Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1861-11-08
IDLE HAND S.
BY T. 5. ARTHUR.

| l0f 0oor, ne saw his daughter, young
girl of nineteen, lounging on the sofa, with
book in her hands, The whir of his
wife's sewing machine struck On his cars
at the same moment. Without pausing at
the parlGr door, be kept on to the room
from which cane the sound of industry.
Mrs Thornton did not observe the en-
trance of her husband. She was bending
close down over her work, and the noise of
her machine was louder than his footsteps
on the floor 6Ir. Thornton stood locking
at her for some moments without speaking,
0, dear exclaimed the tired woman,
letting her foot rest on the treadle, and
Strengthening herself up. this pain in my
side is almost beyond endurance.
Then why do you sit killing yourself
there? said Mr.. Thornton.
Mr.. Thornton's aspect was unusually So
ber.
What's the matter? Why do you look
so serious? asked bis wife.
Because feel serious.
Has anything gone wrong? Mrs. Thorn
toms countenanee grew slightly troubled
Things had gone wrong in his business
more than once, and she learned to dread
the occurrence of disaster.
Things are wrong all the time. was re-
piled in some impatience.
In your business? Mrs Thornton spoke
a little family.
No, nothing specially out of the way
there but it's all wrong at home.
don't understand you, Harvey. What
is wrong at home, pray?
Wrong for you to sit, in pain and ex-
haustion over that sewing machine, while
an idle daughter lounges over novel in
the parlor. That S what wished to say
1t isn't Efie's fault. She often asks to
help rae. But I can't see the child put
down to household druid gerry, Her time
will come soon enough. Let her have a
little ease aud comfort while she may
If we said that of our sons, replied Mr.
Thornton, and acted on the word, what eff
fclent men they would make for the world s
work. How admirably furnished they
would be for life's trials and duties!
You are wrong in this thlng-all wrong.
continued the husband And as to ease
and comfort as you say, ii Effie is right
minded girl, she will have more true en-
( joyment in the consciousness that she is
/ tightening her mothers burdens, than it is
possible to obtain from the finest novel ev-
er written. Excitement of the imagina-
tion is no substitute for that deep peace of
mind that ever accompanies and succeeds
the right discharge of daily duties. 1t is
a poor compliment to Efhe's moral sense
to suppose that she can be content to sit
with idle hands, or TO employ them in light
frivolties, while her mother is worn down
with toll beyond her strength. Hester,
this must not be
And it shall not be !! said quick, firm
voice.
Mr. Thornton and his wife started, and
turned round to the speaker, who had en-
tered the room unebserved and had been
a listener to nearly all the conversation we
have recorded.
1t shall not be, father And Efie came
and stood by Mr., Thornton. Her face
was crimson; her eyes flooded with tears.
through which light was flashing her
form drawn up erectly her manner reso-
lutte.
It isn't all my fault, she said as she laid
her hand on her fathers arm. I've asked
mother. great many times, to let me help
her. but she always puts me off, and says
it's easier to do thing herself than to
show another. Maybe l am little dull.
But every one has to learn, you know
Mother didn't get her hand in fairly with
that sewing mhacine for two or three
weeks, and I'm certain it wouldn't take n e
any longer If she'd only teach me how
to use it, could help her great deal
And indeed, father, am willing!
Spoke in the right spirit, my daughter,
said Dir. Thornton approvingly. Girls
should be usefully employed as well as
boys, and in the very things most likely to
be required of them when they become
women in the responsibility of wives and
mothers. Depend upon it, Efie, an idle
girlhood is not the way to cheerful wo.
manhood. Learn and do now, the very
things that will be required of you in af
ter years, and then you will have an acqui-
red facility. Habit and skill will make
easy what might come hard, and be felt
very burthensome.
Aud you would have her abandon all
self-improvement, said Mrs. Thornton
Give up music, reading. society-
There are, replied Mr. Thornton, as his
wife paused for another word, Some ffteer
or sixteen hours in the day in which minc
or hands hould be rightly employed. Now
let us see bow Effe is spending these long