Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1888-09-26
AN INSTRUCTIVE DREAM

"Oh, dear" said tidy Mrs. Jewett,
f'there's Willie in the parlor again with
his muddy boots, and Jennie has fin
gered the woodwork of the piano all
over, l see, that | polished so nicely
onlv yesterday. | know the door of the
spare room has been left open, too, for
the muslin curtains are pulled away,
where pussy must have frolicked in the
folds; and dear, dear, there's Jack this
minute with his feet on that stuffed
chair"
fret" said easy Mr.. Jewett ''the children
must put their feet somewhere, and /
suppose kittens will be kittens and fly
about where they can find the most
fun
80, yes" rejoined Mrs. Jewett, cts
very easy Tor you, father, to think that
children and cats can 90 where they
please. I'm not fretting, but it's hard
work to sweep and polish and do clear
starching, and men never did know and
never will know anything about the
work OF a housekeeper and mother"
So saying Mrs. Jewett, with her fair,
pretty face ell in wrinkle, went out of
the room with worried, 80, dear ~
a compassionate "Poor mother ~
Naturally, Mrs. Jewett was of "a happy
disposition, but like many another fond,
faithful mot her, she was unconsclOusly
falling into the habit of worrying over
the inevitable faults and thoughtless-
ness of her children.
She was a scrupulously neat house
keeper, and as her things had not come
as easily as they do to many others,
they acquired all the more value and
Importance in her eyes, when once
they came into her possession.
But the usual restlessness and activ-
itv of boys and girls, and even poor,
capering kitty herself, were fast devel
oping in Mrs. Jewett that irritating
fretfulness and impatlence which kills
true happiness and comfort in many
home, where the mothers real object
Was to make all as comfortable and
happy as possible.
In vain Mr.. JeWett limited that things
were always going wrong somehow, and
that there was no end of peevishness
and fault-inding in his family. At
such times Mrs. Jewett would shed
tears and declare that no one could do
more than to- spend all their time and
energies for their family, as she did.
One morning the curtains were dis
covered to have been rolled up all to
one side, while the summer sunshine
was flooding with its wholesome light
the bright pattern of the new Brussels
carpet. Jennie and Carrie had left
their school books scattered around on
the chairs, and Jacks muddy boots
stood in the middle of the floor.
Mrs. Jewett burst into TRADE of dis
pleasure, but. the children were out of
hearing. so, instead of judiciously and
patiently calling them in and requiring
them to put things in their places, she
allowing Mr.. Jewett, as frequently
happened, to bear the brunt of ler dis
pleasure, and for once his good nature
gave way, as he said, pettishly:
81 declare, wife, it's thousand pities
there are any children here to bother
you SC ~
Mrs. Jewest made no reply, but going
to her room ,sshe sat down for moment
to consider whether or not her husband
meant what.-he had just said. But by
degrees the room faded from her vision,
the house became quiet terribly quiet
the sunlight died out, and shade and
stiffness reigned supreme.
There were footsteps heard, but
hushed, creeping, awed.
All of active life had ceased;. even
kitty had taken herself off. and was no.
where to be seen.
Mrs. Jewett reused herself, and went
from kitchen to dfning-room, from
dining-room to parlor.
The curtains were relied with exact
evenness; not the finest of sunlight
could pierce through crack or crevice of
the nicely adjusted shutters.
Every book was in its place; the
chairs as guiltless of dust as if just
cleaned, and the undisturbed ornament
in it's place.
But the children! 0, the children
A great appalling throb of apprehen
sion and whitening. pain shot un-
repressed through the mothers heart
at mention of their names.
Where was wInsome-no longer mis-
chievous, but winsome-Willie
Where, pray, were spOrtiye Carrie and
lively Jenn e? Where, too, bounding
loving little Jack YES" she said,
vaguely, peering about in sunless gloom,
where are my precious children p
She left dining-room and parlor, and
went from one child's chamber TO an
other everything in depressing order;
even their little beds were unruff1ed,
each smooth pillow looking as if un-
pressed by sunny head for-O, SO
long,
And, alb, misery what was that in
Willie's room in the porcelain vase?