Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1889-10-07

After having been married some
weeks, it came into the head of q
young husband in this city, one Sun
day, when he had but little to occupy
his mind, to suggest to his wife that
they should plainly and honestly state
the faults that each had discovered
in the other since they had been man
and wife. After some hesitation the
wife agreed to the proposition, but
stipulated that the rehearsal should
be made in all sincerity and with the
view of lettering each other, as 9th
erwise it would be of no use to speak
of the faults to which marriage had
opened their eyes. The husband was
of the same mind, and his wife asked
him to begin with her faults. He
was somewhat reluctant, but his wife
insisted that he was the first to pro-
pose the matter, and as he was at the
head of the house, it was his place to
take the lead. Thus urged, he be-
gan the recital. He said
"My dear, one of the first faults 1
observed in you after we began keep
ing house was that you good deal
neglected the tinwaTe. You didn't
keep it secured and bright as it
should be. My mother always took
great pride in her tinware and kept it
bright as dollar"
81 am glad that you have mention
ed it, DEAR" said the wife blushing
little; thereafter you shall see no
speck on cup or pan. Pray proceed"
81 have often Observed" said the
husband, "that you often use your
dish-rags a long time without wash
ing, and then finally throw them
away. Now, when at home I remem-
Der that my mother always used to
wash out her dish-rags when she was
done using them,a land then hang them
up where they would dry, ready for
the next time she would need them"
Blushing as before, the young wife
promised to amend this fault.
The husband continued with most
formidable list of similar faults, many
more than we have space to enumer-
ate, when he declared that he could
think of nothing more that was wor-
thy of mention.
"Now," said he, 'smy dear, you
begin and tell me all the faults
you have observed in me since we
have been married." .~...
The young housewife satin silence !;
her face flushed to the temples, and
great lump came in her throat,
which she seemed to be striving hard
to swallow.
s'Proceed, my dear; tell me all the
faults you have observed in me, spar
ing none p --.-..-
Arising suddenly from her seat, the
little wife burst into tears, and throw
ing both arms about her husbands
neck, cried:
"My dear husband, you have not a
fault in the world. If you have even
one, my eyes have been so blinded by
my love for you that as long as we
have been married | have never once |
observed it. In my eyes you are per-
feet, and all that you do seems to be
done in the best manner and just |
what should be DONE"
''But, my DEAR said the husband,
his face reddening and his voice
growing husky with emotion, "just
think; l have gone and found all
manner of fault with you. Now dc
tell me some of my faults; l know l
have many-ten times as many as
you ever had or ever will have. Let
me hear them .-......
s'Indeed, husband, it is as tell
you; you have not a single fault that
| can see. Whatever you do seems
right to my eyes; and now that l
know what good-for-nothing little
wretch | am i shall at once begin the
work of reform and try to make my
self more worthy of YOU" -.
"Nonsense, my dear, you know
sometimes l go away and leave you
without any wood cut; l stay up
town when ought to be at home; |
spend my money for drinks and CT
gars when ought to bring it home
to you; l.
"No, you DON'T cried his wife;
''you do nothing of the kind. L like
to see you enjoy yourself; l should
be unhappy were you to do otherwise
than just exactly as you do p
s'God bless you, little wife !'' cried
the now thoroughly subjugated hus-
band; "from this moment you have
not fault in the world Indeed you
never had a fault; l was but joking
don't remember a word / said -
and he kissed away the tears that
still trembled in the little woman's
eyes.
Never again did the husband scru-
tinize the tinware nor examine the
dish-rag-never so much as mention
one of the faults he had enumerated
but soon after the neighbor women
were wont to say:
cit is wonderful how neat Mrs.
keeps everything about her house.
Her tinware is always as bright as a
new dollar; and l do believe she not
only washes but even irons her dish
rags!'' And the neighbor men were