Maryland free press., 1862-11-14
THE wIFE's EXPERIMENT.

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wass momontsry surprise en- Hrs. Thoraton'i
facet bat she answered, oarslsssly, 40, no OF
sares how ] look .. ...,s
"Don't Pa love TO see you look prsttyt" persis
ted the child. Tbs mother did aot reply, bzt in,
Voluntarily shs glanced ct her sloveniy sttire-th
faded and worn calico drssa, sad dingy apron
both bearing witness to an intimate acquaintance
with the dish-psn and stevs--she slip shod shoe
and soiled stookings--snd she could not help re
nsmhering how, she had that mersthE sppssre
with uncombsd hair, and prepared her hu.bAndb
market town.
'Surs snoughr' musOd she, show do lookr'
And then memory pointed back few years 10 q
neatly and tsstsfHlly-dresssd maiden, sometimes
busy in her fathers house, again mingling With
her young companions, but never untidy in her
appearance, always fresh and blooming, and this
che knew full we'll, was pisture Of herself when
Charles Thornton first won her young heart. Such
was the bride he had taken to bis pleasant home
how had mature life fslalled the prophecy tf
youthY
She Was still oomeiy Ia fsItlres, graceful in
form, but few could call hsr handsome or an &C.
oomplshsd woman; for. slssi 1ll other character
istics we're overshadowed by this rePulsire trait.
Yet she loved to see, othsrE neht; ard her house
and children did not seem to belong to her, 20
well kept and tidy did they always look. As .
house-keepsr she excelled, a3d her. husband was
loag In scknow led ging to himself the unwelcome
fact that he had marride an incorTigible sloven.
When, like too many young wives, she began to
grow negligent In regard to her dress. he readily
excused her In his own nind, and thought ''she 10
not WE'LL" or, "shc has 90 much to do" and per
csiving no Abatement Of his kind attentions, she
naturally ccnsluded he Was psefsotly sstiffed.-
AZ her family cares increased, aad she went less
into company, she became still mere eArslsrs Of
her personal appearance, and contsnted herself
with seeing that nothing was lacking which Seuld
contribute to the comfort Of her husband and
children, never supposing that so trivial matter
ss her ewn apparel could possibly affse: their hap
ptzssg. Ali this chain Of circumstances, hitherto
anthoaght Of, passed tha query:
"Don't Pc love to soc yon lsok prsttJr
"Tss, ~ sSild,f she answered. sad her resolve
was tsksn,-she would try Al experiment, and
prove whether Mr. Thornton we're really indnss
ent on the subject or not. Giving Nellie picture
book with which to amuse herself, she went to her
own room, mentally exclsimiug, "atany rate, III
never put on shis rig ssain,-not even on washing
day" She proceeded to her olothes-prsss, and
Eed, Others faded, all out Of styIs and some unit
20 wear,-as length she found one which had long
been laid aside a. too light 10 wear about the
house." It was . nice French print, rose solored
and white, and she remembered had once besn .
favorite with her husband. The old adage, "fa.h.
ions eoms round once In seven years." seemed
true in this case. for ths dress was made in the
prevailing style. .ss =.
a.. a.. -.
tened so perform her toilette, saying to herself
III mus. Elter nay dark ginKham TO wear morn.
ings, and get il ell ready before Charles comes
home" Then she released her long, dark hair
from its imprisonment In a most ungrseeful twist,
and ssrefuly brushing its still Glossy waves, she
plated It In the broad srsids which Charles ussd
80 much TO admire in the days Of her girlhood.
The snwonted task brought bssk many remins-
csnces of long.vanshsd years, aud tears glistened
il her ayes as she thought OF the many changes
Time had wrought In those she loved, bat she
nurmurod, "WhAt hath sadness like the change
shat In ourselves we fnd7'' IL thai hour shs re-
SLICED how an apparently trivial fault had gained
tie mastered over bor, and impercsptibly had
placed barrier between her and the one she best
loved on earth. True, he never chided her, never
apparently noticed her altered appearance, but
bhe knew he no longer urged her going into soci-
ETY., nor did he seem TO care about receiving bis
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 aeqasintsnces.
Now, they seldom went out together, except to
church, and even dressing for that was generslly
too much OF an effort for Mrs. Thornton. She
would stay at home "to keep house," after pre-
pairing her little ones to accompany their father;
and the neighbots soon ceased expecting TO meet
her at public worship in the social gather ings
and SO one by eae they neglected to call on her,
until but few OF the number contu ned to eKch ange
frisndly eivilities With her. She, had wondered
st this, had fet mortified and panied bsretofor
now she cleai ly saw 1t was her own fsrlt, the yell
was removed from her eyes, and the mistake of
life was revealed In Its true enormity. Sincerely
did she repent Of her past error calmly and seri-
ocsly resolve on future and immediate amendlnsnt.
Meanwhile her hands were not idle, and at length
ahe metaaorphose was complete. The bright dra-
perry hung gracefully about her form, imparting
an unusual brilliancy TO her compile xisn-her best
wrought collar was fastens with 9 costly hroaeh,
her husbands wedding gift, wbion had not seen
the light for many day. CHANGING once more
st the mirror, TO be certain that her toilette nee
ded more finishing touches, she took her sow
ing and returned to the sittng-roon.
Little Nellie had wsaried Of her picture book,
asd was now playing with the kitten. As Mrs.
Thornton entered she slapped her hands in child
ish delight. ...q.
"0h, ma, how pretsyi' and runnipst to her kissd
her again, then drew her little chair close to her
side, and eagerly watched her as she piled her
needle, repairing her ginghsm dress.
just before it WAS completed, Hellis,s brothers
came from school, and, pushing at the hslf-opensd
door, Willie whispered to Charlie:
"I guess we've got company, for neshsr's ell
dressed up"
II was With mingled emotions or pleasors and
pain, that Mrs. Thornton observed her children
were unusually docils aud obsdisnt, hssteaipg to
perform their accustomed duties without being
even reminded of them. Children are tural and
unaffected lovers of Che beautiful, and thsir insu
tive perceptions will not often suffer from compar.
ison with the opinions Of mature worldly wisdom.
1t was vita new feeling Of admiration that these
children now looked upsn their mother, and
seemed 10 ssnsidsr II = privilege 70 DO sonstAips