Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1876-02-29

love.
Then said the saucy Lucy, looking
archly into Mrs. Grey's lace, 81 do not
think, Granny, you love me very much,
'7y you always see all ny faults, ever so
big
My dear one " replied her old friend
Il hope see them all, because am anx
'ous my Lucy should be very perfect and
1t her faults were not known, how could
they be corrected? And she has just dis
played one"
"A fault !" repeated Lucy, opening her
great grey eyes.
Yes ; you Interrupted ne at the CON-
mencement Of story you wished to hear,
and now feel indisposed to tell il, "
"Oh :" exclaimed the repentant Lucy,
"iudeed / will not do so again, | will be
aS silent as ever you wish. aud as atten.
tive; | did not mean to be rude, dear
Graunyw
where did l leave oGP" questioned
Mrs. GREY.
You said we were not inclined to see
Iauits in those we love, - replied L1cy.
"Oh, remember. Well, dear, we had
everything very tidy and comfortable,
and my HI s5and had plenty of work.
did NOT think It then, but had cause 10
mourn il a0eiward. that though loved
ny husband, was not as careful in my
elr.y married lite rs | should have been
OF his little home comforts. Ills dinner
was not always ready to the moment as i,
oagd. 10 lave been; nor was the hearth
swep, aud the room lidied up, as it is a
wiio's duty to see that it is when her hus
band comes home from his days work.
The hour or two OF evening, when the
toll OF the day IS ended, should
be the bappies. OF the four aud twenty,
ana canuo; TAIL to be so if household,
however small, is properly cared for.
During the early day oil our married
lite we never omitted reading \ portion
o. the Testament, and sometimes singing
the verse OF hymn. before we retired
for tho night. MIR. G,cy had a beautiful
voice, said the old lady, with pardonable
pride, and, as you know, he leads in the
church still. After We bad been married
about q year. it pleased God % make an
addition TO our family. That should have
increased my deXterity, so that my atten-
tion to my child should not have taken
from, hn, added TO, the comforts and
pleasures OF our home; but, instead OF
that, my now duties rendered me heed.
Jess. and often sloppish. Ny husband
liked to sec me trim and neat in my per
son.
Katie, he used 10 say, Il only ask to
see your hair brushed and shining, and
your apron and cotton gown-as they
used to be-clean.' lie woGld often take
the broom and sweep the hearth, and
make up the fire, and put the white cloth
on the table for supper; and though |
knew that was what ought to have done
before he came home. yeti know not
how i, was-I did not improve. | had
grown rather too fond of gossiping with
neishbors who were idler than myself,
and carrying my chil1-who certainly
was n beauty-about to have il admired.
That was our first baby-our dear blue
eyed boy. | almost seemed foader oil
showing him of than looking after my
home. When rich married people don't
think as much of each other as the
ought TO DO, they have many things to
look to Tor happiness; but if the lamp
which led the poor to the altar grows
din. the house is dark indeed-the light
OF their lite goes ou, with it :"
Lucy looked at Mrs Grey with won.
deriug eyes; for she was the neatest aud
na,iies, old lady you could see anywhere,
and was held up as q pattern to all the
young girls in the neighborhood.
Il DO not know how..is was. or when it
began, but we often forgot to read our
chapter. My husband did not continue
as good humored rs he had been during
our early days. and l did not see how
much of that was my fault for not making
HIN comfortable as l had done at irst.-
He was very fond of our baby, and the
poor little fellow grew i'll and peevish.
He could not bear to hear it cry. When
il be gan TO cry, he would take up his hat
and &c out. The very thing which ought
10 have sent us on our knees in supplica-
lion that ,,ur infant might be restored to
health seen. .,ed to break in on our prayers,
and instead o.' the hymn,-except.indeed,
on Sunday e7e.1ipg,-my husband who
had. as told YOU, a beautiful voice, would
bring home a new sing which he wished
to learn. so that he might sing it at the
Club at the Blue Lobster.
Slowly but surely be began. instead OF
returning home in the evening to attend
these club meetings Then l saw my
danger. and how foolishly,l tnot wickedly'
had acted, in not attendib G to my hrst
earthly duty.
One morning-I never shall forget it
rose determined to get my wAsning
oyer and died out of the way, as he had
promised to return early. There $ moth
mo- except n scolding wife, more ID isera