The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1883-02-22
A Wife's Mistake.

II Il
WE on being one of the best
Lt& housekeepers. She was one
1905 of those rapid housewives
who pursues an atom of dust as a
hunter might pursue stag. No fly
ever dared to buzz within her dainty
walls. No cat purred on her hearth
stone. Plants were tabooed because
their leaflets would fall. Canary
birds were ruthlessly excluded lest
they should scatter seed. Sunshine
was excluded as an arch-enemy.-
at brings flies and fades the car
pets" said Mrs. Hopgood. AS for
Mr.. Hopgood and the children, they
lived mostly in the kitchen.
81 can't have the boys muddy
boots tramping over the carpets,
and the girls sewing in the parlor,"
said Mrs. Hopgood. "As for Hop
good, l don't care where he sits.
One place is. as good as another,
where he is concerned"
The Hopgood family also took
their meals in the kitchen.
give got a dining room as nice
as anybody's," said Mrs. Hopgood;
with a real carved oak sideboard,
with a marble top, and silver pol
ished till it's better than looking
glass. But where's the use of turn
ing things all up side down, just for
ones own family? Common crock
cry ware and good bone-handled
knives are just as good for every
day use.'
Mamma" said Elsie Hopgood,
a cherry-cheeked girl of16, 81
should like'to sit in the parler some
times. Mrs. Momfort and daughter
use theirs every evening, and it
looks so pretty and pleasant in
there"
"Stuff and nonsenser' said Mrs.
Hopgood, sharply. 81 keep house
myself, after my own fashion, and
give others leave to do the same"
"But, mamma replied Elsie, 81
was thinking how I should like to
invite all the girls here some even
ing, and have tea, and afterward
some little games. I've been asked
out so many times. without ever re-
spending, and really I am getting
ashamed to 60"
Then you had better stay at
home" said Mrs. Hopgood, polish
ing vigorously away at the stem of
her silver card-receiver. 81 think /
see myself with all the young folks
in town capering on my Brussels
carpet, and cake crumbs and melted
cream daubed over everything"
Elsie made no answer, but her
countenance quickly fell.
II wish mamma was like any one
else,v she said to herself, the tears
her eyes. 81 wish she
was like Kate Prickett's mother,
who lets her have company every
Thursday evening. John Elton
wants me to marry him. If l mar
ried him could have a house of
my own, and do just as l pleased"
Mother" said Mr.. Hopgood, a
week or two afterward, with a
troubled face; sis it true that our
Elsie is out walking evenings with
John EltonP He is a worthless,
dissipated fellow, and not fit associ-
ate for any girl
mercy on us! Idon't know"
said Mrs. Hopgood, with a perturbed
face. 81 supposed she was with
Kate Prickett or Clara Momfort.
Pm great deal too busy with pick
ing and housekeeping to run at a
giddy girls heels the whole time.
But am going to commence clean
ing tomorrow, and then I'll warrant
I'll give her enough to do to keep
her out of mischief"
"Mother," said Isaac Hopgood,
gravely, sometimes think that if
we made home little more attract
i've to our children"
"Oh, nonsense!" quickly in
terrupted his wife. 81 suppose you'd
like US to have tableaux, like Mrs.
Momfort; or a magic lantern, like
Mickfords. Our children have not
been brought up in that way"
Mr.. Hopgood said no more. Mrs.
Hopgood, to use her own expression,
was 'sin the thick of house clean
ing" the next day, with the carpets
rolled into heaps, the floors spat-
tered with soap-suds, and her head
tied up with pocket handkerchief,
when the door suddenly opened.
cake care of my pan of soap
suds and sodar' she cried sharply.
"Oh, it is you, is it, Allyn"
"Yes, mother, it's me-" said Alex
ander, her eldest son, who had just
gone into business as junior partner
to his father. 81 say, do leave off
washing a minute and attend to me.
Ryerson's in town-my old chum,
you know-only for one day, and 1
have asked him to dinner"
ITO dinnerr' almost screamed
Mrs. Hopgood, dropping her brush
in CONSERVATION; alexander Hop
good, are you crazy? OF course 1
can't have him to dinner; look at
the confusion this house is in"
''Oh, he won't mind that, mother /;
Ryerson is thoroughly good fellow.
Just let him sit down to anything
with the rest of us"
81 shall do nothing of the sort,
Alexander" said Mrs. Hopgood,
rather severely, COMPRISING her
lips, ''you are aware that 1 do not
approve of your inviting company
at any time, still less at such a
period as this. If you have been
fool enough to invite him, you may
get out of the scrape the best way
you can"
''But, mother"
81 don't want any more discus
sion on the subject said Mrs. Hop
good, daubing away with the brush.
Alexander went out slamming the
door. ls55---s-:s.s-.a =, p. -
"Well," quoth Alexander to him
self, off / can't ask a friend to din