Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1873-02-24
Distressingly Neat.

1T this will be for me- L said to my
self, and so all the time [ was making
preparations for it, with the assistance
Of my right hand maiden, Fancy
was mapping out wondrously pleasant
chart of my intended excursion, which
was elaborate1y finished and hung in a
gilded frame iii the gallery of my mind,
when the carriage that conveyed me from
the cars landed me before the tasty, and
rather imposing establishment of my
friend, Mrs. George Stanley.
This compares we'll with my 'faney
picture . | said as descended from the
carriage; "but wonder if Mary is not
absent from home, the house has such a
shut,up sort Of look p My mind was
relieved from this unwelcome surprise by
the appearance of my friend at the door
IN answer to the summons of the bell.-
| recognized her at once, though ten
years had gone by since her marriage,
and she recognized me as readily, and
her greeting was cordial. l followed her
into the nicely furnished hall, When she
paused with troubled look, said -
"Will you be kind enough, Hattie, to
use the mat, as it is rather dusty out,
and | have perfect horror of DUST
| complied with the request, thinking
it must be dusty indeed, if in stepping
from the carriage to the house, sufficient
/ dust had adhered to my boots to soil the
carpets; and then she led the way into
the back parlor. | followed her with a
sort of uncomfortable feeling--a sense of
restraint Here | found the stuffed
chairs, ot;Cl...l4s ,,liJ sofa, closely cover
ed with linen, the heavy tassels that
looped back the rich damask. curtain from
the window, placed in linen bags to pre-
serve them, the piano covered with two
coverings, the outer one with linen, while
the legs of the instrument were dressed
with the same untasty material, the
paintings, which should have adorned
the walls, disfgured with three thick
nesses of tarlctan, the rich Wilton car
pet on the floor dotted here and there
with wooden booking. and the gas fix
! lures were as carefully dressed as might
be. 1t took me some time to discover
all this, for the inside blinds were as
: carefully drawn down as the outer ones
"Mary," | said, iii half laughing
5 way, sit is as dark as Egypt here
Come give me a little more light, for
can scarcely tell how you are looking
[ and | came on purpose to see you"
S 81 cannot, yet, was the cool answer
"By-and-by, when the sun gets below
the hill, will, but | never draw tn,
e blinds in broad daylight, and alway
!! expect my visitors to conform to thi
: rule. You see am the same plain
l. hearted Mary l was when a girl. No,
i will show you to your chamber
d That was nice, commodious chambe
into which l was shown, with not onl
d the comforts but all the luxuries of mod
n ern taste it was altogether too nice t
suit me, for there was no sense of free
E? dom there. | looked upon the bed wit
its costly coverings, and thought
ID ."What if / should get q fold or wrir
ID kle upon those delicate fabrics-what
lie I should, in any way disturb the 'uppt
IS drawer look of the whole apartment.
Il | longed for my own simply-furnishe
II chamber at home, where | could be
liberty to throw open my blinds ar
r. windows, and enjoy the heaven born gi
a of fresh, pure air, and glorious healt
,e. giving sunlight. But it was in vain f
me to wish this. so | dressed myself
a well as might in the artificial twiligh
and descended below stairs, where foul
% my friends two children, Harry, a swe
,;s pretty, dark-eyed boy of eight, and Luc
be sweetly fair girl of six, just enteril
! the room. ,e.as ,z.
h There was restrained. half-fearf
: way as they came in and met their mot
!. er's quick inquiring glance, that "
Z painful to see. ~
: Harry there is chalf mark on yo
= pantaloons, and your collar is awry, a
- Lucy your slippers are dusty 60 9
!. - and dust them carefully. am asham
:. of your carelessness y
2 The two children left the room to
as they were bidden, and | could s
~ that they felt keenly the censure c;
es upon them, for they had come to thi
'0n they could do nothing more, reprehen
''S bic than to appear with q speckor BILE
IN ish upon their dress or person in tn
g mothers presence.
ia,
o. Soon after, Mr.. Stanley, my frien
'"o husband came in. He was Of a la1
s''' build, noble and manly in his appe
ace ance, and | said to myself, There is
i'i' much character and independence in h
'ss to submit Or be swayed in the least
this mania of his wife, /" But he /
ION not crossed the apartment before | y
III convinced BY his gingerly step, and
ere his uncertain manner Of placing his
Id upon the table, and then moving it W
mas nervous glance at his better half t
put he too, stood in fear of trespassing W
the household regulations of his slig
a. girlish looking wife in short, he W