Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1872-01-22
a chair in front of his wife and daugh-

oIO"AAo'o pOiA "e'o lung, 1Cp1lCu 11hO'
'And your mother was up at half-past
five, I know, and complained of feeling
so weak that she could hardly dress her
self But, for all this, she was at work
until breakfast time. Now, if you had
risen at six, and shared your mothers
work until seven, you would have taken
an hour from her days burdens, and GER
tainly lost nothing from your music, self.
improvement or social intercourse How
was it after breakfast? How was the
morning spent %
q practiced an hour on the piano after
breakfast. -
80 far SO good. What then %
81 read the Cavalier till eleven
o'clock
Mr.. Thornton shook his head, and
asked: "After eleven, how was the time
spent ?''
81 dressed myself, and went out a little
after twelve o'clock"
can hour spent in dressing ?"
EYES, sir"
"Where did you go %
q called on Helen Boyd, and we took
walk down Broadway"
''And came home just in time for din
ner? | think l met you at the door 2"
'Yes, sir.
'.How was it after dinner? ?"
Il slept from three until five, and then
took bath and dressed myself. From
six until tea-time sat at the parlor win
dow"
"And after tea %
Read the Cavalier until [ went to
bed"
cat what hour %
eleven o'clock"
''Now we can make up the account, -
said Mr.. Thornton. ''You rose at seven
and retired at eleven-sixteen hours.
And from your own account of the day,
but single hour was spent in anything
useful-that was the hour at the piano.
Now, your mother was up at halfpast
five, and went to bed, from her sheer in
ability to sit at her work any longer, at
half-past nine. Sixteen hours for he1
also. How much reading did you do in
that time %
And Mr.. Thornton looked at his wife
Don't talk to me of reading! I've nc
time to read;'' Mrs. Thornton answered
a little impatiently. The contrast of hel
daughters idle hours with her own life
of exhausting toll. did not affect her mind
very pleasantly.
''And yet" said Mr.. Thornton, '.yor
were always fond of reading, and I car
remember when no day went by withou
an hour or two passed with your books
Did you lie down after dinner ?"
"Of course not"
"And didn't you take a pleasant wall
down Broadway? Nor sit at the parlol
window with Efie How about that q
There was no reply.
''Now, the case is a very plain one,
continued Mr. Thornton. ''In fact, moth
ing could be palmer. You spend from
fourteen to sixteen hours in hard work
while Efie, taking yesterday as sam
pie, spends about the same time in wha
is little better than idleness. Suppos
a new adjustment were to take place
and Efie were to be usefully employed
in helping you eight hours of each day
she would still have eight hours left fo
self-improvement and recreation; ant
you, relieved from your present over
tasked condition, might get back por
tion of your health and spirits. of whicl
these too heavy household duties hav
robbed you
Father" said Effie speaking through
her tears that were falling over her face
81 never saw things in this light VIII.
haven't you talked to me before? w
often felt as if I'd like to help her; sh
says, that You can't do it, I'D rathe
do it myself. Indeed, it isn't all M
fault p
at may not have been in the past
Efie, p replied Mr.. Thornton. ''But j
certainly will be in the future, unles
there is a new arrangement Of things
1t is false social sentiment that let
daughters become idlers, while mothers
fathers and sons take up the daily bun
den of work and bear it through all tn
business hours"
Mrs. Thornton did not come graceful
ly into the new order Of things propose
by her husband and accepted by Effit
False pride in her daughter, that futu1
lady ideal, and an inclination to do hel
self, than take the trouble to teac
another, were all so many impediment
) But Efie and her father were both ea
nest, and it was not long before the owe
1 tasked mothers weary face begun
' lose its look Of WEAKNESS, and her lal
S guild frame to come to an erect bearin,
. She could find time for the old pleasul
t in books, now and then for health
G walk in the streets, and a call on son
/. valued friend.
S And was Efie the worse for th
r change? Did the burden she was sha