The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1864-12-24
Idle Hands.
BY T. S. ARTHUR.

Mr.. Thornton came home at his usual midday
hour, and az he went by the parlOr door, he saw
his daughter, n young lady of nineteen, lOunging
on the sofa with a book in her hands. The whirr
of his wife's sewing manhino st-uOL on hio eaIs
at the SAM moment. Without pausIns at the
parlor, he kept on to the room from which came
the sound of industry.
Mrs. Thornton did not observe the entrance 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. Mr.. Thorn
ton stood looking at her for some moments with
out speaking
"Oh, dear 2" exclaimed the tired woman, let
ting 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 sober.
What the matter? Why do you look so
seriOus?' asked his wife.
:" Because / feel serious,' he answered.
ii anything gone wrong" Mrs. Thorn
ton s countenance grew slightly troubled. Things
had gone wrong III her husbands business more
than once, and che had learned TO dread the &C.
currence Of disaster.
Things are wrong all the time" was replied,
with some impatience of manner.
In ycur business?'' Mrs. Thornton spoke n
little family.
mo. nothing specially out of the way there
but it's all wrong ut home"
81 don't understand you, Harvey. What is
wrong at home, pray 2"
Wrong for you to sit in pain and exhaustion,
over that sewing machine, whilst an idle daugh-
ter lounges over a novel in the p%arlor. That's
what / wished to say"
1T isn't Efie's fault. She often asks to help
me. But 1 can't see the child put down to
household drudgery. Her time will come soon
enough Let her have Il little case and comfort
while she may"
If we said that of our sons replied Mr..
Thnrnrnn - anI anral -, -, -,-I -. -.
men they would make for the worlds work ! How
admirably furnished they would be for life's trials
and duties -
You are wrong in this thing, all wrong"
continued the husband. And as TO ease and
comfort, as you say, if Efie isa r~ight-minded girl,
she will have more true enjoyment in the con-
seriousness that she Is tightening her mothers
burdens. than it is possible to obtain from the
finest novel ever written. Excitement of the
imagination is no substitute for that deep peace
OF mind that ever accompanies and succeeds the
right discharge of daily duties. 1t is a poor COM
pliment to Efie's moral sense to suppose that she
can be content to sit with idle hands, or to en-
ploy them In light f%rivOlties, while her mother is
worn down with toll beyond her strength. Hes
ter, it must not be ="
voice.
Mr.. Thornton and his wife started, and turned
to the speaker, who had entered the room uuob-
and been u listener to nearly all the con-
veTsation we have recorded.
" 1t shall not be, father =" And Fife came and
stood by MIR. Thornton. Her face was crimson
her eyes flooded with tears, through which light ]
flashing her form drawn up erectly her
manner resOlute. 50 Ii isn't all my fault she |
said, and she laid her hand on her fathers arm.
- I've asked mother a great many times to let me
help her, but she always puts me off. and says
easier TO do a thing herself than to show
Maybe | am a little dull. But every
one has TO learn, you know. Mother did not get
her hand in fairly with that sewing machine for
or three weeks, and I'm certain it wouldn't /
take me any longer. If she'd only teach me how
TO use it, | could help her a great deal. And in
Iced, father, I'm willing"
Spoken in the right spirit, my daughter"
Mr.. Thornton, approyingly. Girls should
be usefully employed as well Us boys, and IN many
.hinys most likely TO be- required of them when
hey become women in the responsible position of
wives and mothers. Depend upon it, Ellie, an
die girlhood is not the way to a cheerful woman
rood. Learn and do, now, the very things that
sill BE required Of you in after years, and then
ToU will have a required facility. Habit and skill
maize easy what might come hard, and be felt as
burdensome."
- And would you 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 fifteen or
ixteen hours Of each day, in which mind or hand
hOuld De- rightly employed. Now let us see how
lhe Is spending these long and ever recurring
,eriods OF time. Come my daughter, sit down.
We have this subject fairly before us. 1t is one
a life long Importance TO you, and should be
sell considered. How Is 1t in regard TO the en-
of your time? Take yesterday, for in
tance. The records of 4 day will help US to get
owards the result after which We are now search
ng."
Fife sat down and Mr.. Thornton drew a chair
n front Of his wife and daughter.
"Take yesterday, for instance said the father.
How was it spent? You rose at seven, [ Think"
Yes, sir | came down just as the breakfas,
was ruug," said Effe.
And your mother was up at half past five, |
and feeling 50 weak that she could hardly
Iress herself. But for all this she was at work
Until breakfast time. Now, if you had risen at
X, and shared your mothers work until seven,
Tou would have taken an hour from her DAVIS
burdens, and certainly lost nothing from your
music, self-imprOvement or social intercourse.
low was it after breakfast? How was the morn
ng spent?"
81 practiced on the piano an hour after break
$50 far so good. What then 80
II read The Cavalier until eleven o'clock"
Mr.. Thornton shock his head, and asked, After
leyen. how was the time spent ?"
e. dressed myself and went out"
4 what time did you go out"
"A little after twelve o'clock"
- An hour was spent in dressiug"
Yes. sir"
- Where did you CO."