Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1859-12-21
TIE WIFE,s EXPERIMENT


thornton $ face but she answered, careless
~. ''Oh, no one cares how | look.''
''Don't Pa love to see you look pretty ?''
persisted the child. The mother did not re-
ply, but involuntariy she glanced at her SLOW
enly attire, the faded and worn calico dress
and dingy apron, both bearing witness to an
intimate acquaintance with the dish-pan and
stove-the slip-shod shoes, and soiled stock
ings-and she could not help remembering
how she had that morning appeared with un-
combed hair, and prepared her husbands
breakfast before he left home for the neighbor-
ing market town. ssSure enough'' And
then Memory pointed back few years to a
neatly and taStefuly dressed maiden, some
times busy in her fathers house, again min
Cling with her young companions, but never
untidy in her appearance, always flush 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 home-how had
matured 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 tor, alas all other
characteristics of the woman were overshad-
owed by this repulSye trait. I ct she loved
to see others neat, and her house and children
did Hot seem to belong to her, so well kept
and tidy did they always look. As a house
keeper she excelled and her husband was long
in acknowledging to himself the unwelcome
fact be 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 'she has so
much to do > and perceiving 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 became still more careless of her personal
appearance, and contented herself with seeing
that nothing was lacking which could contrib
ute to the comfort of her husband and children,
never supposng that SO trivial matter as her
own apparel could possibly affect their happi-
ness. All this chain of circumstances hith-
erto unthought of passed before her, as the
little prattIer by her side repeated the query,
Don't Pa love to see you look pretty 90
ssYes, my child,'' she answered, and her
resolves were taken--sfe would try an expert
ment, and prove whether Mr.. Thornton were
really Indifferent on the subject, or not Civ
ing Nellie picture book with which TO amuse
herself, she went to her own room, mentally
eXclaiming sat any rate, I'll never put on this
rig agan-not even washing day. She pro-
ceeded 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 too light to wear about the
house, 1t was a nice French print, rose col
ored and white, and she remembered had once
been a favorte with her husband. The old
adage, fashion comes round in seven years.
seemed true in this case ;~for the dress was
made in the then prevailing style.
ssrhis is just the thing she thought, and
she fastened to perform her toilet, saying to
herself 81 must alter my dark gingham to
wear in the mornings, and get it all ready be-
fore Charles comes home.' Then she releaSad
her long, dark hair from its imprisonment IN
a most ungracefu twist, and carefully brushing
its still glossy waves, she plated it in the
broad braids which Charles used so much to
admire in the days OF her girihood. The I'M
wonted task brought back many "reminiscences
of those vanished years, and tears glistened
in her eyes as she thought of the many chan
ges Time had wrought in those she loved,
but she murmured, ssWhat hath sadness like
the change that in ourselves we find.' In that
hour she realized how an apparently trivial
fault had gained the mastery over her, and
imperceptbly had planted a barrier between
her and the one she best loved on earth; true.
he never chded her, never apparently noticed
her altered appearance; but she we'll knew he
no longer urged her going into society, nor
did he seem to care about receiving his friends
at his own house although he was social man
and had once felt proud to introduce his young
wife to his large circle of acquaintances.
Now they seldom went out together except
ing to church, and even dressing for that was
generally too much of an effort tor Mrs, Thorn
ton she would stay al home Eto keep house,
their father, and the neighbors soon ceased eX-
pecting to meet her at public worship or IN
their social gatherngs-and so, one be one,
they neglected to call on her until but very
few of the number continued to exchange
friendly civiitieS with her. She had wonder
ed at this, had fel. mortified and panied here
tofore now she clearly saw it was her own
fault the veil was removed from her eyes, and
the mistake of her life was revealed in its true
enormity. Sincerely did she repent OF her
past error calmly and seriously resolved on
future and immediate amendment.
Meanwhile her hands were not idle, and at
length the metamorphosis complete. The
bright pink drapery hung gracefully about her
form. imparting no unusual brlliancy 10 her
complexion-her best wrought collar was ias-
tened with costly brooch her husbands we'd
ding gift which had not seen the light Tor
many day. CHANGING once more at her MIR
ror to be certain her toilet needed no more
finishing touches, she: took her sewing, ana
went to the sitting-room. Little Nellie had
wearied of her picture book, and was only
nlayinp with the kitten. AS Mrs. Thornton
entered she cIasped her hands in childish de-
lioht exclaimiDg. sOh, Ma, how pretty j ana
running to her, kissed her again ana again.
then drew her little chair close to her slae,
and eagerly watched her as she piled her nee
die, repairing the gingham dress just oeiore
it was completed, Nelle's brothers came from
school, and pausing at the half open door,
Willie whispered to Charlie. q guess we've
got company,for mothers all areSseu sS"re up and
was with mingled emotion oil pleasure anu
,,oin tbat Mrs Thornton observed her children
were unusually docile and obedient. hasten
ing to perform their accustomed duties es with
ont being even reminded of them. Chiidren
are naturally and unaffected lovers oil tie
beautiful, and their intuitiye perceptions WIN
not often suffer from comparison Win liie v
,,;p;ons of mature worldly wisdom. 1t was
With new feeling of admiration that these