put Annie on
her mettle, to rightly understand aud practice
economical housekeeping.
Mrs. Clarke had slight attack OF indigestion;
and what miserable house that slight attack Gre
ated! Percy was impatient and finding; the cid
lady capricious, and dissatisfied and poor Anne's
powers were taxed till she often faint aud
weeping from WEAKNESS and fatigue. But she had
her old immunity from observation; though now
aud then the servant would steal up with tea or
coffee, or sometimes a cup of arrow root, saved |
frem the old lady's surplus, as more needfal to |
Mrs. Clarke the younger aud weaker. The neck |
of Mrs. C.arke's illness from overlooking bro
ken in fortnight, though things had not quite |
come back to their old groove even then.
This illness was expensive Percy did not insist |
on the house paying for the DOCTOR but the thous-
and little luxuries and the inevitable waste of
sios-room made sad havoc with Ann.'s calculations
impoverished husbands dietary. He always |
spoke of IT, gravely and dspeases and once he said
that he did net approve OF her negligence, which
va. becoming mai Ied. very ma, ked. and excessive.
ly unpleasant. 1t she neglected him, her husband |
how could he feel satisfied that his dear mother |
sick and nhrm as she was. and obliged, after her
long life Of Independence and welEdoing to ccm4
to him for support how could he feel sure that she
received due attention when he away? He
was afraid that Anuies osh -rhood. instead Il open
ing her heart. had narrowed 1t. Annie broke her
Gnsa ss
again whatever it cost her. or whatever other
means she must use
Bus those horrible hlsl She could not keep them
under; not though she cried for vocation and
wounded pride to think what bad manager she
household expendi ure Then her baby wanted
some new frocgs and Annie, trus to the instincts
Of young mother. bad set her heart on having
ing to save up for them. little by little ever since
shs sold the pearl broacb. the companion to the
other little trinket. ann soher and another; paid
her bills, aud bought her baby six pretty white
worked frocks. and white cashmere peiisse, and
went TO bod that night proud and blessed as queen
Bnt Mrs. Clarke complained to her SON that yes
tsrdsy her outlet was tough and she was sure Anna
bought inferior meat for her that she might save
inr sueh senseiess extravaganza al she had Just
been committing; for did he not see how she had
csdizaned up that miserable little baby, who would
LOOK much better TOO. in clean prints instead
Of with all those useless faslas about him In her
day: indeed. such f,ly was never Thought Of. and
Tor her part. she thought what had been god
enough ior ner children might be good enough Tor
Percy was hard. but not small. Provided things
went the way OF his ordering, he did not care 20
critscise the stsges. He smoothed his motnef |
spoke 10 annie about the of nding veal. but SAID
20 hing ilnatured of the frocks he had not me
heart TO do IL with the laughing aila cfo@lpx