The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1859-04-14
Fro II Moore's Rural New Yorker
THE WIPES EXPERIMENT.
BY KATE CAMERON.

Ma, why don't you ever dress upl' asked
= little Nellie Thornton, as the mother finished,
ID brushing the child's hair, and tying her apron
Ihere was momentary surprise on Mrs
d Ihornton's face; but she answered careless
If ly: 20, no one cases how | look!'
Don't Pa love to see you look pretty p
persisted the child. The mother did not re
ply, but involuntarily she glanced at her
slovenly attlre-the faded and worn out cali
, co dress and dingy apron, both bearing wit
I ness to an intimate acquaintance with the
). dish-pan and stove-the Slip shod shoes and
a i soiled stockings-and she could not help re-
d membering how she had that morning ap-
. peared with uncombed hair. and prepared
. her husbands breakfast before he left home
: Tor the neighboring market town
Sure enough unused she, show do lookr
And then memory pointed back few years
to neatly and tastefully dressed maiden,
sometimes busy in her fathers house, again
mlnging with her young companions, bu.
never untidy IN her Appearance, always fresh
and blooming; and this she knew, full well,
was picture of herself; when Chas Thorn
ton first won her young heart. She was the
bride he had taken to his pleasant home
how had mature life fulfilled the prophecy of
/ youth!
She was still comely in features, graceful
| IN IN form, but few would call her handsome
character;sithss n;fihsd wgfg wggf1man for alas all other
repulsive trait Yet she loved Is seq TINS
neat, ard her house and children did not be-
/ long to her, SO well kept and tidy did they
| always look. AS housekeeper. she excell-
ed. aud her husband was long in acknowl-
edging to him self the unwelcome fact that
he had married an incorrgible sloven.
When, like too many young wives, she be-
gan to grow negligent in regard to her dress.
he readily excused her in his own mind, and
thought she is not WELL or she has too
much to do; and perceiving abatementi in
his kind attentions. she naturally concluded
he was perfectly satisfied.
As her cares increased, and she went less
into company. she became still more careless
in her personal appearance, and contented
herself with saying that nothing was lacking
which could contribute to the comfort Of her
husband and children, never supposng that
So trivial matter as her own apparel could
possibly affect his happiness. All the chain
Of circumstances hitherto unthought Of,
passed before her, as the little prat,ler by her
side repeated the query:-'D ont Pa love to
see you look pretty?'
Yes. my child she answered, and her
resolve was taken-she would try an exper-
iment, and prove whether Mr.. Thornton was
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 again-not even washing day
She proceeded to her clothes press and
5 moved one dress after anothcr--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 colored and white,
!. and she remembered it had once been IA
= vorite with her husband. The old adagc,-
fashions come round in seven years, seemed
true in this case. for the dress was made in
: the then prevailing style.
This is just the thing she thought. and
she fastened to perform her toilette, saying 10
, herself
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
j. its imprisonment in a most ungraceful twist,
carefully brushing its still glossy waves, she
o plated it in the broad blades which Charles
U used 50 much to admire in the days of hel
o girhood.
G The unwon.ed task brought back many
# "reminiscences of those long vanished years
70 and tears gliStencd in her eyes as she thought
4 Of the many changes time had wrought il
i those she loved, but size murmurei--
What hath sadness like the change tha
in ourselves we fnd?'
E, IL that hour she realized how an appa
e rently trivial fault had gained the mastery
over her. and impercepnby had placed ;
barrier between her and the one she bes
II loved on earth True, he never chided he
Il. never apparently notieal her altered ap
ss ]. pearsuce but she well knew he no longe
urged her going into society, nor did he seen
to care about receiving his friends at his owl
house, although he was a social man, AM
had once felt proud TO introduce his youns
wife to his large circle Of aoqusintances.
Now, they seldom went out together, ex
$ cepting to church, and even dressing for tha
n; was generally too much of an effort for Mrs
Thornton-she would stay at home 'to kee
= house. after preparing their little ones toac
company their father - and the neighbor
ceased expecting to meet her at public wor
:. ship OF in o.her social gatherings-and 50 on
by one, they neglected to call en- her unt
but very few Of the number continued to 9,
an; n change friendly civilities with her. She ha
~ wondered at this, and felt mortified and pain
% ed heretofore; now she clearly saw it Wa
o. keT own fault; the veil was removed from ht
% OWE eyes, aud the mistake Of her life was II
- vealed in its true enormity. Sincerely di
she repent of her past error. calmly and s.
riously resolve on future aud imEedia
amendment
ice
Of Meanwhile her hands were not idle ar
oP. at length the motamorphose was complete
sE the bright pink drapery hung graceful
the about her form, imparting an unusual bri
iancy to her eomplexiou-her bsSt wrong
: collar was fastened with costly brooch, b
= husbands wedding gitt. which had not set
the daylight for many day. Gianciug on
more at her mirror TO be certain her toilet
L raagad no more finishing touches, she to
her sewing and returned % the sittin