The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1864-02-19

room, and have had to come down
and get it for myself"
"Oh mother! that was too bad -
to think Margaret should have been
SO carelessl' The daughters face
crimsoned.
"Now if you had been n careful
housekeepcr, or thoughtful one, you
would have visited my chamber to see
that all was right there. You would
have never left your mothers comfort
dependent upon the uncertain admin
istration of servant Next, the
room has not been busted twice since
l have been here. NY fingers are
soilcd with everything I touch, and I
am sure it hasn't been swept once
since | have been here. But this on
ly effects your guests--is only SO
much taken from their comfort. Let
us look ut some things involving the
comfort of your husband, for these
are Of the highest consideration. -
You asked him Yesterday morling to
get yon some pink-lin envelopes.
lIo brought them atdinner time. He
asked you to darn Il rent in a black
alpaca coat. 80 that he could wear it.
Did you do as he requested ? No,
you read and toyed with Gnc needle
work all the morning, but touch
ed the coat, and when he asked for II
what reply did you make? Oh, you
hated darning above all things. and
told him he had better direct the tnil.
or to send for it. The day had he
come unusually warm and he had to
90 out after dinner, wearing a thick
coat, Just because You had willfully
/ neglected TO perform so light ser
vice for your husband Do you i'm
agine that he never thought Of Your
failure to do for him what he asked I?
That he did not feel your indifference
TO his comforts? Your kiss, depend
upon it, dear Martha, touched his
! lips coldlv, and your loving words, Il
any were spoken. were as sounding
brass and tinl<ling cvmbals to his ear.
He looked past all lip afiirmations,
and saw the failure in deed
"And failure in deed seems to he
. the rule in your administration of his
household, instead of the exception.
Most especially is this the case in
what appertains to the dining room
and kitchen The meals are always
badly cooked and badly served. The
slovenliness with which Margaret sets
the table is n disgrace to herself aud
Il standing rebuke to her MISTRESS
I hav'nt seen n really clean dish--as
I have regard to cleanliness, since I
have been here. Not a clean knife or
fork. Your cruet stand is offensive
to the eye. There is smcared mus.
tard bottle, with n smeared spoon, n
cstsup bottle with half an inch of cat
sup at the bottom, and an oil bottle
empty. Pepper and vinegar bottles
/ will not describe. The cruet stand
itself is as dark as lead, and the nap
hin rings and spoons are not much
better"
Pray, stop, mother" said Martha,
interposing with face nearer scarlet
than white.
mo, must say word farther
Can such things be and escape your
husbands observation? Can such
things be and not prove q daily Off.
cnce and annoyance TO him? Can
such things he and not irritate him,
at times, INTO unkindncss? He would
be more than mortal, my child, were
he etemper-proofagainst assaults upon
good nature, like these
Martha was not fool-tllounh
there are too many in her position, we
are sorry to say, to whom the word
most significantly applies, She saw
through her mofIier's clearer vision,
the blindness in which she had been,
and the folly Of defective household
administration, saw that, in holding
herself above domestic duties and
manipulations, she WAS governed
more by her pride and Incidence,
than Just regard for wircIy or wo-
manly dignity; saw that, to hold fast
her husbands love, she must do more
for him than to offer loving words;
for lie being real and earnest, de
manded earnest work from all-from
the delicate wife rs well as from the
more enduring husband.
On the next morning, as Edward
lifted his cup to his lips he said with
II smile Of pleasure:
"What iine coffee, Martha. Idon't
know when ! We tasted anything so
delicious. Your handiwork, infer?'
And Edward looked from his wife to
her mother
"No,' replied Mrs. Barton, "it is
none of my handiwork.
"But it's mine" said the young
wife, who could not keep back the
acknowledgement of her pleasure in
seeing her husbands pleasure was so
great.
"Yours?' Edward sat down his
cup and looked across the table in
real surprise.
"Yes mine. made the coffee this
morning.
"You did9 Well, as said, it is
delicious! | wonldn't give this cup
of coffee for all the stuff that has been
made in this house since we entered
it,"
The steak was praised next.
"Did you cook this also?" asked
the husband.
IL superintended the work." was