Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1876-03-16

WAS all the time straIning every nerve To
make our friends think we were living In
| a STYLE which we were not, and saw this
could not be right.
! ~ resolved Il should be 50 no longer.
| So opened the parlor doors and threw
1 back the shutters, used whatever we had
of furniture or food or clothing as we
needed it for our comfort, and when our
| friends came to visit US would not al
low myself tn spoil my joy at seeing them,
| by doing lot Of extra work on their ac-
count, or worrying all the time lest l
should leave something undone that might
make them think little better OF me. !.
| aOf course il seemed odd enough, and
came rather hard at first, but was salts
fed Il was the best way, and so kept
schooling myself into Ii till in little
while / wondered how / ever done other
wise.
81 was always ready for company now,
| and always ready 10 receive my husband
with a smiling face TO pleasant and or
derby home.
| II know he has been great deal hap
| pier since the first year, and / never hais
enjoyed anything then.
! aThe effect upon our children Is much
| better than If we taught them 1t IL NO mat
ter how things were fthere were no visit
ors. for they learn now how To behave
| with pr0priety at all times, and how TO use
carefully those things that are worth pre-
/ serving.
II Away pity people when ] see them
trying To make great display before their
company, pity them for the thankless la.
Dor they are giving themselves, and for
the glimpse of their private life which Is
thus opened up 10 me, because am quite
sure such folks live about as 1t happens
when alone.o
Mrs. Lanes face had changed expires.
sion several times as she listened, and
when her friend ceased speaking she
qazed at picture on the wall opposite her
for full half minute in silence.
you would be surprised" Mrs. Oar.
ling went on, anticipating her first objec.
ton, 'if should tell you that this mode
Of living Is matter OF economy, too, but
such is the fact.
/" You see we set plain table, and our
food IL simple all the time, instead Of get.
ting expensive luxur.es for company, and
then pincbing ourselves In the vain effort
10 make il up.
"This makes our table expenses actually
less, while we treat ourselves as well a.
we do our guests, which Is perfect justice
as you will see.
"Good, substantial furniture will last q
long time with little care, even when In
constant use and if our expenses In this
particular are a little more than those o
our neighbors who keep everything foi
company, am sure our greater happiness
much more than compensates," stroklnl
little Georges bright head tenderly AS he
: came up TO her with some childish re
quest.
The subject was dropped here, but In
the few days that Mrs. Lane remained
with her friend, she thought the matter
over great many times.
II was hard for her 10 realize that She
saw the family just as they always wcr'
in their common, every day life: tina
J with them there was no such thing al
company manners" or company
things"
al enjoyed my visit great deal better
though, than If had made them turn
aside from their beaten track" she nd
mitled; "and believe they do, too"
wonder If Mr.. Lane loves me as Mr.
Darling seems To love his wifeY' sh,
would query; cor If our children think
as much Of their father and mother al
theirs doy'
J {" How devoted 10 each other they al
are; one would think they each regarded
the other members Of the family as thu
: very best OF company" and one day sh'
even went so far as to ask herself, why
shouldn't theyr"
Mr.. Lane and the girls came at length
to spend the last day Of her visit with her
{ and when Mrs Lane saw how thoroughly
they seemed TO enjoy it, she almost re
, preached herself that such days were 81
2 rare 10 them.
"Perhaps might make their home {
7 little pleasanter for Them" she unused
81 am afraid our meager life will seen
/, emptier than ever now"
The two friends were sitting in the IL
brary alone that last night, whittier they
had gone for confidential chat after Tia,
others had retired.
: Nellie" said Mrs. Lane at length, 4"
believe shall try an improvement wher
! got home"
"As you say, II does seem wrong Il
treat company 40 much better than your
own folks, and | am so charmed with
your more excellent way that ! mean e
, try II myself" and tears came to her eyes
! as she thought Of the better things thai
, were In store for her good husband.
The Lanes went home on the following
day, and II they turned back reluctantly
Mrs Lane did not wonder, for she thought
she had herself passed one Of the happies
weeks In her whole life
She laid her tea table with unusual care
I that night, saying To the girls that SHE
could not quite yet bear so strong a con
trast 10 what she had been accustomed tc
: lately ~ think we will sit in the parlol
, To. night" she remarked when the lamps
were lighted 1--WE are SO tired, perhap.
IL will rest US little"
When Mr.. Lane came home 10 dinner
next day, he was surprised to see the front
door standing invitingly open, and his as
constituent was still greater as he passed
on into the dining.roo and found q
, tempting dinner waiting there with plate:
for only four.
II thought We would begin To eat these
pickles while they are good this year,
said Mrs. Lane, as she passed the dish Il
her husband, . instead of keeping then
10 spoil as we did last
This Is such a pudding rs Nellie
makes sometimes" filling Jennies saucer
isn't IL nicer And it's not AT all expen
sive."
Il think, girls" she said, when Mr.
Lane had gone out, wondering In hi,