Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1872-12-06

passing upon the household regulations OF
his slight, girish-looking wife in short he
wore the appearance of-shall use the
homely expression Pa "hen-pecked hus-
band"
Mrs. Stanley left the room to look after
the tea, and enjoyed a pleasant chat with
Mr.. Stanley, and found him an uncommon
ly sensible and intelligent man. and could
not but wonder that he should allow his
wifo's foolish mania to effect his bearing so
sensibly; but, poor man, who does not
know that "continual dropping will wear
a stone" Before the close of my visit
did not wonder at all, for IL was :-"Fred-
eric, one of the legs Of your chair is off the
bocking-Frederic, will you take care to
close the door quickly when you come in
the street way, so that the flies may not
follow you-Frederic, will you read your
paper in the kitchen, so that we may not
have to draw blind here and fade the car
pet?" and in short, time would fail me to
enumerate all the causes of complaint she
found in him. His hard labor had bought
and furnished the beautiful house he called
"home," ana yet It was not home 70 him
or his chidren-they would have been far
happier in an humble cottage, with bare
floors and whitewashcd walls, so that they
had enjoyed liberty to speak and move and
breathe freely.
"Why, Mary" said Mr.. Stanley, whom
his wife entered to call us to tea, "you look
heated. What has been the trouble?"
~ am heated, and vexed besdes,' was
the fretful reply. eve must look for other
help soon. Such chase as l have had
That careless girl had left the dining room
door open for moment and there were
five flies making themselves quite athome.
l never in all my housekeeping had that
number of flies in my dining room. am
so tired and heated now "drivng" them,
that l do not feel able to do another thing
tonight. We must look out for better
help, Frederic"
"But, Mollie, my love" said Mr.. Stan
ley, in half deprecating tone, "you know
l spent the greater part of my spare time,
only week before last, in search for this
girl, and you have all along called ber ex-
cellent help. 1t seems to me it would be
unkind to dismiss her for so 81 ghta cause"
"Slight! this is all you men know about
women's trials" was the ungracious re-
sponse. "Slight as it is if the like thin.
| occurs again, l will dismiss her at once,
and attend to my own chamber work and
lay the tables myself Think of having
hies-the dirty things-in my house, l
should go beside myself in less than a
| week"
Mr.. Stanley gave over the discussion,
and we went to the ted-room. There was
shining silver service, costly cut glass, rich
| Sevres china and choice edibes, but these
were not enjoyed, for the mistress of it all
was inwardly fuming and fretting. and
where this is the case ii invariably brings
unrest and disquiet to the hearts of those
who gather round the board felt all this
while sitting there, and l thought too how
necessary for the "heads of a family to be
cheerful at the "family board"
In answer to the bell, the girl who had
| by her oversight so ruffled her mistress
temper, came in. She was neat and pleas
ant looking, but 1 saw by the expression
| of her face that she was still suffering from
the effects of Mrs. Stanley's displeasure. |
was quite sure she had been weeping. Mr..
/
still it was an uncomfortable meal to all,
and l was glad when it was over.
Perhaps my reader has gathered from
what | have said of my friend that she was
naturally of disagreeable and eXacting
disposition, but this was not true. Never
was a sweeter, kinder hearted girl than
she, but she had begun her married life
with the ambitious design of becoming q
"model housekeeper," and so intent had
she been in following out her purpose, thai
she had, imperceptibly TO herself, acquired
the habit of watching the movements o
every member of the household, lest they
should interfere in any of her arrange
ments, also that of frettng for every trfle
and as / looked upon her face, once 81
pleasant in its expression, and saw the pre-
mature lines of care, or more properly fret
fulness, thought :-Preserve me from eve
being n "model housekeeper.n
"Come now, Hattie" said she, the thirt
day after my arrival, 'let us sit down ant
have pleasant chat about old times
Everything has seemed to go wrong sine
you came, and | fear your visit has no
been thus far over comfortable"
longed TO say what thought, but coul,
} not gather courage.
"First tell me about the Card girls" sal
she, "the two who married, and little Amy
, the prettiest of them ALL who died tie da
/ her Intended came home from a four yeal
voyage. / think it was so hard"
l 1t was sad story, indeed, aud coul
not often think OF 1t without shedding tear
, In compliance with her request l CONNER
ced relating to her all the items had trea'
+ ured in my mind of our mutual frienC
o Amy Card.
n "Wait a minute" she said in the mid
}, of my first sentence. "the wind has turne
l one of the swivels Of the outer blind"
= So / waited until the inner blinds wei
t drawn, the window raised and the ort'
+ one closed. 1t was quite lengthy pr
b cess, but at last it was ended, and on,
: more commenced my story. But no mo
= than ten minutes had elapsed before 81
d said =
d ~ am sorry to disturb you again, but
It see roll of lint under the piano, and ca
= not place me mind upon anything as Lei
o as there is any dirt about me- so up 81
Juhpcu anu "'"' W ~ P'""'i ''''l'
D. down, and then returned with bit of Ii
v about the size of three-cent bit, sayin
l. "Such carelessness in help is unbearab
Y, | shall yet have to do everything myself
ne "I could not forbear smiling, thou
heartily vexed at the interruption. Ho'
is ever, | made the third attempt, and hi
k, pursued my narrative for nearly half
hour just as l was in the midst of telli
ar her of Amy's bridal, of the return of Ii
I'd lover, and that the white satin dress whi
I'd was to have adorned the sweet, fair brio
of had instead been worn for her coffin rol
my friends mind and eyes began to wa
as der aout the room, and starting up sh
ey exclaimed =
or ~ cannot stand II another moment, II