Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1873-07-24
the place of his favorite "white noun

the place of his favorite ''white noun
tain"
By the merriment in the parlor afte
Mr.. Chester had gone down town, W
are certain that an explanation er
sued and in his counting house MI
Z. pondered the matter seriously, an
came home fully resolved to admins
ter husbandly reproof to his wife
but on his arrival Mrs. Robert wa
snugly tucked up in bed, and appar
emily in no condition to appreciate hi.
eioquence, as she snored most patu
rally and melOdiously before he reach
Ell the secondly of his discourse.
Six months after, Mrs. Chester an,
the girls were seated in the parlor, bu
silly engaged with their work, wher
Mrs. Chester observed, at affects In,
conscience wofully at tunes 10 think
how | have deceived your father, and
acted double part
but, dear mother" replied Lizzie
the youngest daughter, never was act
ing productive of more good. With s
few more trials of your reform system
father will become model husband and
Iather. But l wonder il he never sus.
pects that you are not the tyrannical
wife and mother you appear!
Indeed, do not think he has a
susplcion,' said Mrs. Chester, with q
sigh; "but l shall be 50 happy when
can lay aside the mask, and be my ma.
tural self again
"Ia, ha" laughed Lizzie. II could
hardly keep the secret the day you re-
proved Us SO tiercely for wearing trains,
and half dozen things father was Just
aching TO scold us about, if you hadn' t
taken the words out of his mouth, and
run on so glibly that finally, in very
desperation, he took our part and de-
Tended Us 50 bravely."
"Hc never thinks of finding fault
with the culinary arrangements now"
said Jennie, "for fear of seeing his din.
ner vanish bodily; and it is such a re .
lief"
"Ihe last time he ventured to be
agreeable in that direction" replied
Lizzie. was the day We had those
splendid warm biscuits for tea that he
Is so fond OF, and he found a bit of So
da half as big rs pin-head in his first
one, and commenced in his Old strain"
IF | remember rightly, the unfor-
tunatc biscuit went dying out of the
basement window before ne could col
lect his wits and recall the remark )"
SAID Jennie, laughing heartily at the
recollection, "and he was forced to
make out meal with stale bread. which
he dctasts'
DroppIns IN few months later, we
find that Mr. Chester has oeen Ill. and
now sits propped up in his armchair
watching his little wife as she nits
about in the performance Of her various
duties. "Do you know" lie suddenly
exclaimed, THAT you have seemed
moro lk" your oldon .-lf for th. last
week than ut any time since The nIsL On
our married life
"liaye not seemed natural To Won
all the time, Robert: 7" replied Mrs. C..
kneelng BY his side.
Nm no, not really" stammcred Mr..
Chester.
did you think that was acting my
real self when | scolded you and the
girls, and made myself nuisance gen
orally" asked Mrs. Robert, earnestly,
laying her hand on his arm.
Why, yes-l supposed 50, Of
course, replied Mr.. c., new idea
seeming to strike him. You don't
mean 10 say that you have been acting
all this time:" he exclaimed, lifting
his wife's face and looking earnestly in
her eyes.
Il mean TO say, dear husband, that
| came to your home, and found that
you made yourself and family unhap-
py by habit Of constant fault-finding,
which too often merged into harshness
toward your children and me, and |
have only striven to show you the
same faults IN myself, hoping that,
when you saw me as others saw you,
you would recognize the likeness, and
abandon the habits l initiated.
''And this Is the meaning of dry gin
gerbread for company, and divers lAc
z said he, soberly.
Yes, Robert" answered the little
wife, tearfully, Twill you forgive me
for deceiving you!'
But Mr.. Chester vas evidently 5usl-
ly reviewing the past and after long
silence he took the plump little land
in his, as he said, with much feeling,
''Will you forgive me, dear wife, for
giving you occasion to use such decep-
tom" And as he read his answer in
her eyes, he continued, "God helping
me, l will profit by the lesson, and fin
lsh the good work you have begun"
A year has passed, and Mr.. Chester
has not been forgetful Of his promise
that if at any time he returns to his old
habits, Mrs. Robert has only to say,
Bridget, in peremptory tones, and
he RECEIVERS his lost ground immediate
ly.