Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1875-01-20
HOW SIZE FOUND THE TIME


HOW SIZE FOUND THE TIME.
"AH!" said Mr.. Nelson, drawing
his chair to the centre-table, his eyes
resting on one Of the popular novels
of the day, $50 you have new book
to read, Sarah ? Where did you gel
it?'
81 borrowed it of Mrs. Merton, or
rather she lent it to me-insisted upon
my taking it because she said, she
knew it would interest me, tascinate
me indeed. told her it wasn't much
use to take it, for | should never find
time TO read it,
''But she had found time, hadn't
She" asked her husband, little rogu.
ishly.
"Of course she had. She always
finds time to do everything she wants
to. | Inever saw such woman in my
life"
"And yet she has four children, and
keeps but one girl 7"
"And l have only two children, and
as many girls, I suppose you would
like to add, wouldn't you" responded
the wife, just very little bit out Of
humor.
81 must confess you have guessed
Alright, my dear. But | would not
have said it in fault-fnding way, bnt
simply from desire to find out if we
can, why you have so little time
to devote to reading-why you
always have so much to do.
Does Mrs. Merton do up everything as
neatly as yourself'' Her iarlors, l
know, always seem the perfection Of
order and comfort, her husbands and
childrens clothes are always tidy, and
she herself, in appearance, the person
ification OF neatness and good taste.
But, after all, perhaps there may be
some oversight that is kept out OF
sight"
"You are mistaken" said Mrs. Mel
son, emphatlcally. "She is one of
the most thorough housekeepers, ]
ever knew. | have been sent fol
there when she has been taken sudden
ly i'll, and SO violently too, as to be
unable to give single direction, and
yet everything needed was always
found without the least trouble, every
drawer and closet was in order, and
the whole house would have borne
the rigid scrutiny Of the most prim
member OF the Shaker sisterhood
And yet she is neve.. in a hurry, and
though always doing something, nev
er complains of being wearied. She
does all her own and children's sewing
= even to cutting dresses, and coats, and
pantaloons embroiders all her col.
lars, and sleeves and little girls ruffles
writes more letters every year then
have done since my marriage, ant
reads more than any other woman moi
= purely literary that / ever knew. Bu'
how she does ii, is a mystery"
"Why don't you ask her to solve
it 2"
II have thought of doing so but
but-well, to own the truth, | am
9 ashamed to. 1t would be a taci
confession that | am in the wrong
somehow"
s "But do you think you are 2
s Sometimes do, and then again
think my failures to do what would
SO dearly love to, are the result Of cir
cumstances which | cannot control
For instance yesterday afternoon
: meant to have emptied my mendinl
u basket entirely. l could have dom
so easily, and then one worry of tn
!, week would have been over. Blu
Mrs. Lawrence and her friend from
Boston came in quite early, and a
you know, passed the afternoon. ]
could not blame them for coming as
and when, they did, for l had toll
them to come any afternoon this week
and l was glad to see them and enjoy
ID ed their visit. Yet it upset my plan
RS about mendiug entirely, for of cours
= it would never have done to have lii
tered the parlor with that. The al
t. ternoon was lost as fa. as work wa
- concerned
: "But was there nothing you coul
do?" ..,lt-.<..