Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1884-01-16
HONEST FOR A DAY.

| OF life and people generally, Mrs- DroWn
had suddenly decided that for one dav
she would be true as gold-honest as
the sunlight She made solemn COM
pact with herself that for one twenty
four hours she would think, speak and
act the truth. That she would do
nothing insincere just because society
demanded it, or her own good nature
suggested it; but that for one single
day she would be honest.
Now one of Mrs. Browns strongest
creeds, although unformulated, was
that wife should never disagree with
her husband No matter what her
real opinion was, it was go much more
comfortable to agree than not to agree
that in their married life of ten years
Mr.. Brown had ever held high opinion
of his wife's good sense. Imagine his
feeling, therefore, when upon this
memorable morning the following little
scene took place. 1t was before break
fast, and they were dressing. Mr..
Brown was standing in front of the
bureau that contained the only mirror
in the room, brushing his hair with a
leisurely nicety that was trying to the
D patience of Mrs. Brown. She was not
half as far advanced in her toilet as her
husband, and her luxuriant hair was
awaiting it's turn of brush and comb
and mirror. She heayed sigh and
said, "Oh, dear l''
"In hurry, Sarah :? Be through in
moment. You don't think I'm long
do you ?"
Now any other morning but this
Mrs. Brown would have answered
sweetly: "Oh no, dear, lake your
tlme.D But this morning, true to her
VOW of sincerity, she said frankly /:
"Well yes; l do. I've been waiting
some time; and my hair is much more
troublesome to fix than yours, you
know"
If roll of thunder had suddenly
growled overhead, Mr.. Brown would
not have been equally thunderstruck.
In sheer amazement he moved aside
and gave her place. Then he said
"Got out of the wrong eide of bed
this morning; didn't you ?"
NO" answered Mrs. Brown truth
fully. 81 think got out at the same
side that | always do"
"Phew !" whistled Mr.. Brown.
you are nice and cross this morning,
or / shouldn't say so ~
mo" said Mrs. Brown, serenely,
II think it is you who are quick
tempered"
"Well!" gasped Mr.. Brown II
neverw
| And he never had. He went out
and slammed the door. Mrs. Brown
sighed, but went on arranging her hair
and finished her dressing. She resist
ed the momentary impulse she had to
run after her lord and smooth down his
feathers, and soon felt the sustaining
glow of selfapproval.
"It's hard," she thought, but l will
do it. Surely society is in bad state
when the simple truth appears to be so
very unexpected"
At the breakfast table she was
serenely placid, eating and drinking in
a calm sort of way, and paying no at
tention to the scowl on the face OF her
husband opposite, although usually any
such symptoms would have been sooth-
ed and smoothed away at once with
sweet words and anxious care. This
morning she was honest; she didn',
think be deserved soothing, and she
want going to give in. Mr.. Brown
went off to business out of humor with
himself, his wife, and everything in
general. After be had left, Mrs. Brown
went downstairs to see the butcher
She said to the boy:
"This is poor piece of beef; and
you know it,"
Marin? ?" said the boy, his eyes
staring.
"You take this back to Mr.. Johnson
and tell him that | think that it i;
cheating to send me such poor piece
So of meat as this, when | pay him tht
very highest price for everything"
"Yes'm," said the boy, still staring
/. "Well Take it and go 'long"
"Yes'm," said the boy, still dazed
as he lifted the piece into his baske
/. and turned to go. He was amazed
Never before had Mrs. Brown founC
fault; and they had palmed off on heI
in times past many piece of beef mo-
weighed in the scales of justice.
Bridget was standing open-mouthet
!, near by.
q Mrs. Brown gazed meditatively owe
- the top of her head, and her glance, t.
Bridget's eye, seemed trife severe.
"Plaze, ma'am, phat is it ~ she said
q humbly.
II was just thinking, to tell th'
It truth, Bridget" said Mrs. Brown, will
= laugh, chow nice and wavy your hal
n was, and wishing that | had it. Yol
8 don't have to put it up in crimp paper
s, over night; do you? ?"
"Oh! noa, ma'am !" beamed Bridg
ct. 81 doant Shure but it's the plagu
/, of me life it is; always tanglin' up tha
tight there's noa coamin' it dacently.
"Well; it's very pretty" answere'
Mrs Brown, "and, if it was mine, II
be curling it all the time, I'd be g
proud of it,"
"Shure it's welcome ye'd he to it,
| could only give 1t to ye," laughed
z Bridget. as she turned aside to wash a
the breakfast dishes.
y Mrs. Brown now went up-stairs, an
$, there, just coming in at the front doc
r, was her favorite sisterin-law.
!. "Good-morning. Lizzie So glad t
De see you. Come right upstairs to m
room"
Now Lizzie was q favorite of Mrs
Browns; and she was glad to see bel
They chatted for moment or so upo
different subjects, and then Lizzie sale
40 "Oh How do you like my new hat
OF Just got it yesterday. Don't you thin
it's becoming 2"
Mrs. Brown took look at it.
"No-OD she answered relunctan