The Magnolia gazette. [volume] (Magnolia, Miss.) 1872-current, 1882-12-07
Fall Cleaning.


It is the fall house-cleaning that tries
the strength of woman's power of en-
durance and mans patience No
matter how happy husband and wife
may be, there is always danger OF diff
ference of opinion, or Of veritable quar-
reling over fall house-cleaning The
woman longs for it and the man breads
it; nay, he detests il from his very soul.
In the spring he is mush more easily
led to aequiesce in the necessity of the
cleansing ceremony. The open win
,dows are pleasant. The deluge of soap
and water is not disagreeable, and his
thoughts do not rest without pleasure on
newly-whitened ceilings. But when
October has come, and the leaves blow
about in the garden, and he has spoken
to the proper persons about looking at
the heater, and bought his new over
coat, and prepared to be cozv and COM
Portable, then to have "a cleaning" is
almost more than he can bear.
If his wife is wise, she does not con-
suit him. She quietly summons the
work-women, interviews the kalsomine
man, and begins after ''he'' has gone
out some day. Ii he says: nWhatf are
you at it againPn when he comes home,
Her Joy is great when the carpets are
up and off to be shaken, the cobwebs all
banished, the windows sparkling, and
the doors vanished.
But he goes about seeking rest for the
sole of his foot and finding none.
SWhere is the sofa on which he loves to
| loungep Gone to have the springs set
up. Where is the table at which he sits
10, ,n1 IL, Il s1,,
man looks at the castors. Where is his
shaving-glassp It is put away in pan
try. Why should he use brown soap
for his toilet, and eat off of cracked
| plates on a pine table in the kitchen,
and be expected to like dinners Of tea
and bread and butter. with relish of
smoked beefP
"Cook left because l wanted her to
help clean house, explains the poor
wife, adding: 'And Cynthia Jane fell
Off the step-ladder and sprained her
knee, and has had to go home to her
mothers and have to take care of the
children myself" Then he utters the
cruel remark: "That cook is a sensi-
Bile woman, and that he would go also,
if he could, and that he can see no rea-
son for sending Cynthia Jane up step
/ ldQueISs
His wife weeps without awakening
his sympathy, and he goes out after tea
and stays until half-past twelve O clock,
and she is very miserable. She won
ders why men cannot understand; why,
as soon as winter comes, rooms cannot
be too hot for them, nor too mussy;
why they would rather have the ceiling
lined with cobwehs and tie iloor covered
with dust, than to see feather-brush
or a broom; why a room that nobody
dares to sweep is the great desire OF ev-
cry masculine heart. To her it is so nice
to have all about her fresh and clean.
However, she is sorry for her spouse,
who comes to his normal temper by de-
grees, as rooms are finished, and his
belongings found again. And when
Cynthia Jane has got back to the nurs-
cry, and a new cook has prepared a
good dinner, and "he" finds that he
has home once more, he comes home
some evening radiant, with tickets for a
concert in his pocket, and all is right
again. In fact, we have never heard of
separation arising from a fall house
cleaning, although every wife will ac-
knowledge that it is a fearful ordeal
NJ Y. Ledger.