The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1861-09-12
Change i'm the Household.

en-, rapidly divesting a chicken of its feathers
I've worked and shaved myself to death for hin
and his'n and all the thanks I've had for tn
last fifteen years has been short words and gen
eral growing and fault finding, and now In
just determined TO stand out and have my owl
way or let things take their own course, anC
he'll find alter all Meiissy Talco.t has got some
spirit in her that can't be crushed GU, with al
his abusin' and aggravation.
'To think he should have the heart to refuse
me new carpet after he had so good luck will
his wheat crop. and just shaved myself through
harvesting and got along with one girl
The more the man gifts, the stingier he grows
aud there isn't woman among all my acquan
tances that would stand such treatment, and
won't. I'll put my foot down, from this mo-
ment, setting down most emphatcally thai
solid member of her comely person on the kitch
en- foor, 1t Isaac Parsons don't come TO terms
LII quit him-that's all.
Mrs. Melissy Parsons had been remarkably
pretty girl in her youth, and thirty years had
made her fair and comedy woman.
Her husband was somewhat of phlegmatic
man, stubborn and opinionated, and as his early
lite and social atmosphere had not enlarged or
sottened his character, the hardest and most
| dlsagreeable part of it expanded with his years.
He loved money, and the aesthetic part of his
nature had regarded it as wastefulness and ex-
travagance to indulge in much grace or beauty
! of surroundings.
Still there was another side to this man. His
affections were deep and tender, and iudicious
woman could have reached and influenced him
to almost any degree through these But Mrs.
PARSONS never understood her husband. She
was lmpulsive, high spirited, and really warm
hearted woman, with good deal of petty social
ambition, and she and her husband were con-
stantly Earring at each other.
| let all these years the barns and storehouses,
the lands and gold of Isaac Parsons had lucreas-
ed, and God sent children-two boys and girl
to soften the hearts of the father and mother,
ana to be to them angels of new covenant of
household peace and tenderness But alas !
the sweet faces, and the beautiful ministratons
OF childhood had never accomplished their mis-
| SION, and with hearts and tempers fTetted and
soured and worn, Mr. and Mrs Parsons conn, ed
the years growing ovsr them and both felt that
their marriage had been mistake al q misery
and With blind eyes that would not see, and
hard hearts that would not understand, each
blamed the other, and mutual accumulation on
! y produced fresh bitterness
AT last crisis came. Mrs. Parsons had set
| her heart that autumn upon new carpet, which
was in no wise unreasonable, and in which her
husband ought to have INDUCED her, but the
manner OF the request, which was in reality a
command, at once reused the inherent siubbor-
ness OF the man, and he fatty refused her
! Then followed passionate words and angry re-
torts until the husband aud wife separated with
mutual bitterness and rage
But now as Mrs. Parsons took up her denuded
chicken and plunged it into pan Of hot wafer
her eyes glanced on the weekly paper whichlay
OIL the table, and they settled upon this passage
which completed a short sketch WHO when
ne was reviled, revied not again. but commit
leG MS cause to him who judgeth righteously.' )
ana THESE words stole, i'll a still, serene, re-
Daklng voice, through the stormy soul of Mrs.
Parsons. She read them innumerable times be.
fore, and they had for her no special message
nor meaning, but now God had sent His angel
to drop them in her heart, and in a moment
something of the real sin and wrong OF her life
rose up and confronted her
ohe sat down in 8 low chair by her kitchen
table, and rested her forehead on her hand
The hard, frettnl, angry look went out from her
iace, and was succeeded ny soft, thoughtful
EXPRESSION and the sunshine hung in yearning,
golden, shifting beauty about her.
Aud then the woman memory went back 10
her hrst acquaintance with Parsons-he had
chosen her from a score of others who had en-
wed her that good fortune, and now those carly
days OF her courtship cam, over the softened
heart OF the woman, as the first winds of Spring
came from the South, and go softly over the
bare despairing earth. Then she herself once
more shy, tremulous, joyful bri de at the altar,
leaning on the arm and tender he art to whom
she gave herself gladly and trustingly as IA wo-
man should
And she remembered that morning a little
later, when her proud and happy young hus-
band brought her to the house which had been
his fathers, and how for little while the
thought OF her being the mistress of The great
old farmhouse fairly frightened the wits out Of
her
She me'nt to make it a sweet anu happy
nome Tor Isaac Parsons. She remembered as
though 1t had all happened Yesterday. he little
plans and contrivances she had mad for his
surprise and their mutual comfort
But the quarrel came. How well she remem-
oered 1t, and how clearly she saw now the foo-
lsh and sinful part she had borne in thatl If
she had controlled her temper then-if she had
only began gentle and patient, forbearing and
forglving instead of proud and passionate, fret
ful and stubborn! II she had only done her
woman's duties Here the wife and mother
broke down; she buried her face in her apron,
and cried like child.
Mrs Parsons was an energetic, determined
woman, and when she had once made up her
mind on any course Of action, she would not
shrink back from it. What went on in the
softening woman's heart. that morning, as she
sat with her apron at her eyes, and the sohs in
her rocking to and fro in her low chair, aud the
sweet restless sunshine all about hef-whai went
on IN the woman So:tened heart-only God and
the angels know.
Are you tired, Isaac?'
The farmer was wping his face ana hands
ON the brown crash towel which hung near the
window. lie was a tall stalwart. muscular
man, sun Drowned and weather beaten vet, he
had keen, kindly eyes, and the hard features
had an honest, intelligent expression. Mrs. Par
sons was cutting loaf of rye bread az the kite
en- table, Her husband turned and looked at
her moment,as though he had DOUBTED wheth-
er he had heard Alright His wife's face bent
over The bread. and he could not see it but the
words came second time
Are you tired, Isaacq'
1t was long time since Nj. Parsons had
heard that soft, quiet voice. 1t stole over his
heart like wind from the land of his youth.
We'll, yes, | do feel kind of tuckered out
It's hard WORK to get in all that corn with only
one hand besides Roger
L reckoned so; and | thought Ia broil the
chicken for tea and bake the sweet potatoes, las
you relish them best So
Mr. Parsons did not say one word he sat
down and took the weekly paper out of his
| pocket, but his thoughts were too busy to let
him read one word. He knew very well his
wlfes aversion to broied chickens and as the
kitchen was her undisputed territory he was
ooHged to submit and have his chickens stew
ed, and his potatoes served up in sauce, notwith-
standing she was perfectly aware that he pre-
terred the former broiled, and the latter bakedi;
and this unusual Difference to his taste fairly
struck the farmer dumb with establishment, land
he sat still and watched his wife, as she hurried
from the pantry to the table, in her pre- operations
for tea; and then there came across him the
memory OF some of the ha sh angry words she
had spoken during their quarrel that morning,
and the words smoie the mans heart
And while Mrs Parsons was in the midst Of
taking up the dainuly broled chick n, two
| boys and girl burst into the kitchen
Hush, hush, children wound in among the
obstreperOus mirth ike SILVER chain. thr soft
voice OF the mother. Father busy reading
the paper, and you'll IL disturb him..
The children were silent at once, not in fear
| OF the renronf hnt IN wnndnr NJ l. Cor tho wife