The Tiffin weekly tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1859-1868, 1859-08-19
THE WIFE'S EXPERIMENT.
BY KATE CAMERON.

"Ma why don't you ever dress upl ask
ed little Nellie Thornton, as her mother
finished brushing the child's hair, and ty-
ing her clean apron. There was q mo-
mentary surprise on Mrs. Thornton's face,
but she answered, carelessly, "Oh, no one
cares how / look.n 9t r-.a .f. Z
"DOn't Pa love to see you look prettyP
persisted the child. The mother did not
reply, but involuntarily she glanced at her
slovenly attire, the faded aud worn calico
dress and dingy apron, both bearing wit
ness 20 an intimate acquaintance with the
dish pan and stove-the slip shod shoes
and soiled hoes-and she could not help
remembering how she had that morning
appeared with uncombed hair, and prepar-
ed her husbands breakfast before he left
home for the neighboring market town.
"Sure enough" mused she, chow i
look" L 1...fa1e Haaft... 70
And then memory pointed back a few
years to neatly and tastefully dressed
maiden, sometimes busy In her fathers
house, again mingling with her young
companions, but never untidy in her ap-
pearance, 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 to his pleasant homes--how
had mature life fulfilled the prophecy ol
youth.
She was still comely in features, grace
full in form, but few would call her hand
some or accomplished woman; for, alas
all other characteristics were overshadow-
ed BY this repulsiYe trait. Yet she loved
to see others neat, and her house and chill
dren did not seem TO belong TO her, so well
kept, and tidy did they always look. As
a housekeeper she excelled, and her hus-
band was long in acknowledging to him
self the unwelcome fact that he had mar
ried an incorrigible sloven.
When, like too many otheryoung wives,
she began TO grow negligent in regard to
I her dress, he readily excused her in his
own mind, and thought "she is not we'll"
or, 9she has so much 10 do ~ and peroeiV-
ing no abatement in his kind attentions
she naturally concluded he was perfectly
satisfied. As her family cares increased
and she went less into company, she be-
came still more careless of her personal
appearance, and contented herself with
seeing that nothing was lacking which
could contribute TO the comfort Of her hus.
band and children, never supposing that
so trivial matter as her own apparel
could possibly affect their happiness. Al
this chain Of circumstances hitherto un-
thought Of passed before her, as the littlc
prattler at her side repeated the query
laDon't Pa love 20 see you look prettyl"
ayes, my child, she answered, and hel
resolve was taken,-she would try an ex
pertinent, and prove whether Mr.. Thorn
I ton was really Indifferent on the subject
or not. Giving Nelly picture bookwit
(which 10 amuse herself, she went 20 hel
own room, mentally exclaiming, eat any
rate, IN never put on this rig again--no
even washing day" She proceeded e
lher clothes press and removed one drosi
after another,--some were ragged other
faded, all out of style, and some unfit fol
lwear. Al length she found one Whiel
\ hud iong ago been laid aside, Gas too ligh
to wear about the house" Il was nicS
French print, rose c0lored and white, ana
she remembered that Il had been a favor
ite with her husband. The old adage
amshions come round in seven years,
seemed true 10 tlis Gases iortho dress svai
was made 10 the then prevailing style.
"This Is Just the thing" she thought
and she hsstened 70 Perlorm her toilette
saginQ 10 herself, II must alter my darl
qingham to wear mornings, and get 4 Al
ready before Charles comes home. TheI
she had released her long, dark hair from
IA Imprisonment in most ungraceiu
twist, and carefully brushing itHstul glos
sy. waves, she plated Il in broad braid'
which Charles used 80 much to admire j.
the days of her girihood, nsrr