The Canton mail. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 18??-1882, 1875-03-20
ELLA GOODWIN-S TRIAL.
BY s. ANNIE FROST.

BY s. ANNIE FROST.
"Going ont again p
Ella Goodwin spoke in fretful tone,
and her pretty face was puckered up
into a most dismal frown.
"I promised Charley I would step
round for an hour or two and have q
game of dominoes.
Anything to get away from home r
But Will Goodwin was already out of
hearing. His wife, alter a fretful re-
mark addressed to the walls, to tho eff
feet that she was fool for Ger getting
married, took o novel from under the
sofa cushion and was soon reading with
an air OF absorbed interest. Baby woke
and made the fact shriily known. An
impatient toss threw the book down
again, and baby was soothed to sleep
with o gentlenees strangely at variance
with the jerk that had put the book
upon the table.
When he slept once more in the cradle
Ella yavned and again took up her
book. But before she had opened it
there was q tap at the door, and an
elderly lady with q sweet, fair face came
In.
"Alone?" she said, as Ella eagerly
welcomed her and took off her wraps.
81 am always alone Will gets his
meals here y was the bitter reply. Gle
goes to the store as soon as he swallows
his breakfast, snd be is always out in
the evening. Now he is with his brother
playing dominoes."
Don't you play dominoes?"
Eyes"
ed keep him o. home to play"
"He would not care to stay. I sup
pose all young married men tire of
home Aunt Mary ?"
"Not all But you speak in bitter
tone that pains me, Ella. 1t is not like
you"
az feel bitter have no one to talk
to but you, and never complained be-
fore. but l am tired of being alone all
the time. Baby fills the day, but novels
don't fill the evening""
ELLA, since you have spoken to me,
will you let ne give You word of
advice 2"
"You know you may"
"Look in the mirror, dear, then look
around the room !"
Ella obeyed. In the mirror she saw
slender figure roked in q morning
wrapper, without any collar or cuff,
and not precisely clean; a face pretty
and expressive, with a wreath of golden
hair loosely knotted into O comb. and
decidedly untidy. The room a hand
somely-furnished sitting room, was beg
cling for a broom as eioquently as q
dusty carpet could beg. Rarrg's cradle
IN one corner balanced a disordered
workable in another. The center
table was piled with miscellaneous arti-
cles, amongst which q bowl of bread
and milk and u fire shovel figured con-
spicuously.
A crimson flush rose on the young
wife's cheek.
"What is the use of having things
nice wnen nobody sees them but me, or
DRESSING, when Will is never at homer"
He might be at home more if things
were nice and you were dressed"
There was silencefor a few moments.
Then Ella spoke:
partly my fault. Before Harry was
born he was at home more, but I have
been careless since then"
Mary said very kindly, "and baby is a
care, but L would try to be dressed in
The evening and have the room chez rfuI.
Your piano looks as If it was never
openedi'
1t never is %
Don't you have time to practice ?"
Il can't plead went of time, auntie.
Jane is one of the best of servants, and
time hangs upon my hands. I am glad
you came in. I believe I wanted
moral shaking"
Then they talked of other matters, of
Harrys first tooth and baby accomplish
ments, OF the winter fashions, of femi-
line interests OF all kinds. The innate
sweetness of Elias temper made her
take her auns's gentle reproof in the
spirit OF love that dictated it, and when
the parting caress was given she whis-
pered
"1ii try. auntie, to make home more
attractive for WILL"
She was fast asleep with Harry mes tied
IN her arms when Wilt came home, but
the touch of his lips upon her caeek
aroused her.
Did you have a peasant evening ?"
she asked ''Auns Mary was here and
left her love for you"
"Cnarley and oiayed awhile. and
sing for us."
She seems to drop in pretty often"
She is SO ultimate win the girls. +"
never thought her singing very
wonderful"
'Yoa sing far better. But when I
cant get any better 1 like hers"
1t was not the first time Will had told
the same story, and strong in her new
resolution Ella determined upon a good
hour OF practice early in the morning.
Jane was rather amazed at the clean
Ing tire sittinG-room received at the
hands of herself and her mistress. The
cradle was banished into the adjoining
bedroom, where baby could still be heard
IL be Weakened; the ire-shovel assumed
its legitimate place at the hearth. 1t
rather astonished Ella berself to find
bow many useless articles were sfabout,"
and how universally everJ thing was in
the wrong place. But by noon the room
was bright as hands could make it, and
after luncheon a man WIS sent for to