Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1874-04-23

refuse such a reasonable request. lie Ielt
that tobacco was hardly the thing for
lady's boudoir, and admitted in general
that smoking was not desirable practice.
but It had become a habit, and he could
not easily give it up. He therefore con-
fined it to his own room except in summer.
when he went into the garden. He would
have surrendered 1t entirely. but. engaged
as he was in mental labor, he thought that
when the cigar ceased to burn his thoughts
flowed less readily. This must have been
a delpsion but then this is the case with
most other habits,
Sophie was good soul and pattern
wife; she looked after her household af-
fairs as few besides her did; but when
they had been sometime married, and
knew each other better, there was one
thing which her husband wished--name-
ly, that she should employ herself little
in reading, an occupation in which she
seemed to have no pleasure, and for
which, indeed, she never appeared to have
time. Her domestic establishment was
certainly small. still there was always
something to do for any one who was dis
posed, and there was no prospect OF her
labor ever being ended.
She played admirably on the piano.
Certainly she was no connoisseur, but
rendered little pieces with good deal OF
taste and feeling, and the young physician
had often, during the twilight hours, been
charmed by her performances, for he was
passionately fond of music. But now as
soon as darkness approached, lights must
be brought that she might keep pace with
the ever-accumulating work
After, when, in the absence of sewing
or embroidery, she took up her knitting,
the doctor told her-of course only in jest
that knitting was almost as fatal to him
as tobacco smoke was to her; but she
could give up the one just as little as he
could the other, and when he found that
it was unpleasant to her, he ceased to
make any further remark.
A harsh word was never spoken between
them only once, when the doctor returned
home unexpectedly and found his study in
q state of complete confusion, he was near
being very angry. In the middle of it a
char-woman sat upon her knees, reaching
with wet rags into every corner. His writ
ing-table, upon which he had left num-
Der Of memoranda, was completely cleared
and the papers arranged according to
their size, aud the ..lttle bits" the servant
had of her own accord thrown into the
fire. His book-shelves were empty, and
the books were in the yard below, clean,
but in an inconceivable state of disorder.
Much more than many student, VAIL
born was lover of order, and he could
have found any book or manuscript which
he was accustomed to use in the dark. He
also loved to have the little room clear,
but when he saw the chaos which Sophie
had introduced to his sanctun. il was al
most too much for him, and it was with
great difficulty that he was able to restrain
himself, and appear less annoyed than he
really felt. And what really increased
the evil was the fact that he could not stay
to see things put right, for a case of dam
gerous sickness called him Immediately
away. But Sophie, who could control
him with few kind words, assured him
that all should be properly arranged, and
that if, after all, any of the books were
found to be misplaced, he could easily put
them where he preferred them to be. He
could not help laughing when, on his re-
turn, he found them all carefully arranged
according to their size and the color of
their binding. Pamphlets seemed to find
no favor in her eyes, for, not coming with
in the same rules of order, they were tied
together in bundles and thrown into
corner, SO that he had to spend the great
er part of the next morning in restoring
them to their original places. Many
single papers and memoranda were ire
coverably lost, and as he now and then
missed them in the course of his studies, it
was not without a feeling of deep re-
gr,t.
Sophie had now become somewhat of
sufferer, and ought to have spared herself;
but her unwearying diligence gave her no
rest, and Notwithstanding the admoniti-
ons of her husband, she was for whole days
engrcssed with the affairs of the kitchen,
or engaged with her exhaustless needle
work.
ICoSTiNUED TOMORROW.