The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1875-03-19
.ELLAl ,GOODWIN'S TRIAL.
BY s. ANNIE FROST.

Ella Goodwin spoke in fretful tone,
and her pretty face was puckered ur
into most dismal frown.
4" I promised Charley I would ster
round for an hour or two and have q
game of dominoes.
"Anythipg to get away from home p
But Will Goodwin was already out of
hearing His wife, alter q fretful re-
mark addressed to the walls, to the ef-
feet that she was fool for ever getting
married, took a novel from under the
sofa cushion and was aeon reading with
an air Of absorbed interest. Baby woke
and made the fact shriIIy known. An
impatient toss threw the book down
again, and baby Was sOoth"d to sleep
with gentIenesB strangely at variance
with the jerk that had put the book
upon the table.
When he slept once more in the cradle
Ella yawned and again took up her
book. But before she had opened it
there was tap at the door, and an
elderly lady with a sweet, fair face came
in.
"'Alone?' she said, as Ella eagerly
welcomed her and took off her wraps.
g am always alone Will gets his
meals here - was the bitter reply. "He
goes to the store as soon as he swallows
ms breakfast, and he is always out in
the evening. Now he is with his brother
playing dominoes.S
Don't you play dominoes2"
Yes. "
I'D keep him a$ home to play"
"He would not care to stay. I sup
pose all young married men tire of
home, Aunt Mary p
mot all ! But yor speak in bitter
tone that pains me, Ella. 1t is not like
you"
g feel bitter have no one to talk
to but you, and I never complained be-
fore, but ana tired Of being alone all
the time. Baby fills the day, but novels
don't FL the evening""
ella, since you have spoken to me,
Will you let LIE give you q word of
advice P"
You know you may"
Look III the mirror, dear, then look
around the room !"
Ella obeyed. In the mirror she saw
slender figure roEed an a morning
wrapper, without any collar or cuff,
and not precisely clean face pretty
and expressive, with wreath of golden
hair loosely knotted into comb. and
decidedly untidy. The room hand
somely- FURNISHED sitting room, was beg
ging for broom as eloquently as
dusty carpet could beg. Harry's cradle
in one corner balanced q dlsordered
workable in another. The center
table was piled with miscellaneous arti-
cEes, amongst which bowl of bread
and milk and fire shovel figured con-
epicuously.
A crimson flush rose on the young
wife's cheek. ,,. H..
"Whas is the use of having things
nice when nobody sees them but me, or
dressing, when Will is never at home?"
"He might be at home more if things
were nice and you were dressed"
There-was silence for few moments.
Then Ellaspoke:
"Tll try it, auntie. I suppose it is
partly my fault. Before Harry was
born he was at home more, but I have
been careless since then"
You are not strong, know" Aunt
Mary said very kindly, "and baby is a
care, but would try to be dressed in
the evening and have the room cheerful.
Yopr piano looks as if it was never
openedi'
"Tt never is p
Don't you have time to practice ?"
81 can't plead want 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 [ wanted a
moral shaking. - e. s.- ..a .r'.
Then they talked of other matters, of
Harry's first tooth and baby accomplish
ments, OF the winter fashions, of femi-
nine interests of all kinds. The innate
sweetness of Elias temper made her
take her aunt's gentle reproof in the
spirit Of love that dictated it, and when
the parting caress was given she whis-
pered:
"Pil try. auntie, to make home more
attractive for Will"
She was fast asleep with Harry nestled
in her arms when Will came home, but
the touch of his lips upon her cheek
aroused her.
did you have pleasant evening ?"
she asked. Aunt Mary was here and
left her love for you"
Charley and / played awhile, and
then Mira Creighton dropped in and
sang for us. ...-.,',- .
"She seems to drop in pretty often. "
"She Is SO intimate with the girls,
81 never thought her singing very
wonderful isv.~1f>s -s.E -. ssT7r-,Es. =
"'.Ypu sing far better. Bat when /
can't get any better l like hers"
It was not the first imaiWill had told
the same story, and strong in her new
resolution Ella determined upon good
hour of practice esrly in the morning.
Jane was rather amazed at the clean
ing the 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
if he wakened; the fire-shovel assumed
its Il gitimate place at the hearth. It
rather astonished Ella herself to find
how many useless articles were ''about,
and how universally everg thing was In
the wrong place. But by noon the room
was bright as hands could make it,, and
after luncheon man was sent for to
tune the piano, closed for nearly year.
The six o'clock dinner brought viii.
Ella was in the hall as he entered, and
led the way TO the dining room, where
CHEEKY brig ghtness reignej.
Comp ny, Nell?" queried Will,
his eyes resting upon his wife. The
Golden carefully curled-was
Gathered into mass with comb, ard
fell in profusion of natural ringlets
upon Elias shoulders, the waving
bands drawn back from her face. Her
dress, of soft blue merino, was finished
1 %e