The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1885-11-13
NED'S EXPERIENCE.

When ne was married, so ne ana MS
wife decided to board for six months.
Eva had been useful girl at home,
that always helped mother, and when
she became mistress Of one room with
sthe use of the parlor for Callers" she
gladly did all there was to do, even to
carrying the wood for their fire $50
that dear old Ned wouldn't have to
bother; he just sat down and toasted
his toes by the fire without ever a
thought of who kept it going.
When the young people had saved a
little money for the necessary furnl-
ture and went to housekeeping, Eva
began by slipping about very carefully
in the morning till breakfast was near
.ly ready, $50 the dear boy could rest, +"
and he snooZed away the morn
ing hour, regardless of the heavy
work that he should have been doing
to save the girl that, such a little
while ago, he had promised to Glove,
honor and cherish" But Ned loved
his wife. and his home, and after while,
when a little baby girl came to stay at
their house, Ned's pride and pleasure
knew no bonnds.
Involuntarily he would quicken his
steps as he neared the home and
thought of the dainty little darling in
ruffies and embroidery, that had al
ready learned to COO and jump for Joy
at his appearance. Ned was duly
proud of her accomplishments, but
about this time he began to have mis-
givings least Eva should be growing a
little careless of appearances, for he
did dread above all things else the
thought other ever becoming one of the
untidy, slovenly appearing women into
which he had seen SO many pretty
girls deteriorate. One thing was GER
tain baby did not look as nice as she
used to, and Eva seemed to be losing
some of her spirit. He must speak to
her about it.
That night he found the opportunity
he was waiting for when he came home
and found baby at the front door with
smudgy face and dirty dress. He
took her in his arms and carried her
back to the kitchen, where Eva was
getting supper.
How surprised she was to see the
pretty little white dress that she had
put on few minutes before, when she
set her in the hall to peep through the
blinds and watch for papa, while she
made the tea and cut the bread for
supper. But baby had interviewed
the hat rack in the meantime, and
found one of the muddy rubbers that
Ned had thrown on the lower part of
it late last night when he came in. 1t
wasn't real easy to find fault, but he
managed to tell her how disappointed
he had been lately to notice that baby
was hardly ever as clean aud nice
now when he came home as she used
to be, and if there was anything he
did like to see it was a sweet, clean
baby. Eva explained that lately she
had been creeping, which made an aw-
full difference, which Ned thought a
very fimsy excuse, for the floors did
not look dirty, and baby never went
out of doors; how could that make her
clothes dirty?
One week after this he had another
one that was very different. He was
on his way home from business, when
8 friend asked him to ride. He got in
and rode but o. block or two when the
horse ran away, spraining Ned's ankle
so severely that he had to be carried
home by friends who ran to his assist
ance when he was thrown out. They
got him to bed before the doctor got
there, and when he came he advised
him to stay where he was for a week.
At the end of this probation he was
able to sit in an easy chair, with his
foot resting on another, and here he
stayed for two weeks more. But the
time was not wasted that Ned was thus
obliged to spend in doors. Itgave him
the first glimpse he had ever had of
his home as it was when off dress pa
rade.
He had never seen Eva work much,
because she had always had desire
to make his home quiet and restful
for him while he was in it, SO no mat
ter how hard she had worked before he
came, or how she should have to hur-
ry when he was gone, she never did
any work that she could possibly help
when he was at home. A little bit of
fancy work busted her fingers while she
sat and talked with him, but nothing
more matter-of-fact was ever permit
ted in sight. And Ned never realized
how things got done. If they were not
done he noticed the lack, but when
everything ran smoothly, that was
only as it should be, and he hardly
gave it thought. But now he saw
things as they were. He realized tasst
every fire that cooked his meals mad
to be made by his Eva's own hands,.
that the same hands must carry in the
wood and carry the ashes out, bring
the water from the cistern and take
the slops to the inconvenient alley
drain, and he was heartily ashamed
of himself One day as he saw her GO
ing about these disagreeable duties for
perhaps the thousandth time, he said:
ssEva, why didn't you tell me to do
that long ago, instead ofdoing it your
self all this timer"
30. could manage it very well be-