Connecticut western news., 1873-12-19

very sure. Husbands should assert themselves sometimes," he informed himself, on the way to business. What would become of them if they didn't ? He had been married two years, and housekeeping six months; while they were boarding everything as smooth as oil but they hadn't more than be- come domiciled in their own house be- fore trouble commenced. The baby was sick, and the mother complaining. Then Mary had never been instructed in domestic matters. She could sew, and crochet, and embroider, was very fond of reading, understood music, was considerable of an artist, good deal of a woman, and with the proper forbear- ance, and the exercise of 8 decent amount of tact, would have been the best wife in the world (so she thought. )
 During the days of courtship, and the first few months of married life, she was the subject of unlimited pet ting. Her will was her husbands law :; but, after the birth of the baby, and the added responsibility of housekeep- ing, everything changed. MT. Penny did not, could not, take into considera- tlOn that these cares had also made 8 difference in her; that she had changed also she could not feel-wives never oan-that there was anything amiss with her-that the cloud on her brow and the nervousness of her manner radiated magnetism unmistakably re. pellant. Had Mrs. Penney remained healthily sunny, bakers bred would undoubtedly have satisfied Mir. Penney. Deprived of the joy he needed, and had been accustomed to, he turned, man fashion, to finding fault with what, under other circumstances, he never would have considered for 8 moment. "You are not we'll this morning, Mrs. Penney" said the kind voice of the seamstress, as the lady nervously brought out the material she wished made up.
 "No, I am not very well," she re- piled, apparently more to herself than to her companion "but don't mind so much about that, mean I could bear ill health very well, if I didn't nave other things to trouble me-
 The pale face of the dressmaker lighted up wonderfully, as she met the tired eyes of her companion.
 My dear Mrs. Penney" said she with sudden inspiration, "will you al low me to express my thought? Per- haps it may be of service to you. I have had very hard life, and only by personal experience have ever learned anything experience of the richest and most agonizing description"
 "I wish you would tell me some thing" replied Mrs. Penney, with a quiver of the sensitive lip. "I am doing the best can, and yet, Mrs. Harris, am failing utterly in accom- plishing that which is dearest to my heart-the happiness of my husband, and the comfort of my home."
 "You think you are doing the best you can," continued the seamstress !; here you are mistaken"
 "But, Mrs. Harris," interrupted the lady, with an offended air.
 "Wait one mona ent, and will ex. plain-prove the truth of my statement by your own words. You acknowledged, 8 moment ago, that you were not we'll, but that this fret was of small import ance compared with other things. Now, I maintain that health is the groundwork of all happiness, the be- ginning and end of all progress. With out health you can all prore be con- panion for your husband, and a wise mother to your child, than your hus- band could be "a good business man without it. This, then, is the first thing to be considered. Your nerves are rasped, your child is more of burden than joy, your pretty house an unpleasant possibility, your hus- band seems inconsiderate and unappre- ciative and the demon that has brought about this complete metamorphosis lies entirely in yourself-your present lack of healthy foundation"
 "But John doesn't seem to sympa- thize with me in these cares," broke in Mrs. Penney. "I tell him in the morn ing. how troublesome the baby has been, all he ever says is, Is that so, sis? I've heard mother say that child ren are very apt to be cross at that age. You'd better lie down when the baby does to-day, and get good snooze.'
 Exactly" said the seamstress. "Do you ever act upon this advice ?"
 "No, how can I? All the time I have to sew and attend to things is when the baby is asleep"
 "Better let things go without atten- tion until the little one is less trouble"
 "And then John would find fault with the disorder"
 "I do not think so. Your nervous condition makes a nervous atmosphere that your husband feels as soon as he enters it. The real difficulty he does not realize any more than yourself. | The clements are discordant. He is immediately thrown out of equilibrium, and in trying to restore himself he takes hold of the wrong string, and the result is domestic chaos. Woman must make the home. There is no way of getting round the fact. Your husband makes his place of bus1ness-ma the money for you to adorn the nest with, which he has 8 right to expect com fortable when he flies to it at night.
 But is husband to have no responsi- bility in home matters ?'
 |" You would not think of finding fault with your husband because nature had not endowed him with the means of providing his baby with the first food 1t needs p
 Mrs. Penney laughed.
 "That seems very ridiculous, does it not and yet it is no more so than the hundred and one things women demand of their husbands, that they are equally unable to give. Woman is the natural nurse of the man as we'll as of the man. child? By nurse, in the first instance, l mean the comforter and lnsplrer. Without health you can be neither. What, then, is the result? You know as we'll as I do. Sometimes divorce, sometimes desertion, sometimes drag ging out of an existence more terrible than either."
 "I wish you had heard MT. Penney find faultwith the bread this morning." /" said the little lady, dreamily.
 "The bread was something tangible, something he could get hold of. The needed straightening out he tried to make himself believe it was the bread he was irritated about, but my dear 4 Go. !,