The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1870-02-24

Pi"StiSch hh h"ul oh 'ho Pinuo
after break fast."
80 far so good, What them"
read the Cavalier" until eleven
O'clock"
Mr.. Thornton shook his head, aud
asked:
"Aiter eleven how was the time spent?"
i dressed myself aud went out"
q" suppose an hour was spent ia
dressing?'
+" Yes, sir"
"Whero did you go?"
+" called ON Helen Boyd, and We
took walk down Broadway"
"And came home just in time for
diunerY | think mt you ut the door?"
/" Yes, sir"
How was it after dinner 2"
/" | slept from three until FIVE, and
then took bath and dressed myself
From six until tea time | sat ut the
parlor window"
"After tea 7"
Read the Cavalier" until | went to
bed"
"At what hour did you so to bed ?"
"Eleven."
Now we can make up the account"
said Mr.. Thornton. You rose at seven
aud retired at elcven-sixteen hours
Aud from your own account Of the day,
but single hour was spent in anything
uselul-that was the hour at the piano.
Now, your mother was up at half past
five, aud went TO bed, from her sheer
Inability to sit at her work any longer,
at half past nine. Sixteen hours for
her also. How much reading did you
do in that time 2" Aud Mr.. Thornton
looked at his wife.
Don't talk to me Of reading I've
no time to read" Mrs. Thornton an
swered, little impatiently. The con.
trast of her daughters idle hours with
her own life of exhaustiug toll, did not
impress her mind very pleasantly.
"Aud yet" said Mr. Thornton, "you
were always fond Of reading, and | can
remember when not one day went by
without an hour or two passed with your
books. Did you lie down after diuncry"
"Of course not"
"And didn't you take H. pleasant walk
down Broadway, nor sit ut the parlor
window with Efiie p
There was no reply,
4" Now, the case is II very plain one"
continued Mr.. Thornton. In fact,
nothing eau be palmer. You spend from
fourteen to sixteen hours iu hard work,
while Ellie, taking yesterday as sam
pie, spends about the same time in what
is little better than dleness Suppose
newa ljustment were to take place, aud
Eiiic were to be usefAlly employed iu
helping you eight hours each day, she
would still have eight hours left for self.
Improvement or recreation aud you,
relieved from your present overtasked
condition, might get back portion of
your health aud spirits, of which these
too heavy household duties have rob.
bed you"
Father" said Efiie, speaking through
the tears that were falling over her face,
" | never saw things in this light. Why
haven't you talked to me before? I've
often felt as if I'd like TO help Mother
always says: you can't do it; I'd
rather do it myself" Indeed it is not
all my fault"
e 1t may not have been in the past,
Effie," replied Mr.. Thornton. but it
certainly will be in the future, unless
there is a new arrangement OF things
1t is a false social sentiment that lets
daughters become idlers, while mothers,
fathers aud sons take up the daily bur.
den of work and bear it through all the
business hours"
Mrs. Thornton did not come grace.
fully into the new order of things pro.
posed by her husband and accepted by
Ef6e. False pride in her daughter,
that future lady ideal, and inclination
to do herself, rather than take the
trouble to teach another, were all so
many impediments. But Ellie and her
father were both in earnest, and it was
not long before the overtasked mothers
weary face began TO lose its look of
WEAKNESS, and her langud frame to
come up to an erect bearing. She could
fnd tine for the old pleasure in books
for healthy walk in the street, and
call on some valued friend.
And was Effe the worse for this
change? Did the burden she was
sharing with her mother depress her
shoulders aud take the lightness from
her step? Not so. The languor en-.
gendered by sickness, which had begun
to show itself, disappeared in few
weeks; the color came warmer into her
cheeks; her eyes gained in brightness.
She was growing, in fact, more beaut
ful, for her mind, cheerfully conscious
OF duty, was moulding every lineamcnt
OF her countenance into new expires.
sion.
Did self Improvement stop? Oh, no !
From one to two hours were given TO
close practice on the piano every day.
Her mind, becoming vigorous in tone.
instead of enervated by idieness, chose
better order of reading than had beeu
INDUCED before, and she was growing
towards thoughtful, vigorous, intelli
gent womanhood. She also ound time.
amid her home duties, for an hour twice
week with a German teacher; aud she
began also to cultivate natural taste
Tor drawing. Now that she vas EN-.
pioyiDg her hours useiully, il seemed