Litchfield enquirer., 1861-07-11
Alisffllallp.
cuaNGE IN THE HOUSEHOLD.

l halter half. as she sat in corner of the farr kitchen. rapidly divesting a chicken of it's featl CTS I've worked and slaved myself to deatl for his and his'n, and all the thanks I've had fe the last fifteen years has been short words an, general growlin, and fault finding until now. Tn just determined to stand out and have my owl way, or lot things take their own course, an, he'll find, after all, Melissy Talcott has got som spirit in her that can't be crushed out with al his abusin' and aggravation!
 "To think he should have the heart to refus me carpet after he had such good luck with hi wheat crap, and I jest slaved myself througl harvesting and got along with one girl.
 "The more that man gets the stingier ht grows, and there isn't woman among all ml acquaintances that would stand such treatment and won't. III put my foot down from thi moment setting down most emphatically tha solid member ofher comedy person on the kitch en foor ' if Isaac Parsons won't come to terms I'll quit him-thats all."
 It was still, serene morning in the early au tumn. The kitchen windows were open, an, through them came, like golden wings, the sun shine to finger and laugh on the white kitcheI floor, and flash along the ceiling, and brighter everything into picturesque beauty in that ole farm house kitchen. The song of the birds 1T their nests among the old bell pear trees, came also through the windows in sweet eddies anC jets of music, and so did all those ripe spicy scents, which belong to autumn, and which have always q whisper of the tropics, with their still stately splendor. their groves of balm, and for ests odorous with gums, and beautiful with al strange and gorgeous blooms.
 But better than all this, that autumn morning was one to brim the heart with gratitude ane love to God, the giver of perfect beauty, to calm tho human soul into peace, and trust in the wis dom and love whic.l had ordained that day 2 high priest to man, and its robe Was like the robe of Aaron's ephod, all of blue, and it's bells were the early winds ringing to and fro in the still air, and on the forehead of the morning was written, so that all might read :-" All his works do praise hin."
 But Mrs Melissa Parsons heard and saw nons of these things. Down among the fogs ant darkness of her own fretlul cares and anXeties she walked with warped vision and angry thoughts which seethed and flashed iuto rebel lion and hatred For her there was no beauty in that autumn day, no token of Gods love ant care for man in its sweet iace-na voice calling her to prayer and praise ill the whisper of th' winds or the song of birds.
 Melissa Parsons had been remarkably pret ty girl in her youth. and thiny-seven years hst
 
 Her husband was phlegnatic man, stubborn and opinioHated and as his early life and socia atmosphere had not enlarged nor softened his character, the hardest aid most dlsae,eeabi, part of it expanded with his years lie lcvec money, and us tlle aesthetic part of his nature had never been cultivated, he regarded it as asteiulness and eXtravagance to indulge i much grace or beauty of surroundings.
 still there was another side to the man his affections were deep and tender. aud judiclous and loving wUnlal could have reached hlm to al most any degree through these. Aunt Parsons never understood her husbanti. She Was an i'm pulsivc. higil-srirtad ana really warm hearted wtnar, With good deal of betty social ambl tiur. and shc and her husband were constantly jarrng each other.
 His obstinacy always iniamed her anger while her imperious temper only hardened hin into fresh stubbolnness, and so the current 0 their lives ran almost inharmoniously, and Wa! constantly interrupted by jars and bickerings That ono fair and precious lily of tenderness whose grace and beauty filled her youth witt fragrance, cast its leaves, and at last only its root was left; and what dews or sunshine could nourish it in soll that grew more barren yeal by year-a soil overgroWn with thistles, and rank and noisome weeds?
 Yet all these years the barns and store-houses the land and gold of Isaac Parsons increased and God sent children-two boys and girl-to soften the hearts of the father aud mother and to be to them angels ofa new covenant of house hold peace and tenderness. But, alas the sweet faces, and all the beautiful ministations o childhood never accomplished their mission and, with hearts and temper fretted, and soured and worn, Mir. and Mrs. Parsons counted the L~tl fa1t kI,,& 1,,:, marriage had been a mistake and misery, and with blind eyes that would not see, and hare hearts that would not understand, each blamed the other, and mutual recrimination only pro duced fresh bitterness.
 At last crisis came. Mrs. Parsons had SC her heart that autumn upon new parlor carpe which was in no wise unreasonable. and in whicl her husband ought to have indulged her, but thu manner of her request which was in reality command, at once reused the inherent stubborn ness of the man, and he flatly refused her. Thei followed passionate words and angry retorts, til 1 the husband and wife separated with mutual bit terness and rage.
 But as Mrs. Parsons took up her denudet chicken and plunged it into pan of hot water her eyes glanced on the weekly paper, which la, on the table, and they settled upon this passage which completed short sketch" Who, wheu he was rcviled reviled not again, but committed his cause to Him that judgeth righteously."
 And these words stole in still, rebuking voice, through the stormy soul of Mrs. Parsons She had read them innumerable times before and they had had had for her no special mes sage nor meaning, but now God had sent hi angel to drop them ia her heart; and ill mo ment something of the real sin and wrong of he life rose up and confronted her.
 She sat down in a low chair by her kitchel table, and rested her forehead on her hand. Tn hard, fretful, angry look went out from her face and was succeeded by soft, thoughtful expres sion, and the sunshine lowered in yearning, gold en, shifting beauty about her.
 And the years of Mrs. Parsons rose up, lk pale, sorrowful faces from the dead, and locke. reproachfully upon her, and suddenly, in sharE clear, strong features stood revealed to her rous ca conscience the heavy part she had borne il all the sin and misery that had blasted her mal
 And then the woman's memory went back t, nel nfst acquaintance with Isaac Parsons--h nao cnosen her from among a score of other
 who envied her that good fortune and how thos early days of their courtship came over the sof ened heart of the woman, as the first winds o spring came up from the south, and % softl over the bare, despairing earth. Then she sa, herself once more a shy, tremulous joyful brid at the altar, leaning on the strong arm and tel der heart, to whom she gave herself gladly an ltrustingly, as Q woman should.
 I And she remembered that morning a little | ter, when her proud and happy young husbar brought her to the house which had been h fathers, and how for a little while the thoug of her being mistress of the great old farl
 house fairly frightened the wits out of her. I She meant to make it sweet and hap
 home for Isaac Parsons. She remembered In. n xhn T,