Weekly graphic. [volume] (Kirksville, Adair Co., Missouri) 1880-1949, 1883-05-11

coxrlxrlhuEp rRoM rIRsT rAGE.

Running a Aimless Race.
coSr,xriKusD FROM FIRST PAGE.
delicate thing is growing thin" Blu
the favorife never observed the sacn
fee made for her. She expected it al
| as actually due her, and not as favor
If aunt Critic limited at the wisdom
| of famiharizing herself with housckeep'
| ing. Elsie would throw up her head III
AZ inpatient sort Of a way and give a
very curt reply.
"What do they bother Inc about such
things for, I'D like TO know" she said
to herself. s. 's
| s.-e PART H..
One day there was nice little cere-
mony in the parlor Of Mrs. Ames, and
Emma was carried off by Mr.. Staples
to bis grand home in the east.
Elsie Was worried when. she was
made aware of Emraa's contemplated
marriage.
-"Why, how will l get along withou.
hers Who will mend my dress and fix
my hairs It's indeed. unexcusable in
Emma she ought to know that can't
do without her assistance"
Her aunt informed her that she was
no longer a child, and sooner or later
she would have to dispense with home
help and sympathy.
When Elsie was twenty, one of the
young men who presumed that Elsie
was "a gen." "a CATCH" asked ker to
be his wife.
She, without thought as to her lack
Of knowledge and her unfitness to take
charge Of house, accepted, and more
over, felt that she was making Sigh
sacrifice in doing so. She really i'm agin
ed that she was worth any man. The
mother was of the same mind, but her
aunt differed widely from both.
Elsie's mother spent many hours
each week at the house of her favorite
child. She now saw what trials her
daughter would have and she did her
best to smooth the way for her.
But when the young wife was alone
with the servants, and the responsible
ty Of managing resting upon her, she
realized the trial that was present and
prospective for her. She found that
she could not shift the du,y upon any
one else. The servants would appeal
to her for advice, and she could give
them none. And when she turned her
back in modification, they laughed and
sneered, almost in the face of their
young mistress.
The husband, to his surprise and
grief, found the house at "loose ends"
Many times he found the dinner in bad
taste and Elsie in bad humor.
The servants very soon understood
the situation and acted accordingly.
"Why, she's no more nor little ba-
by in house." whispered old Dnah.
"Baby," said Bridget, "did ye ever
see such ninny? She better had
staid with her mither a year and bin
taught to do bit ofwork."
And many times the young wife sat
down and cried over her troubles. But
here was no help for her.
In the track of other troubles came
he death of her mother. Then she
waswithout any one to help her. to ap-
preciate her position or offer sympathy. |
After this came new thought. In her
:rials at home, Elsie began to ask her
'elfthe question, "wflo is to blame tor
ny stupidity and ignorance :" She
began to realize her defects at last.
She was inconsistent, even then, for |
'he turned, at once, to look for some
one else to blame.
"Why was I not instructed" she be-
gan. ''Now l am laughed at by my
OWN servants, because l was not taught |
o do anything. was the favori.e at
nome. Now 1 am as useless as
and my husband is beginning
o know 1t. The name Of mother is
becoming hateful to me, for she was the
cause of all my modification. Mother
brought this all upon my head, and to-
lay, I almost wish I were dead"
But Elsie was not wholly right. Her
mother was largely responsible for her
daughters unhappiness, but not alto
,ether. Elsie was not an infant or an
dot, and ought to have known that it
vas her duty to be prepared for her
lew position. She ought to have
nown that the world, and her husband
90, would accept no such excuse for
Ter ignorance. 1t was her duty, when
he saw her error and the error Of her
mother, to turn back and correct the
Unless past, and its almost fatal blum
Ter. Instead of that, she contented
ersef with tears and reproaches for
er mother.
And, so, drifting down the journey
f life, Elsie-the favorite-presented
ne saddest type of an unhappy woman
the picture of an aimless, useless
fe. And among the thousand who
new her, there was not one to pity.
The Church on Temperance. Ii